Jer 4:18   Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!"

        

The same message runs throughout the Bible – we are answerable for our actions. Paul said it very clearly: “A man reaps what he sows,” (Gal 6:7) and that was the strong message that was coming through Jeremiah to the people of God in his day, “Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you.” In other words, the upset that is coming, the upset that is happening, is no accident; it is the specific result of your own wrongs.

 

Now we are Christians, there is a reality that the eternal consequences of our sins have been dealt with by Jesus on the Cross but, nevertheless, there are still practical consequences of our practical sins. Illicit sex still brings a possible sexually transmitted disease. Just because we are Christians, it doesn't mean we are free from such things. If we steal goods and are caught, we may be very sorry and seek God's forgiveness, but as members of a community we are still accountable to the Law.

We may think some things are ‘small' and of little matter, but even our abusing someone verbally in anger can have harmful and even long-term effects. Yes, Jesus can step in and bring healing or reconciliation or forgiveness or whatever else is needed, but the reality is that we are still accountable for our sins, which is why John said, “I write this to you so that you will not sin.” (1 Jn 2:1). God's desire is that we don't sin and we thus don't have consequences to bear!

Be careful! Please think on these things. Stop and think about the practical outworking of even berating your child, say, unjustly and unfairly in the heat-of-the-moment anger. Or in an argument with your partner or perhaps someone at work or school and you step over the line of what is acceptable and say something that is exaggeration, harsh or even untrue about them. Don't shrug it off as of little consequence, you caused hurt and hurts have a habit of either festering or mounting up. Think about these practical issues that seem small but which can have growing consequences.