Why the Penalty for Sin is so Harsh, By Walt Grace. Father, I ask for Your glory to be done. In Jesus name, Amen! A few years ago, there was a television program about airplane tug operators. Like many things this writer has watched, much of the program including the title has been lost to antiquity. What did stick in my mind was that these particular workers often collided with each other while moving large and expensive aircraft on the tarmac. As long as the equipment wasnt damaged beyond repair, no harm done. However, if one of these employees did so much as ding an airplane they were fired immediately. There were no second chances, no appeals, and no grievances. The fired employee left with his hat in his hand. The reason for the consequences were obvious. Airplanes carry people and materials for long distances. Even if the damage isnt in and if itself that costly, the downtime to repair said airplane would be. Imagine the price of a ticket multiplied 500 times a day, or more for a large airliner as these carry people and materials constantly. The loss of revenue could be over 3 million dollars for two weeks of downtime at $450 a fare. Hence the harsh penalty for dinging an airplane. Since the fall of man Genesis, when Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord, the consequences of sin have been far more dire. God warned Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:16-17 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die. As the late Paul Harvey would have said now you know the rest of the story. While one might argue why the Lord would allow such tree to even exist, He has always given us the choice to accept or reject Him. One of the most important differences between a human being and an animal is free will. He didnt want robots, but someone to love Him just a bride loves her husband. If He made human beings to have no choice, then it would not be love. Because man has chosen sin, he has chosen decay. Rather than live immortally, he has decided to do things his way, and not the way the Lord intended. Since the Lord Himself is innocent, and cannot have sin in His presence, the only conclusion to a life of sin is an eternity separated from Him. In Revelation 21:8 there will be no sin, or sinner to pollute the new heaven and earth. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Whether its stealing cookies from the cookie jar, or committing a murder, sin is worse than any disease. Those who will ultimately live in this new heaven and earth will have their sin paid for. They will also have made the choice for the Lord in the only way possible. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Again, the penalty for sin is death, but Jesus, God the Son, put Himself in your stead. Since He never sinned, He could offer Himself to once and for all pay for YOUR SIN. However, free will is still in effect and you do have to choose to accept this free gift. You cannot earn this and you cannot lose it either. 2 Corinthians 5:7 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. While we may have to battle against our nature to sin, we will have the desire to do whats right for the glory of the Lord. Doing nothing is still rejecting this offer of salvation. Even if you believe in your heart you are a good person, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:22-24 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;… There is no obeying the law to save yourself as we all sin. Since the curtain to the Holy of Holies was rent in two and Jesus gave His life for you and I, this is no longer an option. We cant expect to earn our salvation through keeping the feasts and certainly cannot offer sacrifices for sin. This is by design, Whats more is that anything we do that is good, without the glory of Jesus is going to be a witness against us. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Those who hear those words will have them ringing in their minds for eternity; separated from Him in eternal punishment. Jesus spoke more of Hell than He did of Heaven and for a good reason. He didnt want anyone to go there. The penalty for sin, as you can see, makes dinging that airplane no more catastrophic than spilling an apple cart. At least you can walk away, hat in your hand and find another job, or a line of work. This is something that this writer has learned to roll with his entire life. However, if you die in your sins, there are no do overs. Paul wrote in Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: I could on, but will leave you with this. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. The time for salvation is today. Amen!
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 23:57:20 +0000