Introduction
Most people in the world believe that it is governed by random chance. They believe that all events are random in nature. Sad to say that this is a prevalent view in the church because of the government school education. This, however, does not nullify the truth of the word of God. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:7-8, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." The Amplified Bible renders the seventh verse as, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside). (He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God). For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap." This gets back to the physical law stated in Genesis of every seed bearing fruit in accordance with its own kind. This is not only a physical but a spiritual law. In other words, there are consequences to our actions.
Application
To properly understand the Bible, we need to use what is known as applied theology.
Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines "consequence" as, "1. That which follows from any act, cause, principle, or series of actions. Hence, an event or effect produced by some preceding act or cause..." An actor is the cause of the actions. Without an actor, there would be no action. So the actor and the action are a unit. The actor then receives back what his actions have caused or effected. In other words, he gets what he deserves based upon his prior actions.
Leviticus 20:17 reads, "And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity." The word bear means in this instance to suffer. For this wickedness of this act, it says that he would suffer the penalty for his actions. In other words, he is reaping what he has sown. He is justly suffering the penalty for his wicked actions. Sin must be punished. Even if we repent and make restitution and put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are forgiven, there still are repercussions to our conduct. We do not live a vacuum.
Romans 2:4-13 says, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11For there is no respect of persons with God. 12For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." God gives each of us what we justly deserve based upon our behavior. The Amplified interprets Romans 2:6 as, "For He will render to every man according to his works (justly, as his deeds deserve)." Works and deeds are synonymous with actions.
Our deeds are therefore in accordance with obedience with God’s law or as lawbreakers as witness 2 Peter 2:7-9, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." We are either just or unjust. There is no neutrality. There is a day of judgment, in the which, we will present ourselves before the judgement seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Things done in body means that the actor and the actions are both one and as a unit they receive reward or punishment based upon actions.
The Bible is replete with examples of the reaping and sowing concept. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 reads, "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." Those who are stingy reap stinginess. Those who are generous receive generosity in return. This law of sowing and reaping is always in effect and nothing man can do can abrogate it. There are consequences even in our giving.
Conclusion
Brother and sisters are forbidden to lie carnally with each other. If they do, they will suffer for their wickedness. False prophets get what they deserve in 2 Corinthians 11:15, "Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." We always receive what we merit by our actions.
Most people in the world believe that it is governed by random chance. They believe that all events are random in nature. Sad to say that this is a prevalent view in the church because of the government school education. This, however, does not nullify the truth of the word of God. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:7-8, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." The Amplified Bible renders the seventh verse as, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside). (He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God). For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap." This gets back to the physical law stated in Genesis of every seed bearing fruit in accordance with its own kind. This is not only a physical but a spiritual law. In other words, there are consequences to our actions.
Application
To properly understand the Bible, we need to use what is known as applied theology.
Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines "consequence" as, "1. That which follows from any act, cause, principle, or series of actions. Hence, an event or effect produced by some preceding act or cause..." An actor is the cause of the actions. Without an actor, there would be no action. So the actor and the action are a unit. The actor then receives back what his actions have caused or effected. In other words, he gets what he deserves based upon his prior actions.
Leviticus 20:17 reads, "And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity." The word bear means in this instance to suffer. For this wickedness of this act, it says that he would suffer the penalty for his actions. In other words, he is reaping what he has sown. He is justly suffering the penalty for his wicked actions. Sin must be punished. Even if we repent and make restitution and put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are forgiven, there still are repercussions to our conduct. We do not live a vacuum.
Romans 2:4-13 says, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11For there is no respect of persons with God. 12For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." God gives each of us what we justly deserve based upon our behavior. The Amplified interprets Romans 2:6 as, "For He will render to every man according to his works (justly, as his deeds deserve)." Works and deeds are synonymous with actions.
Our deeds are therefore in accordance with obedience with God’s law or as lawbreakers as witness 2 Peter 2:7-9, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." We are either just or unjust. There is no neutrality. There is a day of judgment, in the which, we will present ourselves before the judgement seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Things done in body means that the actor and the actions are both one and as a unit they receive reward or punishment based upon actions.
The Bible is replete with examples of the reaping and sowing concept. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 reads, "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." Those who are stingy reap stinginess. Those who are generous receive generosity in return. This law of sowing and reaping is always in effect and nothing man can do can abrogate it. There are consequences even in our giving.
Conclusion
Brother and sisters are forbidden to lie carnally with each other. If they do, they will suffer for their wickedness. False prophets get what they deserve in 2 Corinthians 11:15, "Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." We always receive what we merit by our actions.
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