The Effects of Sin

csldailydevotion

4 Feb 07

Dear family,

What are the effects of sin?

v7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

v8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, (H)and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

v9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, " Where are you?"

v10 He said, "(J)I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."

v11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"

v12 The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate."

1. Self Consciousness – the need for covering
Adam and Eve were naked before each other. There was no shame for such transparency. But when sin came into their lives, they became SELF CONSCIOUS! V 7 “eyes..were opened…they knew” showed the awakening of self consciousness. As a result Shame, natural outcome of self consciousness, came into being.

2. Separation – the need to hide
v8 shows the futility of man’s effort ie to hide. But yet it is so true that man is the one who took the initiative to run away from God to hide. Sin brought “separation from God”. But it does not nullify God’s effort to reach out to man.

3. Blame – the need for explanation
v12 shows man unwillingness to assume personal responsibility. Man blamed the sin to woman.

All these effects are in our lives. We lost our innocence when sin came, we think we could hide our sins from God, we explain away our part in our sins.

Adam and Eve were chased out of Eden because they never repent of their sins. Hence, these effects continue to affect humanity.

Check your life today. Are there things that you are over conscious of? Need to hide? Or blame someone of the cause and effect in your lives?

The reverse is also true!

If you repent of your sins today (1Jn 1:9) by taking responsibility for your part, and not blame, you would experience the closeness of God. You would feel the Grace and hate the sins. And before you realize, you would regain some level of freedom from self consciousness again!

We need to walk daily by taking responsibility for our parts; both good and bad, before God. And allow Him to receive our confession and release His grace into our being. That’s the NEW beginning, of victory, God has for you!

As we pursue Victory and Holiness in God, it is a declaration of warfare!

The Devil would intensify his effort to trap and destroy us. Don’t fret! If you fall, confession to God and to the community! Stand up and fight again!

When we persist in the Lord, we will find the release and victory!

Just don’t let sin lead us AWAY from His GRACE!


CSL