QUESTION 18

Question 18: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished?

Answer 18: No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come. 

Because God is the sovereign Ruler our disobedience is against is also treasonous against HIM and because God is holy, our disobedience and idolatry is an assault on HIM, and because God is good, our idolatry and disobedience is evil against HIM. And therefore, he must judge disobedience and idolatry. David Psalm 51 in his psalm of confession (explain) said, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…” Our sin is not mainly against others or ourselves, but against God. 

But our sin is also against God’s righteous and good law. We make a mistake if in our love for the gospel and grace, we somehow adopt the view that God’s law is bad. It is not bad. The ten commandments are good for human flourishing. Paul says in Romans 7, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Romans 7:12). So, as the apostle John says, “Sin in is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

This is so important for us to understand. God is not mocked. You reap what you sow. If someone lives a life that is full of sexual immorality, idolatry, self-centered greed, and everything else that God hates, they will be judged by God - sometimes in this life, always in the life to come forever. 

Have you ever heard it said, “The only reason people are sent to hell is because of unbelief”? Have you ever heard that? It’s not true. That’s not what the bible teaches. People are sent to hell because they love their sin and hate God. People are punished in hell because they spurn God and his good, righteous, and holy law.  

Let’s look at the text that goes along with question 18. 

Ephesians 5:5-6 - For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 

That last sentence. Let it be said loud and clear, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”