The effect of sin

However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die." – 2 Samuel 12v14

There is a whole lot more involved in sin than just its affect on us. Our sin impacts us when we sin and it affects those we sin against. It affects our family and friends. It affects our church. Sin is not something about which we can just say, ‘It’s not going to bother anyone else, so what’s the big deal?’

I suppose one of the worst effects of sin is the one that Nathan addressed here – ‘by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.’

This is part of why David could say ‘Against You and You only have I sinned.’ When we claim to be God’s people and carry on in our sin we lay our hypocrisy out there for all the world to see. We open the door for people to mock our faith and blaspheme our God.

I remember something that happened about 35 years ago when I was in college in Pennsylvania. I had been saved, but was not living for the Lord. My sin did not reflect my relationship with the Lord. I had been witnessing to friends, going to church, and living a new life was making a difference to my friends.

But all of this suffered a set back one night. I had been out partying with friends. It had been a particularly crazy party that night, and as we headed into our dorm on of my friends said to me, ‘Parrow, after tonight you had better not try to give us any of that Jesus stuff. Now we know it is not real.’

I don’t know what happened to that man. I tried to write him a few years ago, but failed. My sin gave him an opportunity to mock Christ. How shameful when we allow give others a chance to blaspheme God because of our sin.