Physical Consequences of Sin-James Part 5

I used to lunch on TV show called truth or consequences not of your watch that show has been on for a while.

I don't think it would go something like this, you would be called out of the audience are called out of your seat wherever you were, you come up and the MC would ask you some totally ridiculous. Absolutely impossible question answer. I mean, you know the answer. You couldn't figure out if I deftly told you the answer.

It often didn't make any sense and give you about one and 1/2 seconds to answer and then you hear the buzz of the bar and a go consequences in all the years I watched that show. I never saw anybody I never saw anybody who answered correctly without getting the buzzer that was part of the reasons exist. If you follow-up. Whatever happened if anyone would have the whole point of the show was living the consequences of these crazy questions and we we talk about that. We watch a show like that and we understand, basically, I think, what consequences it's something that comes one is we don't get everything quite right.

I want to talk to you this evening about biblical consequences.

Consequences in this case of sin, and I want you to turn with me in the book of James chapter 1 James chapter 1 last Sunday evening we had a missionary speaker here and so therefore we did not looking up to the book of James. So it's been two weeks since we've been here therefore allow me if you would to review we studied in the book of James. In chapter 1, first, that God told us through his messenger, James, and we are to rejoice when trials and difficulties, away because there are some reasons.

Those reasons all applied to the fact it is God brings trouble our way. God is really bringing maturity our way that our troubles are friends and discard bringing maturity and growth into our lives and then James went on in verse five of chapter 1 to talk about the fact that if we need wisdom in facing our trials.

God will provide the God never looks down on anyone who asks him for wisdom and sincerely wanted next. Good news, because we all needed and then we went on to talk about why we should persevere. Why we should continue to obey God in the midst of trial. There were some good reasons in James chapter 1 and finally we talked about God's relationship to evil in that section, and two weeks ago we went on to talk about being doers of the word and not just hearers but God is more interested in what we do, that what we say we are going to do or to put it more colloquially, that God wants us to put our money where our mouth is and in that regard, we have already looked in verse 22 of chapter 1 where James says, but prove yourselves doers of the word, not merely hearers who delude themselves and I talked to us about the positive side of doing what God says about obeying the Lord about the blessing that God gives to those people who obey him in time did not permit two weeks ago when we talked about this for us to talk about the negative side, but I want to use this verse, verse 22 as a springboard into a discussion of consequences. The relationship of sin and consequences because although there is a positive side if we obey God, looking all the blessing, my friends, there is also the negative side of if we disobey God, look what happens. I'm afraid his believers to very often we are not really even aware of what God says about the consequences of our disobedience as believers we need to be because saying to God all godless and I'm really sorry but I just didn't know. I'm afraid simply doesn't work. Ignorance really is no excuse. So the solution is not to try to claim ignorance. The solution is to become cognizant of what this book. What the Bible says about the consequences of what we do so with that little bit of background let's begin to talk about consequences. We need to decide what consequences when we need. What is a consequence. Well I looked it up in Webster's dictionary and it defined a consequence like this. It said that a consequence is the result or effect of any action principle. The result for the effect of an action is a consequence if the all cause and effect law that every cost produces an effect and conversely every effect has been produced by a call so we could say therefore in very simple terms of the consequences of your actions are the results that come into your life in my life because of what we do. A consequence is what comes our life because of what we do or possibly because of what we don't do that we should. The Bible speaks of them. For example, Romans 623 says the wages of sin is. You know it.

What is it that is a consequence. What was the effect sin because forgiving sin. In this syllogism, I probably will get so turned around unlocking the witches up so you just put it all in perspective. Okay, because sin the effect their consequence. We also read about a mini and being dismissed from the garden of Eden by voluntarily God dismissed them.

