Here is mankind, man walks with God, man succumbs to temptation and sins, then, man either repents and calls on the Almighty for forgiveness and in His infinite mercy He forgives, or man does not repent, and the Lord gives them over to a reprobate mind.
But there is a third, the child of God sins, willingly walking that slow descent into disobedience to his Father and does not repent of it. What will the Lord do to that man?
“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numb. 32:23)
Sin will not, cannot go unpunished, especially towards those who have truly been born-again. There are consequences to our actions, David repented of his sin with Bathsheba, yet the child, and four of his sons died. Samson repented, yet his eyes were put out and his death still occurred. The sin of pride might have encompassed Paul if the Lord of mercy had not sent a messenger of Satan with a thorn to humble him.
The man of God who sins against God should expect punishment, there is no counting to three with the Lord, there is no time out corner.
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2nd Cor. 12:9)
But what of the brother or sister in Christ who chooses to remain in that season of sin, willingly and of their own free will for longer than a single season? Those who have the mind of Christ, who have the Holy Spirit indwelling them cannot lose or have their salvation removed, once the seal of the Living God is upon us we are His forever.
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)
Children who disobey are given warnings, in love, where the fence is they must be made aware of, those who challenge that are taught, in love, the meaning of obedience to the authority to the Father. Those who test that authority are, again, in love, but in willful disobedience are corrected.
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1st John 2:19)
I speak not of those, nor of the one who realizes his sin, struggles and prays diligently against it, receives the punishment due and in mercy is forgiven, but of the one who knows that what they are doing is in direct opposition to the will of the Father, yet continues in it.
Saved, but sinning willfully and with intent.
Will the punishment be so severe from the Lord that this one will finally repent, or will the Lord end the life of this man, bring him home, set him down and have a very serious conversation with him?
Does God kill His own?
“To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1st Cor. 5:5)
Just because we repent in dust and ashes, just because we have poured out of our heart great sorrow for our deeds, with that contrite and broken heart does not mean that the consequences of our actions will be disannulled. The nearly one hundred thousand that died before the angel was stopped at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, did they all go to hell because of David’s sin?
Probably not.
Will the one who truly has been saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the prodigal son who does not run out of money, who continues in sin be left to dishonor the name of the Father amongst the wicked?
If you are sinning blatantly and with intent, there are only two possible truths, you are either not born-again, or punishment is coming, and that punishment may be the cessation of your life here at the hands of your Father in heaven. If the current punishment administered is not enough to get you to come back to this side of the fence, then a final punishment may be required.
None of us, my friends, want to enter heaven that way.
