The Dangers of Sin and 4 Things That Lead to Separation From God

Behold, the Lord‘s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness. No one enters suit justly; no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas; they speak lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.. Isaiah 59:1-4.

Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:10-12.

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God). Romans 6:16.

To be a follower of Christ, you must be willing to fight a daily battle. Being a Christian is closely entwined with being a warrior. You must engage to fight against your own nature as a fallen human. You must argue against the ways of this world and its persistent beckoning to the broad path of destruction. And just like any respectable soldier, you must fight against the opposition. This is not optional, obedience is not optional.

Whoever does not carry his own cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow after Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:27.

Then appreciate the gracious kindness and the severity of God: to those who fell [into spiritual ruin], severity, but to you, God’s gracious kindness—if you continue in His kindness [by faith and obedience to Him]; otherwise, you too will be cut off. Romans 11:22.

Your adversary, the Devil, never grows weary of setting traps or stumbling blocks, nor does he cease from launching fiery darts in your direction. Watchfully waiting to entice and ensnare you. All Satan needs is for you to indulge in a minor sin here and a major sin there. Knowing it is in our very nature to justify tolerating our own sin. However, we are instructed to fight against the nature of our flesh and put on Christ, walking in the Spirit. You can bet that Satan is and will continue to take advantage of the watered-down teachings being taught in churches today that tell you, ‘you can live however you want and grace will just sweep it all up under the rug.’ That is not at all what the scriptures say. That is what your flesh wants to be taught. It’s what fills the empty seats in churches and it will be to your own demise. Don’t take my word for it. Check everything by the Word of God, seek the Lord in prayer, and ask that He reveal the truth to you.

Willful Sin Causes Separation In Our Fellowship With God

Willful, repeated sin damages our fellowship with God. Once you have received the knowledge of the truth in God’s word and knowing this, you choose to willfully sin (sins of commission) and choose sin over Christ, it will lead to the grieving of The Spirit of God. Thus, the result of continued willful sin is God beginning to withdraw His presence from you. And as you continue in those sins of commission, the distance between you and God will only feel greater.

As God withdraws His presence, discernment decreases. Often, this is where deception and false beliefs come in and wreak havoc. Furthering a person down the path of sin and disobedience. As Children of God, we are instructed to examine ourselves and examine the sin in our lives. Take notice of what sin is willful. Never does the Bible say to just ignore it and continue on as you were. Ask The Lord to reveal any hidden sin that you may not even be aware is sin in the eyes of God. We are instructed to do this because sin has a significant effect on our fellowship with God. The original sin of Adam and Eve separated them from their estate in The Garden, therefore separating them from the closeness in fellowship they had once shared with God.

For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God]. Hebrews 10:26-27.

Therefore, sin should never be taken lightly. Sin in our lives hinders our intimate relationship with God, drawing us further from Him. Sin becomes static, overwhelming our ability to hear the voice of God. If you can be honest with yourself, you can most definitely look back and see evidence of this in your life anytime you continued to willfully sin, knowing it was wrong and you shouldn’t be doing it. No sin is worth missing out on that closeness in fellowship with God that obedience brings.

When God Withdraws The Fullness of His Presence

Here are some signs you may notice when God withdraws the fullness of His presence in your life because of sin and rebellion;

• Your prayer life dwindling down
• You no longer desire to read and study The Word
• You all of sudden don’t feel the zeal you once did to spend time with God in seeking Him
• You no longer go to God in prayer before making important decisions in your life.
• You feel like He isn’t responding to your prayers.
• You notice that His presence can’t be felt like it once was.
• There are old and new bad habits popping up in your daily life.
• Feeling of oppression, depression, and anxiety take over.
• Your ability to discern things properly has diminished.
• Situations in your life seem to keep going wrong. No matter how hard you try, you feel an unmistakable resistance, as if something is working against you.
• You recognize you are unable to keep your emotions and manner of speech under control.
• The joy you once felt is replaced with apathy and boredom.
• It becomes harder to have patience with other people.
• You trade in sound teachers you once listened to for new ones.
• You feel anger and offense when a fellow brethren attempts to rebuke or correct you.
• Rather than seeking approval from God, you hold man’s opinion in higher regard.
• Pulling away from Holy Spirit-filled believers in Christ.
• Not acknowledging or taking responsibility for the ramifications of your sin and rebellion.
• Blaming others for the current state of things due to willful sin, never examining yourself.
  

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Brethren, heed what the scriptures warn us of. This becomes a very slippery slope that some do not recover from. Don’t underestimate the destruction and ruin sin can bring into your life. In order to keep this post from being too long, I would like to mention three things that can happen as a result of willful, repeated sin and rebellion.

