GOD DOES NOT TOLERATE SIN

Last Thursday's devotion, I mentioned that two known people came from the line of Seth. The first one was Enoch, who walked with God, and God took him home to be with Him. The other known person who came from the family of Seth was Noah (Genesis 5:28-32). Noah was known for building the ark because God judged the world with a universal flood during his time. Genesis 6:5-8 says, "The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, 'I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.' But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." As the human population on earth continued to expand across the earth, it was undeniable that fewer people were committing themselves to following God. Only Noah and his family chose to follow God. As a result, God's heart was deeply troubled. God could not and would not tolerate sin in this world, regardless of His deep love for humanity. 

Many people, including professing Christians, are having difficulty accepting God's judgment of sin because it causes death and suffering. They elevate God's love and mercy over his justice for sin. However, for God, His justice for sin and love for humanity go together, and in our limited understanding, it is difficult for us to reconcile the two. We must understand that the consequence of sin was laid out by God in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam that the moment he ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, he would surely die. The consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). God showed us His justice for sin and His love for humanity through our Lord Jesus. Jesus took the punishment of our sin by dying on the cross, and His death on the cross showed us how much He loves us by taking our place on the cross. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life." Sin, no matter what it is, is offensive to God. 

God judges sin because of His holy character. His love for us provides forgiveness through our faith in our Lord Jesus and repentance from sin. Only Noah and his family followed God in their generation; as a result, God saved them from being destroyed by the universal flood.

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Why does God judge sin? How can I be forgiven of my sins? How did God show his love for me? 

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, please forgive me for any sin that I have committed. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me so much that you died for my sins so that through my faith in you and repentance, I am forgiven. Please help me to follow you and not let sin reign in my heart. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.