Will God Punish Sin — E.A. Johnston

The Modern Church's Denial of Divine Judgment

Let me ask you a question, friend, and I want you to be honest in your response and have it truly represent your opinion. Here's the question. Will God punish sin? I believe some good church folk don't believe in a God who will and must punish sin.

I believe the consensus in the modern church today is that God is a God of love and he loves everybody too much to send anybody to hell. I believe many people today have gotten out their pocket knives and have carved out for themselves a little God who won't punish sin.

That's why a public gospel invitation is given today, and people can walk down the aisle chewing gum and laughing and smiling because they think God is 100 love and without justice, because they don't believe God hates sin and that God will punish it.

Nobody wants to be done with sin, and the reason is nobody believes that God will punish sin. Well, let me ask you again, friend. Do you think God will punish sin? Do you believe God would not only send someone to hell, but pour out his wrath upon them in hell?

Everlasting Destruction in 2 Thessalonians

I want us to examine this thought tonight. Will God punish sin? Well, let's see what the Bible has to say on the subject of will God punish sin. Turn in your Bibles to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 beginning in verse 7.

When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flame and fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.

Very clearly here, the Word of God declares that God will indeed punish sin, and that sinners will be punished with everlasting destruction, and this destruction will come from God himself. The chains that they sit in darkness in are everlasting chains.

The fire that burns all around them in hell is an everlasting fire, and those who did sin's work will receive sin's wages, and that is eternal damnation beneath the wrath of God in hell. How has God dealt with sin in the past?

God's Past Judgments on Angels, the Flood, and Sodom

Well, let's take a look, friends. Turn over to 2 Peter chapter 2, and we'll take a look at verses 4 through 6, which tell us how God has punished sin in former times. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly, I will stop there.

Surely God declares that he will punish sin. Those who rebel against the God of heaven shall be cast down to hell to suffer everlasting punishment for sin. God will take vengeance upon them, inflaming fire, taking vengeance on them, our text declares.

Christ's Sacrifice as the Remedy for Sin's Punishment

We must ask ourselves, will God punish sin? Because if God won't punish sin, then there's no need for a savior. Listen, friends. Christ hung on a bloody cross on Calvary because God will punish sin. Every stroke of the Roman's hammer was an explanation point that God must punish sin.

God must punish sin. God must punish sin. Listen to me, friend. You can't do business with God without coming clean with him. Admit your guilt, list your sins, and turn in repentance toward God, and exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is your only hope, friend, because God will and must punish sin. I know I am a sinner, and I need a substitute for sin in the person of Christ Jesus. So do you, friend. So do you. Perhaps you're under conviction, and perhaps you're wondering, can it be that he will have mercy on me?

Christ's Invitation to Repentant Sinners

Listen to me. Christ invites poor sinners to come to him and believe on him. The duty required is to come to Christ, and he has a pure gospel promise to all who come, as seen in John 6, 37, which declares, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Let us pray.