Are There Really Consequences To Sin?

A young boy lived in the country and his family hadn’t moved to the modern convenience of inside plumbing. So they had to use an outhouse, which the young boy hated. It was hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and always smelly. The outhouse was located near the creek so the boy decided that he would push it into the water. After a spring rain, the creek swelled and came right up to the outhouse, so the boy decided this is my best chance to push it in. And he did. Later that night his dad told him that he and the boy needed to make a trip to the woodshed. The boy knew this meant punishment, so he asked his father why to which his dad replied, "Because someone pushed the outhouse into the creek and I think that someone was you. Was it?" The boy responded that it was, and then added: "Remember when George Washington's father asked him if he had chopped down the cherry tree? He didn't get into trouble because he told the truth." "That is correct," the dad said, "but his father was not in the cherry tree when he cut it down."

Well there are consequences to doing wrong!

We saw posted on a sign yesterday driving back from West Virginia…“You may choose your sin but you cannot choose the consequences.”

Paul tells us about this in Galatians 6:7-8 …read…

Galatians 6:7–8 NASB95

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

This morning I want you to notice 3 things Paul emphasizes. 1st..

1. DON’T BE DECEIVED.

- The word used here for deceived means to lead astray. So Paul says here Don’t be led astray…

- Who is the one who wants to led you astray? The devil…the great deceiver! And he will use family and friends and co-workers to accomplish this task!

- What does he do? He tries to 1) Lead you into sin = doing wrong, going against God, seeking to satisfy yourself 2) To make you think there will be no consequences – just do what you want to do…satisfy your desires…whatever feels good…whatever you want to do…and there will be no ramifications…nothing to worry about.

- Let me ask you this morning: How many times have you been deceived = led astray?

- You’re really only deceiving yourself when you buy into this and the devil’s lies and deceptions!

TS – 2nd…

2. GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED.

- The word for mock used here means to snub your nose at, to sneer to, to disdain.

- The meaning here= you can’t fool God = you might be able to fool some people but you will never be able to fool God!

- Yet…there are a ton of people who think they can– think they can do what they want to do…live how they want to live…and fool God and not have to deal with any consequences to their actions…choices!

- By the way…how has that been working out for you?

TS – 3rd…

3. YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

- Here Paul introduced an immutable law (principle) = you reap what you sow!

- This was (and still is) an agricultural law that is immutable (means it will always be true) = if you sow corn you will get corn…pumpkins you will get pumpkins…squash you will get squash…you get the point!

- Things would really be chaotic if you planted corn and got pumpkins instead of corn!

- But this isn’t the way things work.

- Well God says the same is true spiritually! If you sow things to the flesh you will get things of the flesh but if you sow things to the Spirit, you will get things of the Spirit.

- In fact, Paul puts it this way…Galatians 6:8 …

Galatians 6:8 NASB95

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

- So sow to the flesh = you will reap corruption (This word is related to decay).

- The British Evangelical leader John Stott puts it this way: "Every time we allow our mind to harbor a grudge, nurse a grievance, entertain an impure fancy, wallow in self-pity, we are sowing to the flesh. Every time we linger in bad company whose insidious influence we know we cannot resist, every time we lie in bed when we ought to be up and praying, every time we read pornographic literature, every time we take a risk that strains our self-control we are sowing, sowing, sowing, to the flesh."

- There are consequences to sin! And Christians aren’t exempt from them!

1) Will God forgive you when you sin? YES!

2) Will God exempt you from any consequences? NO!

- By the way = this is why we work so hard trying to scream out: STAY AWAY FROM SIN!

- So what should you be sowing? Things to the Spirit!

- How? By walking in the Spirit…by being led by the Spirit…by letting the Holy Spirit control you…by abiding in Christ…by setting your mind on the things of God rather than the things of the world…by living and being a holy sacrifice…by not conforming to this world but being transformed in your mind and heart!

- If you do…what will you reap? ETERNAL LIFE! Which refers to quality of life not just duration of life.

- You see…eternal life begins the moment you open your heart and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior!

Conclusion

So what are sowing in your life? You see there are only 2 fields for the Christian to sow in: 1) The Flesh 2) The Spirit.