The Results of Sin

The Results of Sin

Genesis 3:13-21

Introduction: Man has always gone from sin to suffering. Man often goes from suffering to righteousness.

Israel: God would bless them and they would prosper. In their prosperity they would forget God and God would send an oppressor. THEY WOULD REMEMBER THE BETTER DAYS THEY HAD ENJOYED WITH THE LORD AND THEN THEY WOULD PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS AND HELP. God would answer their prayer and send a deliverer.

It is wonderful that God will come to our rescue in time of trouble.

I have been through the valley of weeping,

The valley of sorrow and pain;

But the "God of all comfort" was with me,

At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and the sunshine,

Our souls need both sorrow and joy;

So He places us oft in the furnace,

The dross from the gold to destroy.

God allows many things to happen to us.

THE SOLID ROCK: "My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand."

I. Sin alienates from God

1. "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, so that He will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear" - In other words there is nothing wrong with God. Man gets out of adjustment, and must adjust his life to God's will.

2. Sin is hard to bear - Read Genesis 4:9-13

Genesis 4:9-15 - Notice verse 13 - "And Cain said unto the Lord, my punishment is greater than I can bear."

The test of a man is the fight that he makes,

The grit that he daily shows;

The way that he stands on his feet and takes

Fate's numerous bumps and blows.

A coward can smile when there is naught to fear,

When nothing his progress bars,

But it takes a man to stand up and cheer

While some other fellow stars.

Don't leave God out of your plans. Psalm 40:8 - "I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart."

God said to Cain in Genesis 4:7 - "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door."

ALL THAT IS REQUIRED IS THAT WE DO RIGHT IN GOD'S SIGHT!

II. Sin brings moral and spiritual blindness.

Ephesians 4:17-19 - "This I say therefore, and testify n the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart."

1. Moral and spiritual blindness came as a result of the presence of Sin.

Our world today seems to be hood-winked.

Jude 1:17-18 - "But, beloved remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lust."

2. The black picture of sin is painted in the 1st chapter of Romans.

Verse 21 - "Because that, when they knew God, hey glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

Verse 22 - "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."

Verse 26 - "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections...."

III. Sin cause social disorder and disruption

1. Separation from God causes hatred in the heart.

What about the Great Commandment?

Matthew 22:36-40 verse 36 - "master, which is the great commandment in the law? Christ answered in verse 37 " Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." verse 38 - "This is the first and great commandment." verse 39 - "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

Now notice verse 40 very closely. "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

2. Augustine said long ago, "Man can find no rest until he rests with God."

Ephesians 2:14-17 - "For he is our peace, who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh."

"There comes to my heart one sweet strain, A glad and joyous refrain; I sing it again and again, Sweet peace, the gift of God's love.

Peace, peace, sweet peace! Wonderful gift from above! Oh wonderful, wonderful peace! Sweet peace, the gift of God's love!

IV. Sin produces suffering.

1. Much of human suffering is caused by sin. Genesis 3:17-19 - "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

FROM THIS SAD OCCASION CAME THE SEPARATION OF GOD AND MAN.

2. Notice 3 reasons for suffering.

Punishment for sin.

Character building.

It serves a redemptive end.

Conclusion:

V. Sin produced death.

1. Genesis 2:17 - "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." This was a positive warning from God to man.

2. Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Thank God for Eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Many we point others to the way of life?

I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day,

I'd rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way;

The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear,

Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear;

The best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,

For to see good in action is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done,

I can watch your hands in action, your tong too fast may run;

The lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,

But I'd rather get lessons by observing what you do;

I many not understand the high advice you give,

But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.