That was the effect. What was the cause they disobeyed him they did what he said not to do. There was a cause and effect came directly as a result of the court is of the Lord God addresses this happens in our daily lives all the time. My wife and I want our way to Baltimore several years ago I was on the way up to Johns Hopkins I said hey it's a nice day, sunny day, Jamie was just a year and 1/2 old, that when I said look far to come with me I have to spend about two hours at solstice one class. I'll pick you up will take JV and will head up to Baltimore and for couple of hours. Jamie can toddle around out on the grass out there, you can just get a day out of the home and I'll go to my class and go to great line of the BW Parkway everything I got down almost to a sign I know when I have to get the Baltimore Beltway and will I have to hit downtown and will I have to hit here II have down to a science. When you do three days a week for three years you get it down to a science, and I know what I'm even to the minutes ahead or behind and so as we came flying into southern Baltimore. The BW Parkway. I was behind I knew it, so way up the road as a stoplight say some flying toward the stoplight on talking to my wife and ridgeline on the road and I see it turn yellow… Well I'm doing 55 is pretty fast.

This one of those long life because it's only the 55 mile erosion also 20s long yellow lights as I think I can screw through this is a long line. I definitely don't want to get caught by the slight so I sort of stepped on the gas a little bit him. The problem is before I got there it turned red but no way to stop them. The room grew, we went to my wife, bless her heart, turned to me and she said such general language.

She said one of these days I really hope they give you a ticket for that sizable ring. I couldn't stop. She said all yes you could've is it all right so we were just up the road and I looked in the rearview mirror, I see this light blue, blinking like that. I figured it was a motorcycle cop and I figure well and I move over in the right leg go by Robin as he moved in the right lane. I thought this crazy policeman was wrong with this guy moved over so you go by lines gargling by it never occurred to me was after me.

I figure I just slipped through.

I couldn't stop. I could tell he met to finally as I was still cruising a little bit lower turnout today. I think you want you, especially since he's doing like that so I pulled over, he got off his motorcycle, you got there.

Got a leather jacket helmet is guys out there and walk it up. I see a driver's reservation correctly I sit sure you know what's the problem. He said that in to see that traffic signal is, of course, I did say don't you know was red when you improve the course I do stupid because I know it, but I couldn't stop. He said my friend. You went to that life for seconds after change. Well now he was exaggerating a little bit might've been to so I said well I realize I'll sneak you a little late. They went backs out on his motorcycle talk on the radio little bit walked back up sign. The summons handed it to me so I put my drivers license back in my pocket. My registration card back in my glove compartment of my ticket. My dashboard away. I went to my wants to sit here just seconds before headset. I hope one of these days they come right along.

I'm not about to look at her is no way I'm gonna look over her, she just sitting there right along and you know I begin to think the Lord listen. That's just me. I'm in a hurry you want to be late for class on your servant, you can't do that to me. I'm in the ministry. I mean, you would think that you would give me of all people a break. I sensed the spirit of God very gently saying that a friend when you do the cause you get the effect happens all through our lives. The goal cause and effect in the consequence is nothing but the effect of what we didn't. That's all, and deliberate sin. There's no doubt in the Scripture deliberate sin always brings consequence we know that you know that but here's my question for you tonight.

How does God forgiving our sin as believers relate to his removing consequences that are sin produces. How does God forgiving our sin as believers relate to his removing consequences that the sin produces to put it another way, when God forgives a believer of deliberate sin were not talking about genuine mistakes were talking about deliberate willful cognizant voluntary disobedience when God forgives that does he commit himself to removing the consequence at the question to Goodwin and the answer to that question may shock some of but stirred together in the Old Testament to the book of numbers numbers chapter 13 numbers chapter 13 numbers 13 while you're turning I'll give you the background we find the Israelites about to enter the promised land. They wonder they been to Mount Sinai, they seen the Lord. They met with the Lord and I hear they are about to enter the promised land.

You know the story they sent 12 spies if the spies come back in two of the spies say always a great land. It's a beautiful land in all God's been so good to Joshua and Caleb for 10 spies bring back with the Scripture calls to be an evil report and they say something like this weekend going there will have a chance against those godless.

I mean, those guys are so big we are like grasshoppers in their sight and they all live in walled cities and they all have great defenses. We can go in there and take that.

So God it was a nice thought, but there's no way we can do that and so Joshua and Caleb and Moses and Aaron get down on their knees and beg these people. They go listen don't listen to these 10 God listen to us to give us the land. Let's go in and the people say no. The people say let's appoint a new leader get you Moses appoint a new leader and go back to Egypt. Why did God lead us out here to die in the wilderness. In chapter 14 verse one that all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried and the people wept when they heard the report of the 10 spies in all the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron congregation said to them was that we had died in the land of Egypt, or would that we had died in this wilderness. Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to fall by the sword are wise in our little ones will become plunder. Would it not been better for us to stay in Egypt so they said to one another. Verse four.

Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt and Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they tore their clothes verse six and they went on to say in verse seven and following up. Don't do this. It's a good land, God's going to give us the land. Verse 10, but all the congregation said to stone them with stone them the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting, to the sons of Israel to kill most and Eric and Joshua and Caleb and anybody else who felt like allying with these men appoint a new leader and go back to Egypt and it was only God himself intervening and appearing in power and majesty that something God says in verse 11 to Moses. How long will this people spurn me and how long will they not believe in me.

You see their unwillingness to go into the land was a direct act of unbelief. That was the problem. Despite all the signs which I have performed for them.

I will smite them verse 12 with a pestilence and I will dispossess them and I will make you Moses into a nation greater and mightier than they. These people sin deliberately all you bet you there God was outraged God was furious at these people.

He said that's it. Moses I'm gonna wipe them out and I'll start over.

I can't do any worse. Moses you know the story pray for these people to know God don't do that.

Finally, verse 19 Moses says pardon.

I pray the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of our lovingkindness, just as you have forgiven them from Egypt until now. This wasn't the first time they done this verse 20. So the Lord said, I have pardoned them according to your report now that you catch that God forgave you see that verse 20 God says I have pardoned God forgave the sin was forgiven. I want you to look down in verse 29 the Lord says your corpses shortfall in the wilderness.

He goes on to say, verse 31 your children whom you said would become a prey. They are the ones I'll bring in to the land which you have rejected. But as for you, verse 32. Your corpses will fall in the wilderness. Your sons shall be shepherds for 40 years in the wilderness, and they shall suffer because of your unfaithfulness until your corpses lie in the wilderness, according to the number of days which you spied out the land, even 40 days every day you shall bear your guilt a year even 40 years you shall know my opposition are the Lord have spoken, surely I will do this to all this evil congregation were gathered together against me in the wilderness they shall be destroyed and their facial God consequence of their sin was the sin forgiven.

Yes yes once God said verse 20 I pardoned them.

But here the consequences God and live as a matter of fact. Interestingly enough, verse 40 in the morning the next day the people rose up early and they went up to the ridge of the hill and they said to Moses, here we are all we've indeed send all Moses. Yeah that we did it we did it but it's all water under the bridge. You know, Moses, nobody is perfect and God will just have to understand is the way we are. We have a real problem with this. So here we are now will go to the place which the Lord problem, Moses get your spear get your shield. Sorry we did it, and let's go take away verse 41 but Moses said why are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord when it won't succeed. Don't go Moses that she better not go lest you be struck down before your enemies, for the Lord is not among you.

Verse 43 says and the Lord won't be with you. They went us up heedlessly to the ridge of the hill country and neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses left the camp. Moses said don't go they said were going anyway. Moses set font you want to go that's up to you favor fellows do not get via. I'll stay right here and I'll wait for you to come back because I know you're coming back would you notice verse 45 in the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in the hill country came down and struck them and beat them down and repost so they started 40 years of wandering around in the desert, God forgive these people sin yes he did. Did God lift the consequences of what they had done no but you might say. Well, these people probably were believers. Most of these Israelites were probably rank unbelievers. I probably most of them were take another example turn with me if you would still in the Old Testament to second Samuel second Samuel second Samuel chapter 11 we were going to deal with a man named David.

I trust you heard of it, David. A believer I sure hope you say he's a believer. God knows his David wasn't we've all got serious problems a believer. Of course he was a man who knew our Lord and of course he was a man that God said was a man after his very own heart a man God called the pupil the apple of his eye.

One of the greatest men that ever lived a tremendous servant of our Lord Amanda God blessed so abundantly that most of the Old Testament after his wife mentions him at some point when I dealing with a bunch of rebellious Israelites here were dealing with a man very close to the heart of our Lord. I watch what happened.

You know the story David committed adultery.

Chapter 11 happened in the spring when the kings go out to battle, which is where David should've been.

