The Truth About Consequences

Most of us tend to lean toward either the side of grace or the side of consequences. Most churches and ministries have a tendency to lean toward consequences or forgiveness. The Bible sees no such conflict. In God’s Word we find consequences and forgiveness working hand in hand to bring us to God. It is not even a matter of balance. It is a matter of extremes. It is possible to be enduring extreme consequences for our sin while at the same time experiencing extreme forgiveness.

Many time consequences are usually the very thing that drives us toward God’s grace. For many of us it was the consequences of our sin that moved us toward seeking God’s forgiveness to begin with. Some respond to consequences with anger or disillusionment toward God. They mistake the presence of consequences as a sign of the lack of forgiveness. Nothing could be further from the truth. Consequences are designed to move us toward God’s grace not away form it. Consequences are circumstantial. Forgiveness is relational and so they co-exist as partners in our lives moving us toward intimacy with God.

The man who died beside Jesus experienced this. He committed a horrible crime that got him the death penalty. He acknowledged this (Luke 23:41). But his circumstance is the very thing that drove him to seek Jesus’ help. The result – while experiencing extreme consequence he also experienced extreme forgiveness. His forgiveness was extreme. His crime was horrible and there is no way he could ever even make an attempt to make it right. He would be dead in a just a short time. His consequences were also extreme – crucifixion – a horrible way to die. Jesus chose not to take away that consequence. He could have. Jesus could have rescued him from his physical torture. He didn’t. So here is a clear example of a man who received extreme forgiveness from God. He was completely forgiven for everything he had ever done in his life. Yet, Jesus allows him to receive the physical consequence for that sin.

Consequences are part of God’s plan for us. We shouldn’t allow them to make us angry toward God our doubt His love. Let them be a reminder to us of how deeply He loves us wants to shower us with His grace.