God and Sin — E.A. Johnston

God and Sin: The Seriousness and Consequences of Sin

The title of my message today friends is God and sin and in our study Today we will focus on the nature of sin and its ramifications. One only has to look at Calvary to see the depths of the blackness of sin.

David's Census in 2 Samuel 24

Our passage today is from the last chapter of 2nd Samuel. You can turn in your Bibles there now friends. We will be in verses 10 through 17. And in this striking passage of Scripture We find the account where David takes a census and the following consequences of that sin.

Sin Always Has Consequences

For sin always has consequences. God told Adam Curse it is the ground for thus sake in sorrow. Shall thou eat of it all the days of thy life? I believe 2nd Samuel 24 is a composite picture of God and sin.

How God views sin and how God deals with sin at the beginning of the chapter? We see the nature of David's sin in the taking of a census. The text does not precisely state what the sin was if it had to do with the Probability that the census was the first step in preparing for a military draft.

For God's plan for Israel was to have a citizen army rather than a large standing army. So that Israel would trust in God's protection. Or perhaps David's intent in numbering the people Revealed his pride and arrogance in the size of his empire.

David's Repentance and God's Judgment

But whatever the nature of the sin from David's standpoint It paled in comparison to God's viewpoint of it. For God is a God who must honor sin. In verse 10 We read and David's heart smote him. After that He had numbered the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord.

Take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly. Here we see David's repentance, but we also see the consequences of his sin. For God instructs the prophet Gad to go and say unto David.

Thus sayeth the Lord I offer thee three things. Choose thee one of them that I may do it unto thee. Here the chastising hand of God manifests itself in three options for the consequences of his sin famine military defeat or pestilence.

God's Holiness and the Punishment of Sin

We see some principles here that run like a crimson thread. Throughout all scripture. We see that God takes sin seriously. God takes sin personally and God views sin as a Violation of his law and that God is a God who must punish sin.

For the sanity of the law must be carried out. In verse 14 We find David's choice of punishment and David Said unto God I am in a great straight. Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord. For his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of men of the three options.

The one that David feared the most was a conquering army besieging Jerusalem. In verses 15 through 16 We find the stark reality of the consequences of sin. So the Lord sent a pestilence Upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed and there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70 ,000 men and when the angel Stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem To destroy it.

The Lord repented him of the evil and said to the angel that Destroyed the people it is enough. Stay now thine hand. I Will stop there friends. I believe three aspects can be drawn out of this passage regarding God and sin.

The Destructive Nature of Sin

Number one the destructive nature of sin. There were 70 ,000 graves dug Because of sin and all one has to do. To see the destructive nature of sin is to peer back into Genesis chapter 19. And Abraham Got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the plain and behold and lo.

The Contaminating Nature of Sin

The smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. So we see the aspect of the destructive nature of sin. Secondly we see the contaminating nature of sin. Sin affected 70 ,000 people. Here in our text and over in Isaiah Chapter 1 we see how sin infected an entire nation.

The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it. But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. And over in Romans we read for is by one man's disobedience many were made sinners.

The Damning Nature of Sin and Separation from God

So we see this aspect of the contaminating nature of sin. And Thirdly we see the aspect of the damning nature of sin. Ezekiel 18 for declares. Behold all souls are mine as the soul of the father. So also the soul of the son is mine.

The soul that sent it it shall die. And over in Revelation 2015 we read and whosoever Was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. I believe friends. It's safe to say that God views sin as Treason against his sovereignty and as a break in a fellowship with him frame is three three declares.

Can two walk together? Except they be agreed. The answer is no they cannot and a holy God Cannot tolerate sin in the life of his people as seen in our text today. Let us pray.