By the way that David sent Joab instead and he stayed home.

When evening came, David arose from his bed and walk around on the roof from the roof he saw a woman bathing and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. David said and inquired about the woman and one person said is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eli have noticed the wife of Uriah the Hittite David sent messengers. It took her and when she came to him.

He lay with her and when she purified herself from her uncleanness. She returned home, verse five, and the woman can see and said and told David and said I'm with child.

I'm pregnant will.

Adultery to somebody else's working and probably David could've slipped by with it.

He was the king he could've slid it under the rug somewhere but she gets pregnant, my sister, what's the problem and that she was married, yeah, she was there to see the problem is her husband in the Army. Guess where he's been for months he's been away with Joab, which is where David should've been fighting some of the babies born there going to go 987654321 and when they come up with one they going to come up with no Uriah around, but David pattern's house at one David knew people to put two and two together and come up with five so what you do soccer great idea. David was added.

David could cannot say it was a pretty sharp character. Great idea.

I'll call you ride a whole bring them home under the pretense of delivering a report of the battle and I'll befriend them and I'll say thank you very much.

Go spend a few days with your wife and everybody when they count back to one will say all year I was you I was home on furlough okay shortly causing Uriah comes home. David says hello Uriah hello how is it that I don't know what Uriah said basically said he goes pretty good.

David Ì thanks really appreciate you bringing that report. Now go home and spend a couple days take a break. I'll send you back well it didn't work like that. Verse 14 same chapter came about in the morning. David wrote a letter to Joab and said I'm sorry. Forgive me. I'm a little bit ahead of myself. When Uriah came verse seven when Uriah came Davidson came to him. David asked concerning the welfare of Joab and the people in the state of the war.

David said to Uriah go down your house, wash your feet take it easy, but Uriah went out of the king's house and even though present was that after the University.

Uriah slept at the door of the king's house and he didn't go down to his house. Verse nine and verse 10, when they told David said you writing go to his house. David said Uriah, have you not come from a journey. Why did you go to your house.

Uriah said the ark in Israel and Judah are staying at temporary shelters in my more Joab and the servants of my Lord are camping in the open field. Shall I go to my house and eat and drink and lie with my wife by the life of you and your soul.

I will not do this Uriah say all my comrades are out there sleeping on the hard ground intense with no comforts and no woman and I just can't justify this king, David.

I'm sure Conoco.

I don't believe this is all I got another idea stay here verse 12. Today also and tomorrow I'll let you go so you I say verse 13 and David calling that night and they ate and they drank any mating from concert towards the end of their meal. David put his arm around Uriah said something like this nightmare. Uriah go down and stay at home. Uriah probably staggering just a little bit.

But in spite of the fact that he was drunk know what he did well. The Scripture tells us verse 13 he went lay down with the servants and didn't go to his house now. David really has a problem. I mean, he really has a problem because now people are going to start wondering what you know around the kings of what is going on around here. So David, I think at this point feels trapped. He scared didn't know what to do pressure impact in the corner and every one of these details are backing him farther and farther in the quarter. So in a very unwise move every stupid move. Verse 14 in the morning. David wrote a note and send it to Joab by the hand of you. I can imagine this Uriah carry the note verse 15 and he had written in the Note Saying Pl., Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and then withdraw from around him quickly so that he may be struck down and die.

Davidson's note to the want you murdering what you putting where the battle is hot and it would really fear suddenly withdraw and leave them standing there by himself and will call it a casualty of war.

You and I Joab will be the only two that know any different. So the servants comes back to see David Bergman of Joab and reports to them a little bit later. He says some of the king servants the end of verse 24 are dead and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also did murder. Nothing short of it, not even 2nd° first-degree premeditated, purposeful land murder and adultery by one of God's choices, servants, and Nathan chapter 12 comes to see David. I wish I could've been here for this confrontation. Nathan comes in and we won't read the whole thing, but there's a little story they become the data we have a problem in the king what is it Nathan says well we got this rich man who lives next door to this poor man and the poor man just has one little lamb and he loved that lamb and he cared for that laminate lived in his house.

