Ask Your Preacher - Archives
“Consequences”
Categories: CONQUERING SIN, GOD, RELATIONSHIPS, WITH MANKINDIf you were convicted of being a sex offender over eighteen years ago, and now time has changed your life, and you have accepted Christ, should you still be condemned by the public? Does God always hold it against you for the sin that now has been forgiven by some?Sincerely,
Leaving The Past Behind
Dear Leaving The Past Behind,
Sin has both spiritual and physical consequences. The spiritual consequence of sin is eternal death unless we are forgiven in Christ (Rom 6:23). The physical consequences of sin still remain after forgiveness. God says that we reap what we sow (Gal 6:7). When we behave immorally toward a woman, lose our temper, mistreat others, are bad examples for our children, etc. – there are consequences to those choices. God does offer forgiveness if we place our faith in Him (read “What Must I Do To Be Saved” for more details), but that forgiveness doesn’t remove the consequences of sin in this life. David sinned when he committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:2-4); God forgave David of the sin when David repented (2 Sam 12:13), but David’s child still died as a consequence of that sin (2 Sam 12:14). A sex offender can be forgiven if they turn to the Lord, but the consequences of that sin will still follow them in this life.
