Consequences
Stories
THE WONDER OF WORDS: BOOK 2
ONE-HUNDRED MORE WORDS AND PHRASES SHAPING HOW CHRISTIANS THINK AND LIVE
"Of course, God will forgive me; that's his business!" Those flippant words were written by the nineteenth century German author, Heinnich Heine. Such a statement reveals a lack of understanding about the seriousness of sin. Where do sins go after they are committed? They go out into the world as evil consequences. Consequence comes from the Latin term "consequi," meaning to follow after. A consequence is a result that follows after an action, an effect flowing from a cause.
First, consider the consequences of sin for King David. "One evening David got up from his couch and, as he walked about on the roof of the palace, he saw from there a woman bathing, and she was very beautiful." (2 Samuel 11:2, NEB) The woman was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, an outstanding warrior. When Bathsheba became pregnant by David, he tried to get Uriah to spend a night home with his wife, but failed. David then told his general, Joab, to place Uriah in the front line of fighting where he would be killed. When Uriah was dead, David married Bathsheba. Later, the prophet Nathan confronted David with his crime. "David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' Nathan answered him, 'The Lord has laid on another the consequences of your sin." (2 Samuel 12:13, NEB) The consequences of David's sin flowed out into the lives of Bathsheba, her child, Joab, and Uriah.
Second, consider the consequences of sin for others. For instance, Almeda Adams was the blind author of a book called "Seeing Europe Through Sightless Eyes." How did she become blind? When she was a few days old, a physician who was drunk used too strong a solution of silver nitrate on her eyes. The consequences of his sin were laid on her.
Third, consider the consequences of sin for God. Isaiah of Babylon pictured the perfect servant of God, whose suffering and death brought men to the knowledge of God. "The Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all." (Isaiah 52:6) In Jesus, we see that God is not an indifferent spectator of the world's pain, but an active participant who bears, in himself, the consequences of our sins.
First, consider the consequences of sin for King David. "One evening David got up from his couch and, as he walked about on the roof of the palace, he saw from there a woman bathing, and she was very beautiful." (2 Samuel 11:2, NEB) The woman was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, an outstanding warrior. When Bathsheba became pregnant by David, he tried to get Uriah to spend a night home with his wife, but failed. David then told his general, Joab, to place Uriah in the front line of fighting where he would be killed. When Uriah was dead, David married Bathsheba. Later, the prophet Nathan confronted David with his crime. "David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' Nathan answered him, 'The Lord has laid on another the consequences of your sin." (2 Samuel 12:13, NEB) The consequences of David's sin flowed out into the lives of Bathsheba, her child, Joab, and Uriah.
Second, consider the consequences of sin for others. For instance, Almeda Adams was the blind author of a book called "Seeing Europe Through Sightless Eyes." How did she become blind? When she was a few days old, a physician who was drunk used too strong a solution of silver nitrate on her eyes. The consequences of his sin were laid on her.
Third, consider the consequences of sin for God. Isaiah of Babylon pictured the perfect servant of God, whose suffering and death brought men to the knowledge of God. "The Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all." (Isaiah 52:6) In Jesus, we see that God is not an indifferent spectator of the world's pain, but an active participant who bears, in himself, the consequences of our sins.
