The Effects of Sin

So I'm going to pull heavily from Genesis 3 in what the Bible describes as the first sin by humanity. I think that many people underestimate sin and in turn underestimate the impact it has on our relationship with God and our relationship with others. Not understanding sin can also lead to misconceptions on God's character as well. The fact is that we live in a world steeped in sin. Our whole lives are surrounded by it and it changes our entire perception on life. Christ heals that in us, but it is a process that we will undertake with our whole lives.

When we do things our way, it doesn't always go so well.

First I want to establish what sin is. In Genesis, we find that Adam and Eve are in deep with trouble. Eve just disobeyed God in an attempt to be more like a god. Adam stood there and let it happen and then thought he might try it out.

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

The results are more than a slap on the wrist and God seems to oddly give some specific examples to them about how life is about to change. However, those examples exist for a reason, that is to classify the different kinds of sins.

To Eve,

I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.

Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.

To Adam,
Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”

So I put into the bold the parts of these passages, which can be found in Genesis 3, that I want to emphasize. Sin doesn't just exist the world through our actions, the world itself is corrupted. When God told Eve that childbirth would become severely painful, He was signifying that our bodies had become vulnerable to sin. Sin corrupted our bodies. We can see these vulnerabilities through pain, physical suffering, disease, sickness, disorders, birth defects, and ultimately death.

Some of you ask, "Why did God make me this way?"or "Why does a good God allow mental and physical disabilities?" and my answer that yes, while we are made in God's image, sin has corrupted the human body so that you and I are not perfect! That's alright though because Christ has come to redeem everyone, especially the broken.

Sin affected the earth as well. Flowers and plants had no need for thorns before the fall. Devastating earthquakes and other natural disasters were not an aspect of God's paradise either. Why would a good God kill so many with a tsunami or an earthquake? The earth is cursed and sin brings death.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Romans 5:12

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. Isaiah 59:2

Sin doesn't just affect the sinner; sin affects everyone. Imagine a drunk driver or a murderer who kills innocent people. His sin doesn't just affect him and he isn't the only one that feels the consequences. The deceased, the families of the deceased, and possibly many more will feel the consequences of someone else's sinful act. While God can certainly use any of this for His glory and He certainly has final control over the grave, it's not His will for anyone to die. It's ours.

God gave us free will in order for us to choose to love Him freely. When we use our free will to disobey him, we are choosing separation from God. That is us choosing our will over God's will, it's as simple that. This may seem really dark and dramatic and perhaps you don't realize that the little petty sin you have in your life is a big deal. However whether it be an addiction, an unwillingness to forgive, contempt...it's all poisonous and it's not only going to hurt you or possibly someone you love, it's going to push you away from God.

Thanks be to God though that He sent us a savior, Jesus Christ.  It's through Christ that we can be healed from sin but also share in His abundant life and grace.