It was like a child in him. The rich man has thousands of lamb. But one day the rich man had a friend come to visit anyone affixing a special meal and so instead of going out and taking from the thousands of lamps he had, you know what he did. David. He went next door and took that poor man's lawn and only single lamb and killed it and gave it to his guests and David said I can't stand it.

That man deserves to die and we're gonna take some steps here Nathan, I can see it now those brown eyes of Nathan burning very slowly with his shoulders drawn erect realizing what he was saying, pointing his finger in the face of the king and say you are the man she David have hundreds of why Uriah only had one sedated home and lonely at night but instead of taking one of his hundreds of wives to comfort him. He takes Uriah want to know. So here I print David had condemned himself out of his own mouth. So David says all I want God to forgive me. All I want God please forgive me. Verse 13 and David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. Nathan said the Lord has taken away your sin, you see the forgiveness the Lord has taken away. You shall not God. Would you notice verse 14.

However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord, to blaspheme the child. Also that is born shall surely die, and they can turn and walked out. You know when a child was born.

David prayed and fasted for seven days for that child. I'm sure he lay there on his face and said a humble cot. I'm so sorry I did this god all God it was so stupid and so foolish and it'll never happen again in Lord I know you forgive the please don't take the life of this child. Guess what God did he talk the life of the child that what we say we could look at lots of other examples, but the point I want to get the cross you this evening is very simple point and if this that nowhere in this book. Nowhere does God ever commit himself to removing the consequences of our sin.

Nowhere. I didn't say he never does. I said he never commits himself obligates himself that he must do it in Galatians chapter 6 verse seven says don't be deceived, God's no fool. Whatever a man sows, that's what you really and we sell disobedience we reap consequences at the fact, and God never obligates himself anywhere in this book to forgive those consequences. Now he obligates himself to forgive the sin to take away the penalty and the guilt of the sin yes he does.

First John 19 if we confess our sin. God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness. God obligates himself to forgive the sin take away the guilt, but never never does he obligate himself to remove the consequences.

So therefore the question we need to ask ourselves as believers when we find ourselves contemplating some sort of deliberate sin some sort of deliberateness, disobedience is not the question. Will God forgive me.

That's the one we always ask ourselves. That's the wrong question because the answer that question is always yes that's the wrong question to answer the question we need to ask is this one, what consequences may I be potentially bringing on my life as a result of this sin that God may not decide to take away that's the question that we need to ask not to go out if I had the desire I don't if I had the desire. I suppose I could go out and commit adultery and I could come back and I could ask God to forgive me if I was sincere in my request he would. I would lose my place in heaven. But there are some consequences that he may not decide to take away.

For example, I would very probably have to resign from the ministry I just leave this church would leave the ministry there is a very good chance I would destroy my testimony for our Lord, that my ability to share Christ with others would be severely hampered. I would certainly as David did bring disgrace to our Lord. There's a very good chance over something like that that I could lose my wife and lose my family and so you see what I'm contemplating. For example, if I were I'm not, but if there were a time where I might be contemplating adultery.

The question I need to ask is not Lord, would you forgive me if I did that at the rhetorical question.

The question is Lord, if I go do that.

What may I bring all my life that you want take away that all have to live with the rest of my day.

That's the question that I should balance here and make a couple of statements. First of all, I'm presenting this message with the idea that sin should be the exception and not the rule in a believer's life, facing the kind of prices. David Fay should not be the thing we face in large proportion every single day. I hope, but there are times when we may find ourselves in such positions that they should be the exception. Second point of balance. I want to listen carefully, God often does forgive and remove the consequence got off and on.

Paul says in first Timothy, I was a persecutor of the church I witnessed them kill Stephen. I went around throwing Christians in jail and having them killed. And yet God remove the consequences because I did it in ignorance. God sometimes does remove consequences large amounts and it's especially true of people who did lots of things for which the consequences are great as unbelievers and then they receive Christ and God. Often times it is mercy wipes out the bulk of those consequences. I praise God for that. I'm not in any way implying that God never takes away consequence and we shall be in very serious trouble if he did, I go even farther and say that even when God leaves consequences in our lives that continued obedience to our Lord will soften and even overshadow the consequences that remain. Remember David's next son by Bathsheba was King Solomon who God love and as David got back to a place of obedience, God overshadows the consequent with her second son who became the next king. Why does God allow consequences to remain. Oh, I don't have all the answers, but I know one of the reasons that I find in my own life is to remind me that sin doesn't pay God to call the consequences away if I had total impunity to anything I did with no consequences. Why should I obey God. When God leaves a few of them around just to remind you that sin doesn't pay. It helps to elongate our memories.

