The Wages of Sin
Does it seem like the world is being seriously self-destructive? Consider:
People seriously argue humans are a “plague on the Earth.”
We are being pushed to switch to unsafe and unreliable electric vehicles, and some researchers argue we should eliminate personal transportation altogether.
We are moving towards eating bugs rather than meat.
Our education systems are in collapse. Many children don’t bother to attend secondary school classes regularly, and college students seem to spend more time partying and protesting than learning.
We have convinced women to take a pill with numerous adverse side effects so they can be liberated from the effects of sex.
Marriage is in decline. Women are so politically divided from men, and men so demonized, that many young men and women won’t even talk to one another any longer.
The birth rate in most countries is below replacement. Some countries will face population decline so rapid in the next few decades their very existence will be threatened.
Many nations have allowed their militaries to atrophy, leaving themselves essentially defenseless against foreign invasion.
Abortion is considered a natural right—even though even liberal commentators say it is murder.
Euthanasia has progressed from terminal physical illnesses to mental illness.
Why are our cultures and societies are bent on self-harm? Is it because God is judging us? Is this the way God works?
God made up some rules for us to follow
We refuse to follow those rules
God punishes or judges us for not following the rules
An Alternate Story
God setting the rules and punishing us for not following them is not the only story the Scriptures tell. We can also tell a story around the four stages of sin: fun, sadness, stupidity, and self-destruction.
Fun
And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Exodus 32:6
Christians often downplay just how much fun sin can be in the moment. The stolen cookie always seems sweeter than the cookie you’ve paid for. Sex outside marriage might seem forbidden and, hence, more fun. The world tells us sin is fun in every movie, every song, every story, and every advertisement.
Sadness
Sin leaves us sad once the fun has passed—or the goal of power or wealth has been achieved.
And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ Luke 16:24
The anguish of sin is not, normally, regret at having gone outside God’s will, or even regret for breaking some law or another. Instead, the sadness of sin is regret over the consequences of sin. Broken relationships, lost opportunities, diminished wealth, and loneliness all result from sin. All cause sadness in their way.
Stupidity
There are two possible reactions to the sadness resulting from sin.
You can try to overcome the sadness through the “hair of the dog.” Take another drink or another hit. Lash out at the person you’ve hurt, finding some way to blame them for the hurt you’ve caused. There are as many coping mechanisms as there are people.
You can repent, accept that you’ve wronged someone (even if it’s “just God”), and trying to change your behavior.
It might be obvious that we should always choose the second option, but sin often makes us stupid—too stupid to see the danger in our choices. Because of this, we normally take the first path, overcoming sadness by projection and passive-aggressiveness.
Self-destruction
Trying to overcome sadness by taking another hit of fun through sin will not work for long. When the fun stops, we start saying things like:
“This is my lot in life. I don’t deserve anything better, so I will do stupid things to worsen my situation. At least people might feel sorry for me.”
“The world is so screwed up. I can never get a break. I might as well not try.”
The sadness and stupidity turn inward to self-destruction.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Once we choose death over life, we try to hide from God.
Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne… Revelation 15:15–16
The alternate story, then, is something like this:
God is constantly trying to pull us away from the cliff edge of self-destruction and back towards the source of all life—himself. However, as we wander further away from God, we become enamored of self-destruction.
Societies are Like People
Societies and cultures, like people, can wander away from God. Entire societies can begin with sin and end with self-destruction. A culture can believe that progress is inevitable, but this inevitable progress leads to dystopia.
Rather than trying to find a way to turn back towards life, an entire society or culture can turn to death instead. It can worship death, even seeking death as a culture.
How far has our culture moved towards desiring self-destruction?
Look at the events of our time and decide for yourself—but don’t rule out civilizational self-destruction as an option to explain the sickness we see around us.