The Distress of Sin

Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had returned from exile. 3 They said to me, “The survivors in the province, who returned from the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned down.”

Neh 1:2-3 (HCSB)

Sin will always cause distress and disgrace. As Nehemiah hears the testimony of his brothers concerning the Jewish remnant it caused him great distress. There was pain for the distress and disgrace of his countrymen in Jerusalem.

But these trying times were the result or consequences of the sinfulness of the Jewish people. They had been rebellious. They had turned away from God and now they were experiencing the consequences of that sin.

Here is an important spiritual truth for every Christ follower to understand. God always forgives when we confess our sin to Him but He does not always remove the consequences of that sin. We can experience His forgiveness because "He is faithful and just to forgive." He will also "cleanse us' from our sinfulness. (1 John 1.9) But often we will still have to deal with the consequences of our sin.

Sin can cause great distress!