DECEMBER 2021
THURSDAY DAY 23
BEWARE OF SIN (2)
Scripture Reading: Romans 6:23
If Jesus paid the price for our sin, why do we still suffer the consequences of our sin? The Bible gives the good news that Jesus paid the price for our sin (Ephesians 1:7), yet in many ways we still suffer the consequences of our sins. For example, a drug dealer may become a Christian in prison, but that doesn’t mean he will be released from prison the next day—he will still experience the consequences of his past sin. A born-again Christian who falls into adultery may lose his family, his career, etc.—even after he confesses and forsakes his sin, the consequences of his sin remain. Coming to Christ does not erase the temporal effects of sin; rather, our salvation guarantees that we will not face the eternal consequences of sin.
The consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). As sinners, we deserve to be eternally separated from God and His holiness. On the cross Christ paid the penalty of our sin with His own blood. He who knew no sin was made to be sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). On the basis of Christ’s perfect sacrifice, those who believe are no longer under God’s condemnation (Romans 8:1).
The consequences of sin still experienced by believers could be classified in one of these ways: Universal consequences. Some of sin’s consequences are experienced perpetually by every human being on earth, because we are all children of Adam. We all have weeds growing in our gardens, we all face natural disasters, we all get sick and grow old, and we all eventually die physically (Romans 5:12). As sinners living in a sinful world, there’s no avoiding these consequences of original sin. Natural consequences. We live in a world of cause and effect, where the law of sowing and reaping is in full effect. Some of sin’s consequences are built-in and practically guaranteed, no matter if the sinner is saved or unsaved. The Bible warns that sexual immorality is a sin committed against one’s own body (1 Corinthians 6:18). “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?” (Proverbs 6:27). If you steal something, you should expect to get caught and face the natural consequences that follow the sin of theft. Instructional consequences. Very likely, God allows some of sin’s consequences to remain in our lives to teach us the heinous nature of sin and to remind us to depend upon God’s grace. Sin is a serious enough problem for God to have sent His Son into the world to die. We dare not take sin lightly. In the face of sin’s consequences, we should humble ourselves and seek God’s kingdom and righteousness all the more (Matthew 6:33). When Ananias and Sapphira were disciplined for their sin, it was instructive for the church: “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events” (Acts 5:11).
MASS: VIOLET: Mal 3: 1-4. 5-6; Ps 25: 4-5ab. 8-9. 10 and 14(R. Lk 21:28); Accl. Come, O king of the nations and cornerstone of the Church! Come and save man, whom you formed from the clay of earth; Gospel Lk 1: 57-66 4TH WEEK OF ADVENT ST. JOHN OF KANTY, P
Prayer point:
1. Let’s join Thomas A Kempis in this prayer, “O my God, grant me the patience to bear with myself, and fidelity to serve only You, through Your most merciful clemency and the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Exercise: Pray with Psalm 130:3
Meditation: Mathew 12:31