God is Serious about Sin!!

God is very serious about sin. He’s told us how to live and when we violate His instructions, there are consequences—sometimes swift and painful.  

Don’t think so?  There were two sons of Aaron who’d just been ordained as priests, Nadab and Abihu. The first 7 chapters of Leviticus were their instructions. And then they were ordained. But their first acts as priests were in complete disobedience. They brought unholy fire—from the wrong source and done the wrong way—into the tabernacle. God sent fire from heaven to destroy them. Someone has said that their ordination lasted longer than their profession as priests. 

Do you think God just treated sin that seriously in the Old Testament?  Consider Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. They sold property with the intent of giving some of the proceeds to the newly established church. It wasn’t wrong to keep some of the money for themselves…but they lied and pretended to bring ALL of the profit when they’d kept a portion. God revealed the deception to Peter and then God struck both Ananias and his wife dead. 

When God says to obey him, he’s serious. He has drawn boundaries to protect us. It’s just like we do as parents—we tell our kids not to play in the street. Why? To spoil their fun? NO!! To protect them. God’s purpose is the same. He wants us to obey so we don’t step out of his protection and into the arms of Satan who wants to destroy us. 

God is still serious about sin. We have to be in the Word of God to know how to agree with God. It’s his guidebook, his instructions, his HELP in navigating this life. Throughout the Bible, he tells us, “You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy.” Holiness isn’t perfection—it’s living a life set apart—set apart to obey him.  The good news is he’s given us his Spirit to guide us, teach us, help us, comfort us, and correct us. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  I John 1:9 NLT