Crucibles of Sin

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungod-

liness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in

unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18, NKJV).

Everything we do has a consequence. If you stand in the hot sun with

ice cream, it will certainly melt. Cause and effect always go together.

And no matter how desperately we may want things to be different, it is

the same with sin. It always reaps consequences. It is not that God sits

in heaven wondering what terrible things He can do to people who sin;

no, sin itself comes with its own built-in consequences.

The problem is that many times we think that we can somehow

outwit God and sin without experiencing the consequences. It never

happens. Paul makes it very clear that sinning has consequences, not

only for eternity but also painful and distressing consequences today.

In Romans 1:21–32, Paul describes the process when people fall into sin

and the consequences of those sins. Read these verses prayerfully

and carefully, and summarize the essence of what Paul is saying,

focusing specifically on the stages of sin and its consequences.

A couple of verses earlier Paul describes these consequences as the

“wrath of God” (Rom. 1:18). God’s wrath in this passage is simply God

calling human beings to reap what they sow. Even for Christians, God

does not always intervene immediately to remove the pain that results

from our own actions. Many times He allows us to experience the

consequences of our actions in order for us to understand how deeply

damaging and offensive our sin is.

We have been considering the consequences of breaking God’s moral

laws. But what about breaking God’s health laws? Our bodies are God’s

home. If we abuse our bodies by failing to eat healthfully or to exercise,

or if we regularly overwork, this also is sin against God. And this has

consequences that can create the conditions of a crucible.

In your own life, how have you reaped the immediate conse-

quences of your own sins? What lessons have you learned? What

changes must you make in order not to go through something

similar again?