Randy Alcorn: Consequences of Immorality

In a magazine article entitled "Consequences of a Moral Tumble,", writer Randy Alcorn says that whenever he feels vulnerable to sexual immorality and adultery, he finds it helpful to review its consequences. Here are some things he mentioned in the article:

* Grieving and displeasing the Lord who saved me ....
* One day having to look Jesus in the face and give an account of my actions ....
* Inflicting untold hurt on my faithful spouse and friend ... losing his/her trust and respect ....
* Hurting and damaging my beloved children ....
* Destroying my example and credibility with the children and nullifying both present and future efforts to teach them to obey God ....
* Causing shame to my family ....
* Forming memories and flashbacks that could plague future intimacy with my spouse ....
* Wasting years of ministry for a long time ... maybe permanently ....
* Undermining the faithful example and hard work of other Christians in the community ....
* Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the enemy of God and all that is good ....
* Possibly bearing the physical consequences of such diseases such as AIDS, herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, even causing death ....
* Possibly causing pregnancy with personal and financial implications, including a lifelong reminder of my sin ....
* Causing shame and hurt to my friends, especially those I've led to Christ and discipled ....

And this is just a partial list of consequences! Indeed, God's call is for us to give greater thought to the painful consequences than to the passing pleasures of sin.

Hebrews 11: 25, 26 - " ... choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt for he was looking to the reward."

Hebrews 13: 4 - " ... God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."