THE PRICE OF SIN Romans 1:18-32

Sin Blinds Us Sin Blinds One To: ◦It’s nature  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20 NKJV) ◦It’s consequences  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NKJV) ◦The beauty of holiness  One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. (Psalms 27:4 NKJV)

Sin Will Cost Us Our Freedom Sin enslaves: ◦Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. (John 8:34 NKJV) ◦While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Peter 2:19 NKJV) ◦Romans 6:16-20

Sin Will Cost Us Our Strength Sin Weakens ◦For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:30-32 NKJV) ◦Psalms 32:1-4

Sin Will Cost Us Our Self- Respect And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. (1 John 2:28-29 NKJV)

Sin Will Cost Us Our Life For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NKJV) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:15 NKJV) "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8 NKJV)

Sin Is A Big Deal! Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness. No one enters suit justly, no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity. (Isaiah 59:1-4 RSV)

The Cross Says That Sin Is A Big Deal! For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3 RSV) For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; (1 Peter 3:18 RSV)

The Eternal Consequences But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8 RSV) And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:46 RSV)

The Truth About Sin! Sin will take you farther than you want to go! Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay! Sin will cost you more than you want to pay! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 RSV)

Jesus Is The Answer! Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:3-5 KJV)

Sources The High Price of Sin by Steve Higginbotham. “Why Sin is a big deal” Outline by Warren E. Berkly McAllen (1999)