I want to conclude by just trying to draw not on all of this, many Christians look at disobedience in the Christian life by simply saying, very glibly, all well God forgive me. I will confess it and as we seeing if we do confess our sin, true God will forgive and perhaps many of you all here this evening, your life, your Christian life is characterized by the sort of attitude are well-versed on 19 confess it.

No biggie, but I'm afraid that's just to nonchalance and approach for God's liking, because as we've seen, the real question we need to ask is not. Will God forgive me, but what consequences may God not remove if I do this we need to understand that sin always hurts.

It always burn it always has consequences. No one sins and gets away with no one pay may not come right away, but based on the authority of his book, I assure you it will come in, the chickens always come home to roost in God's economy in the Old Testament God said this numbers chapter 32.

Be sure your sin will find you well if you go to the moon. My friends believe me following. If you dig down into the earth. Believe me, following God says no matter where you go unforgiven sin will find you well and the consequences will always happen in the book of Proverbs here referring to adultery but the principle is true with regard to anything. Facilities versus can a man take fire into his bosom and his close not be burned brighter. Proverbs a. Could you take a torch flaming stick here against her skin and I'll burn your close, among other things up personal course, not the law of nature can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be burned when I see pictures of people doing in the near East, but I wouldn't try it. Many of you would light up your barbecue grill cook your state the ashes on the ground, take your shoes and socks off and do a Mexican hat dance on your cold crazy. In fact, if you do that with your shoes on. You have problems. After a while, of course, you can submit some of the right of Proverbs say is in there certain natural laws that simply don't change.

Listen, so to is the is it the case with he that goes in beating adultery to his neighbors wife. Can you do that and not repeat the same consequences that you would get walking on hot coals and sticking a torch next to your client. Use God say no matches doesn't apply to adultery that applies to anything any act of disobedience, can you do it without the absolutely certain consequences being a factor in your life. No, you can't ask God to change the way he does things for you. So many believers have sat in my office, both here and before the year is all you know I really been praying, I know it was wrong, but I've been asking God to take away all these problems as a result of do you think he will. And they expect me to say all I'm sure of it.

But you see I can't say that because he might not. I'm a firm believer in the fact that even though God may take this as unbelievers and wipe away the bulk of the consequences that we heard as he did with Paul, my friends, when you're a believer when you know Jesus Christ, you know, the validity of this book and you know right from wrong and you know that the spirit of God is available for obedience. If you want to obey and you still go out and deliberately choose to disobey God. I am convinced our Lord is not nearly as magnanimous in those situations because we know better than I say wow what a counter message means all is negative stuff. Well, it's not a downer message. If you obey God's great message.

If you obey God. It's only a negative met message if it applies, my overriding concern is for those of us here for playing with them or contemplating playing with soon because I assure you, you cannot take the torch of sin and rub it next to your close and walk away unscathed to learn to ask yourself the question, forget the question will God forgive me forget that question learn to start asking yourself the question, what may I have to face that God will not remove if I do this. Believe me it will change the way you deal with temptation to soon let's have prayer borders I have shared this this evening. I myself am reminded that with those of us who know you. You are simply not playing games you're serious more that you expect from us more than you expect from people who don't know you that you will deal with our disobedience more severely than people around us who have no relationship to you. So Lord I pray you might take what we talked about this evening and grip our hearts and more teachers that you're not playing games.

This is an important thing to you. The thing we call obedience. Father I pray for myself that you would teach me to ask myself that question. What may I be possibly bringing on my life that you might teach me to ask myself that as I contemplate every action of life. I pray for these people, Lord, are sitting here this evening under the sound of your word that you might work in their hearts to learn to ask themselves the same question. Forgive us an attitude of seriousness about soon that reflects your attitude towards it.

We might really be people that you're proud of. In Jesus name, amen