All Age

Q13: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? (NCC Q18)

Powerpoint Pictures: Child stick out tongue; Child taking chocolate cake; Cheating on a test; Child whisper in ear of another child ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you brother or sister, or one of your friends, did the following – what should happen to them? 1 -They were rude to you.  They stuck their tongues out at you.  They called you names.  They swore at you. they tripped you up in the office! 2 - Or if they stole something or took something they knew they weren’t allowed to have. (Cake, milkshake, your car!, your phone) 3 - Or if they were caught cheating on a test and they had copied all your work. They should be told off.  They should be punished. If someone does something wrong, they should not be allowed to get away with it.

It’s one of the reasons you have parents or gaurdians, to discipline and correct us.

It’s one of the roles of teachers at school,

It’s why we have police and judges and courts! Now with the last two Big Questions we looked at, we learned about something that everyone is guilty of doing. We are all guilty of sinning and committing idolatry. Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world He created.  It is not being or doing what He requires in His law. And idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator. Disobeying God.  Loving what He has made more than Him.  That is what we all have done. What should God do about this? Should He let us do whatever we like?  Should He let us carry on rejecting Him and ignoring Him?  Or should He punish us for this? That’s what our next big question asks.  Let’s look at it now… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Q: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? What does the Bible say? “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.” (Ephesians 5:5-6) These verses tell us that God will do something about our sin and idolatry. He sees every sin we commit and He is going to punish us for it. This is going to happen. God’s wrath and anger and punishment will come on those who are disobedient and idolaters. So, what is the answer to the question “Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished?” It is this: A: No, God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them both in this life, and in the life to come. That’s not good news for us, is it? You might be wondering if there is any way to escape punishment.  Is there any good news?  as we’ll discover as we confess our sins to God next.

for now, Let’s say the question and answer out loud together. Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished?   No, God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them both in this life, and in the life to come.