• God can and will harden your heart.
• God also sends an individual a strong delusion of His choosing, though I have noticed in research, in speaking to fellow Christians and to people who have fallen into apostasy, it’s often a strong delusion in the realm of 100% believing and standing in false religion, false doctrine or complete false assurance unto destruction. No matter the witnessing or biblical text you bring to them, they will not hear it. As if it has made them spiritually deaf and blind.
• Both of the above things can lead to a reprobate mind, also referred to as a debased mind. I urge you to do a biblical study on these topics for further understanding of just how serious sin, rebellion, and resisting The Spirit of God is.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Romans 6.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness [ignoring God’s law by action or neglect or by tolerating wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will]. 1 John 3:4.

What It Means To Truly Have Christ Jesus

One must have a sincere heart that has counted the cost. Be willing to make Jesus Christ, Lord, over every aspect of your life. Choose Christ over every sin. Practicing [present-tense verb] sin actively is rebellion against a Holy God, resulting in distance in your fellowship with Him.

This post is not claiming the false doctrine of “sinless perfection” for we all are sinners and never will anyone reach perfection. However, our lifestyle and behavior are exposed in the light of the Word of God. We can say no to willful sin. We can choose to do what is harder, which is to deny our flesh and walk in the Spirit through the power of Christ. Christ came to set the captives free. Are you not still a captive to sin, in the bondage thereof when a consistent slave to it?

But now since you have been set free from sin and have become [willing] slaves to God, you have your benefit, resulting in sanctification [being made holy and set apart for God’s purpose], and the outcome [of this] is eternal life. Romans 6:22.

Repentance IS NOT Optional

Being a true Christian does not merely begin and end with a verbal confession. We are not SAVED by works we are saved by grace through faith. And to be truly saved by grace through genuine saving faith as the Bible determines means we must truly have Christ. What people refer to as works are EVIDENCE of HAVING CHRIST. Many people don’t bear fruit and don’t show works because they skip a crucial part of what it means to choose Christ as their Lord and Savior in order to be saved. That is REPENTANCE. Repent and believe!

And saying, “The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life] and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good news [regarding salvation].” Mark 1:15.

If we are professing Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the pattern of our life should likewise be apparent, modeled after a life of repentance. Make the decision to turn from your ways, to say, “God, I have offended you in my sin, disobedience, and rebellion. I have tried to do things my way and I have only made it all the worse. I don’t know what I am doing. I no longer want to run my own life. I cannot do this on my own. I want to live my life the way you say that I should. From this point forward, I want to follow your ways. I want to be transformed into a new creation, freed from the bondage of my sin.”

To abide in Christ means there will be self-examination of sin in our lives, and there will be a lifestyle of repentance, transformation, obedience, and the bearing of fruit. You cannot meet The Lord Jesus Christ, accept Him as Lord and Savior, and walk away unchanged. Our assurance of having Christ is not based on our personal experience because lying spirits are deceiving and easily entice humanity with feel-good experiences. It is based on what The Word says it means to truly have Christ dwelling in us. In order to receive Jesus as our advocate with the Father, to have His righteous blood and God’s grace when we do sin, we must be in Christ and Christ in us.

This is what the Bible says is our way of knowing if we truly have Christ.

By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him: whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself. 1 John 2: 5-6.

And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings). 4 Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him. 5 But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him: 6 whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself. 1 John 2: 3-6.

Knowing that there must be self-examination in the life of those in Christ Jesus, let us look at 4 of the most commonly overlooked willful sins that will lead to distance in our fellowship with God, causing God to withdraw the fullness of His presence.

1. A Prideful Spirit.

The Lord will tear down the house of theproudand arrogant (self-righteous), But He will establish and protect the boundaries [of the land] of the [godly] widow. Proverbs 15:25.

“Look at theproud one, His soul is not right within him, But the righteous will live by his faith [in the true God] “. Habakkuk 2:4.

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.Proverbs 16:18.

There is nothing that can thwart the work of God and The Holy Spirit in one’s life quite like pride. It was pride that dwelt within Lucifer that caused him to set himself against God, wanting to become God. Wherever there is relentless pride, there is the working of Satan. The Bible says, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10.

Pride is a great hindrance to a believer; left unchecked, it will surely result in becoming an enemy of God. Operating in a spirit of pridefulness is like slamming the door shut on God’s intentional purpose to intervene in our lives and in our hearts. We can attend all the church services we’d like. We can lift our hands during praise and worship and profess how great of a Christian we are, yet if a prideful heart is relentlessly present, God will resist us.

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.1 John 2:16.

