Sin’s Lingering Effects

Joshua 22:17 Is the iniquity of Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed till this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD, 18 but that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? And it shall be, if you rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

One of the biggest blind spots to all people, even long time believers, is the effects of sin in general and ours specifically. I want to address those of us who claim to be ever growing in our commitment to Christ. Ever since Adam and Eve exchanged the truth for the lie there has been a truth deficit; our natural state likes it this way. Thus, we become captive to the lie and to the entire thought process that sin, our sin, will be completely forgiven and there is no punitive effect, no circumstantial consequences, no long term impact. We have been blinded to believe that the effects end at forgiveness. And while judicial positioning was secured at the cross and relational positioning is regained at forgiveness, consequences often remain and for a long time.

Consider the statement above in Joshua. The incident of Peor occurred a minimum of five years prior to this particular situation facing the nation of Israel. Here in this situation, where brothers are suspected of possible idolatry, one of the reasons used to expose sin is the lasting and lingering effects of past sins. (see Numbers 22-23). Another was the consequential effect on those who did not participate in this sin, the nation of Israel. Sin has a lingering stench and causes harm to innocent people.

But often we don’t consider that when we are tempted and persuaded to sin, when we only see the mirage of instant gratification, the lure of the easiest way to happiness, and the trap that it will all be sweep away (or under the rug) and we can move on with life. Nothing is further from the truth. Thus, we blindly choose to sin, causing lasting harm to self and to others. Harm that sometimes is not erased for years to come.

Think on that next time the you know the Word would categorize your next thought and action as sin... Much lingering harm will remain if you sin.

© Chris Gilliam 2010