Consequences

End Stage

Most diseases that are usually classified as a cause of death have what can be referred to as an end stage. This is the final and fatal form of the disease, that leaves the individual with no real expectation of survival. I’m sure that we have all experienced someone close to us going through this process of decline and death. It is hard to watch and often hard to admit that the end is truly near.

However, this sequence of decline and destruction is not only true of our physical health. We also see something of this kind of change and transformation taking place in societies as well. Great kingdoms and empires do not simply disappear overnight. In most cases there is a slow decline that weakens the foundation of the society to the point that it then rapidly collapses. 

I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet (Amos 7:14), neither am I a doomsday prepper, but I do believe that we should recognize the symptoms of decay and decline happening in our society and understand that we could be very near the end stage. I am not predicting a full scale societal collapse such as what may be portrayed in a dystopian movie or novel, but I am saying that the current state of cultural division is unsustainable and must give way to something new at some point.

Sin

I know this is not a profound revelation, but all the problems in the world are the result of the curse of sin. Without sin there would be no contention, no war, no poverty, no selfishness, no death, you get the point. It is also true that sin is a constant present reality ever since the fall of humanity in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Sin is destructive to human friendship, human flourishing, and human fulfillment.

First, sin destroys our relationships with other people. Not only our friends but even family relationships will be harmed when sin is not dealt with appropriately and forgiveness is not extended graciously. The strength and sweetness of our relationships are greatly blessed when through Christ’s work on the cross and the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts, we become people who can deal with sin patiently and passionately. 

Sin is also destructive to human flourishing because it not only destroys our needed relationships but also the environment of trust and consistency necessary for growth at every level of human connection. Just as there is a necessary level of health in the soil, water, air, and sunshine for plants to thrive, it is also necessary to have that kind of health emotionally and spiritually for humans to flourish and sin desmates that health when not dealt with Biblically.

Finally, mankind has been created in the very image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). This means that we were designed with our purpose in mind. That purpose was to display to the physical world the glory and beauty of the invisible God. The reality is that we still exist as a whole creation because God is proclaiming His own glory and greatness in this universe. So we can only truly find fulfillment when we are glorifying God by reflecting His greatness. But sin mars this reflection and seeks to rob His glory. So when sin is not dealt with rightly we are left with even worse feelings of defeat and depression because our purpose has not been met.

Sin Progression

All along the way in this post I have spoken in terms of how we are dealing with sin. The point is that till the return of Christ sin will be in the world. So, the question is not how to build a sinless existence or a sinless community, but rather how to deal with sin when it happens. I would argue that as bad off as we are as a culture here in America, the issue is as much because of how we have wrongly dealt with sin as much as it is the presence of sin itself.

Isaiah pronounced a warning from the Lord against those who call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20). What we see happening now is that we have not dealt with our sin in a biblical manner by turning to Christ in faith and calling on God for merciful forgiveness. Without that kind of humble confession and repentance the sin just continues to grow till it brings about death (James 1:13-15). This is true in an individual life but it is also true when this is reflected in the majority of a population that has turned against the Lord.

My point is simply this: all of the laws, rules, instructions, and even deterrents given to try to stop sin from happening will never be effective till we as individuals and as a people learn to deal with sin God’s way by humbly repenting and relying on Christ for His righteousness given to us (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

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