A wicked man’s iniquities will trap him; he will become tangled in the ropes of his own sin. He will die because there is no discipline, and be lost because of his great stupidity. (Proverbs 5:22-23)
Sin has consequences. Adam and Eve learned it first-hand. When they took the fruit, ate it, and lied before God, their perfect world and communion with God was marred and broken. Work would become exceedingly difficult, illnesses would spread, and ultimately, their lives would come to an end. David learned this when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered Uriah—his bones wasted away and his strength was taken from him. And we learn this every day as well.
When we give into anger, lust, pride, or countless other sins and seek the desires of our flesh, apart from the work of Christ, we are guilty before God and deserving of death. Without the Holy Spirit working in us, we are trapped in our sin, unable to break free. It’s a cycle of seeking what we want and becoming so enamored by our sin, that we just desire more and more of it. But this is not the end of the story!
Do you feel like you are so stuck in sin that you cannot break free from? God has given His Son, Jesus Christ, so that by God’s grace, through faith in Christ, you no longer are a slave to sin, but a servant of the Most High. As you are tempted and struggle with sin, remember that Christ is our high priest who sympathizes with us in our weaknesses, as He has been tempted in every way that we are, but without sin (Heb. 4:15). In every situation when we are tempted, God provides a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13) through the strength that only God can provide. He has conquered sin and death, taking us from being dead in our trespasses to being alive with Christ, by His grace.
When you are tempted and sin, run to God! He is the one who can give you strength to flee temptation. He is the one who forgives you and proclaims that sin cannot condemn you. And He is the one who, before the foundation of the world, chose wicked, undeserving people like you, to be holy and blameless before Him. He loved you and paid your debt, took your shame, and died your death, before you could ever sin. What a glorious and loving God!