Walking with the Wise #72: Sin is Serious

“The fear of the LORD prolongs life,

but the years of the wicked will be short.”
—Proverbs 10:27

Sin is serious. So serious that there are times when God will not permit sin to be committed any longer in His sight and He takes the life of the person who does it. Such is the case with Er. We don’t know much about Er, except that he was the son of Judah and Shua (Genesis 38:2-3) and married to Tamar (Genesis 38:6). Other than that, the biography of Er is rather mysterious and surprisingly brief. The Bible says, “But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death”—Genesis 38:7. God killed Er because he was wicked. It wasn’t something He delighted in (cf. Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11), but was something that God does, at times, when He will no longer tolerate one’s sinful behavior.

When one lives their life for God, there is freedom and peace, which does not mean that there are not times of tragedy. However, the general rule of thumb is that when one lives for God, long life often results. Not so for the wicked. The wicked gambles with his or her life. To continue to live in rebellion against God is to invite His direct and immediate judgment. God is holy, and we must realize that He upholds the universe by the word of His power; He enables us to have food, to think, and do tasks that enable us to live. He holds our life and breath in His hands, and He is the one to whom we must give account. Therefore, we cannot continue in sin! He is not mocked or threatened by our sins. Instead, He is grieved, desirous that we come to Him in repentance, and not suffer the terrible effects of sin and torments of hell.

How are you living, beloved? Are you taking your life into your hands by holding off on following Him? Are you tolerating or playing with sin, not knowing that you are rebelling against Him who made you? Our only answer is found in Jesus Christ. He paid the price for our rebellion by taking our sins upon Himself on the cross. And it is through Him that our sins are paid and we can now have God’s righteousness. Don’t continue in sin. Repent and believe in the good news of Jesus Christ. Call out to Him and He will save and transform you. Don’t hesitate! Do it today! Amen.