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The Consequences of Sin
There are consequences for sin—real, eternal consequences. Your sin provokes God’s wrath, His powerful and just anger, and brings His rightful judgment. Even one sin separates you from God and makes you unacceptable in His sight. A holy God must reject all that is unholy.
Because God makes the rules and sets the standards in the perfect world He created, the penalty for sin, the price that must be paid, is death—both physical and spiritual—and eternal punishment.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — (Romans 6:23) The wages, the price that sin pays, is death.
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…” — (Romans 5:12)
Because of sin, you will die. We all will. You are spiritually dead because of sin (without Christ) and your physical death is certain—only God knows when and how.
God’s Wrath
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” (Romans 1:18-19)
God’s wrath is described throughout the Bible—both in the Old Testament and New Testament—as His holy anger and righteous judgment against sin, rebellion, and ungodliness.
“Wrath is not an impulsive outburst of anger aimed capriciously at people whom God does not like. It is settled, determined response of a righteous God again sin.” (The MacArthur Bible Commentary)
Romans 1 points to five different types of God’s wrath— 1) His eternal wrath, Hell forever; His wrath in end times before the coming of Jesus Christ; 2) His eschtological wrath, which is the final day of the Lord. End times; 3) His cataclysmic wrath, like The flood in Noah’s day (Genesis 6:9), The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24-28); The Ten Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-12); The Red Sea judgment of Pharoah’s army (Exodus 14:26-31); Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16:31-35), Jericho’s fall (Joshua 6); Exile of Israel and Judah (2 Kings 17, 25); 4) His sowing and reaping wrath, where there are built-in consequences for sinful lifestyle choices your make; and 5) His wrath of abandonment, Israel in the Wilderness (Numbers 14:28-32); Samson did not know when the LORD had departed from him (Judges 16:20); Israel’s idolatry “my people did not listen to my voice… so I gave them over to their stubborn heart (Psalm 81:11-12); Hosea’s warning “Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone (Hosea 4:17; the threefold “God gave them up” to impurity, to dishonorable passions, to a debased mind when God removes His restraining hand and allows people to plunge further into their own sinful desires. (Romans 1:24-28).
In the Old Testament, God’s wrath is shown in historical judgments such as the flood, plagues, exile.
In the New Testament, His wrath is described as both present (against sin now) and future (final judgment), but believers are delivered from it through Christ.
Romans 1:24-32 describes the downward spiral of God’s wrath of abandonment in the life a man when God abandons him. Paul shows the essence in vv. 24-25, the expression in vv. 26-27 and the extent in vv. 28-32 of man’s sinfulness. Click here to read.
Eternal Punishment Described
“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay to each according to his works” (Romans 2:5-6).
The Bible describes the eternal punishment for sin as:
- A horrendous, but rightful judgment for sin against a Holy God.
- An eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons (Matthew 25:41)
- A place where there will be a fully informed conscience- relentlessly accusing the sinner forever… causing anguish, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. He cannot deny it or escape it. It is a place where the ungodly will never escape the conscience in the end. It can not longer be ignored.
- Never-ending fiery torment and conscious suffering where “their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48)
The lake of fire is the final hell, “the second death” (Revelation 20:14)—a place of eternal punishment for all unrepentant rebels, angelic or human (Revelation 20:10, 15), where “the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night” (Revelation 14:11). It burns with “fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8), an endless sea of molten judgment where light reveals no hope and darkness offers no hiding place. The stench of sulfur chokes the air as waves of flame crash again and again, yet never consume. Here, mercy is gone, justice is final, and eternity is unending.
It is conscious, eternal, and without escape.
More About The Lake of Fire
- Nature of the Torment: The lake of fire is depicted as a place of eternal punishment, characterized by “fire and brimstone” (Revelation 20:10). The imagery suggests intense suffering, often understood as both physical and spiritual agony. It’s where the devil, the beast, and the false prophet are “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
- Duration: The torment is described as unending, with no reprieve (“day and night forever”). This implies a state of perpetual anguish, contrasting with temporary earthly suffering.
- Symbolism vs. Literal: Interpretations vary. Some view the lake of fire as a literal place of fiery torment, while others see it as symbolic of complete separation from God, emphasizing spiritual anguish over physical burning. The “fire” might represent divine judgment or purification, though the text leans heavily on punitive imagery.
- Experience: The torment is implied to be unrelenting, with no escape or relief. Phrases like “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (used elsewhere, e.g., Matthew 13:50) suggest despair, regret, and intense suffering. It’s portrayed as the ultimate consequence of rebellion against God.
“And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” — (Revelation 20:15)
The Book of Life — One Death or Two?
The book of life contains the names of all those who will inherit eternal life.
- Born once (physically), die twice (physical and spiritual death).
- Born twice (physically and spiritually — “born again”), die once (physical death only).
You do not want to die twice. Without faith in Jesus Christ, you will.
God’s Justice and Our Only Hope
God’s justice for sin is just what we deserve—and just what Jesus saved us from.
God promised in Genesis 2:17 that sinners “shall surely die” unless a substitute dies in their place. That substitute had to be truly God and truly human and without sin (the perfect lamb):
No one met that standard. Not one…
Until Jesus!
Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, took our place, paid our penalty, and rose again—offering eternal life to all who believe.
The gospel only makes sense when you understand God’s divine judgment.
Click on the link to learn about the Good News of Jesus Christ:
theattituderules.com 