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One Man's Sin: Long-Term Consequences Dec 11 2007
"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." - Romans 7:18
Very often, we rationalize sin by thinking nobody will be hurt...it's no big deal. But sin has a way of having lasting consequences. Do you know the origin of the Middle East conflict? It goes back to the sin of one man, Abraham, the father of three faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
God promised to bless Abraham and his wife, Sarah, with a son He would use to build a great nation. Because they were very old, Sarah suggested to Abraham that he sleep with her younger maidservant, and have their child through her. This was a legally acceptable solution, but it wasn't in God's will. The servant gave birth to Abraham's first son, Ishmael. Abraham's wife became resentful, and the maidservant and Ishmael fled to the desert.
But God eventually gave Abraham and Sarah the son He promised--Isaac. From Isaac, came the Jews and Israel; from Ishmael came the Arabs. The descendants of these two sons of Abraham have been in conflict ever since. One man's sin--long-term consequences. So let's trust God and do right.
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2 Comments
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Yes, report it NevermindThe message here is: Trust in God. Interestingly, according to this devotion, God intervenes in that he promises Abraham and Sarah a son but does not intervene to prevent a future conflict between Arabs and the Jews. At a secular level, Abraham slept with Sarah's younger maidservant by mutual consent and constituting a legally acceptable solution. It is not that he raped her. Yet, again according to this devotion, God chose to punish humanity at large, because Abraham "sinned" against God's will. I have never understood how one can believe that in such a case, generations of people will suffer the consequences. Either God intervenes in all matters or He does not.
If you think this comment should be removed because it is mean spirited, compromises someone's privacy, or is SPAM, then let us know.
Yes, report it NevermindFrits, Your comment made me think of sin as if it were a glass vase fallen and shattered on the floor with the shards going every which way and landing where they will. Each person's life that is touched by the consequences of sin then has a glass shard so to speak interfering with their peace and well-being. God has the power to intervene but I think He looks to see who is seeking His help and believing in Him alone to remove the consequences of another's sin from their life. He makes good come out of bad for those who love Him and are called by Him according to His purpose. That does not include all people, so much of the consequences of sin are left operational in the world. That is the understanding I have which would explain why God chooses to not intervene in all matters.