The Consequences of Personal Sin
Sin does more than violate law; it corrupts character. As Cottrell notes, “sin affects us subjectively and personally, in our very being.” It weakens the soul and makes resistance harder over time. This inner decay, though not inherited from Adam, is acquired through repeated rebellion. The sinner becomes, as Paul writes, “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). However, this death is not final. Through Christ, the same law that reveals guilt also points to grace. Where sin exposes our need, the cross supplies our remedy.
📘 WORD BOX: GUILT
Meaning: A state of legal and moral liability before God.
Use: Not merely an emotion, but the judicial result of violating divine law (Romans 3:19).
Reflection Questions
1. How does understanding personal sin change the way we see grace?
2. In what ways do modern excuses for wrongdoing resemble the ancient words, “The devil made me do it”?
3. At what point does moral awareness—and accountability before God—begin in a person’s life?
4. What practical steps can believers take to resist becoming spiritually “numb” to sin?
References
Jack Cottrell, The Faith Once for All: Bible Doctrine for Today (Joplin, MO: College Press, 2002).
The Holy Bible, NASB.
Augustine, Confessions; Pelagius, Letter to Demetrias.
Romans 5:12–19; 7:7–11; 1 John 3:4; Ephesians 2:1–5.
Written by Dr. Kevin A. Hall
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