Pride is useless. It will get you nowhere with God. We are all imperfect, God knows this already. We will all make mistakes and we will get it wrong sometimes. No one is arguing that. It’s the exact reason God sent us His only begotten Son to die on the cross, making a way for us to be reconciled to The Father. However, it is unreasonable to remain in pridefulness, because it will only separate you from God. It is not a weakness to humble yourself. Humility is, in fact, a requirement. Repentance requires humility. There is no way to truly repent to God whilst being prideful. These two things are contrary to one another. It is pleasing to the Lord for us to acknowledge our disobedience and sin, bringing it to Him in godly sorrow that leads to repentance. There is power and freedom in accountability and humility. The repentance it leads towards opens the door back to God so that He can actively transform us.

When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame, But with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind.Proverbs 11:2

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5.

2. A Lying Tongue.

But as for the cowards and unbelieving and abominable [who are devoid of character and personal integrity and practice or tolerate immorality], and murderers, and sorcerers [with intoxicating drugs], and idolaters and occultists [who practice and teach false religions], and all the liars [who knowingly deceive and twist truth], their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”Revelation 21:8

Lying lips are extremely disgusting to the Lord, But those who deal faithfully are His delight Proverbs 12:22

God is truth, He cannot lie. Likewise, those who are His should live a life of truth and integrity. The Bible points out that God views those who lie equally with sorcerers. When you willingly lie to someone, you are purposely and willingly leading others into deception and manipulation, usually for your own self-preservation or exultation. Isn’t that exactly what Satan does?

You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths. John 8:44.

If you continually lie to other people and neglect to maintain a truthful way of life, you will find it more and more difficult to keep yourself from lying. You will no longer feel any sense of conviction as you submit your tongue to the evil one, allowing it to be a vessel for his workings. You will lose sight of the truth altogether, deceiving others and yourself. Deluding yourself with a distorted belief that you can go on as a liar yet remain close to God. When the Bible clearly states those who practice lying are of their father, the devil. A lying tongue should not be a characteristic of a Holy Spirit-filled believer. We refer to the Spirit that lives within the believer as The Spirit of Truth. Should we not then desire to operate in truth?

He who practices deceit will not dwell in my house; He who tells lies and half-truths will not continue [to remain] in my presence.Psalm 101:7

We are occupying sinful flesh, so yes, we will operate at times in the flesh. However, the objective is to be a new creation, putting off the former way of living. To be a people set apart, pursuing the example set for us by Christ Jesus. The point isn’t to be perfect, for that is unattainable. Rather, as followers of Christ, we choose to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh, for this is pleasing to God. There will be moments when we miss the mark. However, this should never be an excuse to continue in disobedience or to abuse the grace of God.

Whenever we catch ourselves in a lie, half-truth, or even an exaggeration; we need to confess it to the Lord in prayer, not disregarding or ignoring our sin. Then we need to lean on Christ and wash ourselves in The Word to renew our minds, as we make the choice to turn from these things, trusting in the power of Jesus that empowers us to overcome. No one can subdue their tongue apart from the power of God working within them. The manner of our speaking can be an identifier of our spiritual condition.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45.

If you recognize that you frequently have an untameable tongue; speaking lies, gossiping, cursing, claiming false accusations against others, slandering, or any other unrighteous speech, I would suggest you bring it to the Lord in prayer, acknowledging the issue and renouncing any further willful submitting of your tongue for dishonor. If you are still struggling to subdue your tongue and feel it is something you cannot bring into subjection, deliverance should be your next step, as this kind of behavior is a wide-open door to some awful spirits that will drive you further away from God whilst producing ruin in your life. Many of the demonic spirits that work in the tongue will do all they can to cause you to blaspheme. Left undealt with your spiritual condition will wax worse and worse.

3. Being Unteachable.

The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.Proverbs 1:7

He will die for lack of instruction (discipline), and in the greatness of his foolishness he will go astray and be lost. Proverbs 5:23.

How can we expect to grow in spiritual maturity if we reject instruction and correction? This is where pride, again, comes in and leads to spiritual death. When we have a proper view of God’s Holiness, His view of sin, and our sinful nature, we can humbly recognize the importance of being teachable.

Sanctification is not a one-time thing. It is an ongoing process. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Matthew 24:13. Who we were when we were being drawn to the Lord should not be who we continue to be. There needs to be continued growth in us and in our relationship with Jesus. We are to grow from babes who can only tolerate milk, ultimately maturing to meat. This cannot develop if we are unteachable. If we reject rebuke and correction, how can we protect ourselves from spiritual error that causes us to resist the work of The Holy Spirit leading to separation from God?

He who learns from instruction and correction is on the [right] path of life [and for others his example is a path toward wisdom and blessing], But he who ignores and refuses correction goes off course [and for others his example is a path toward sin and ruin].Proverbs 10:17

4. Neglecting REPENTANCE.

So REPENT (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean). Acts 3:19.

Here’s the thing: many people mistake worldly sorrow and regret for conviction. Yet genuine conviction of the Holy Spirit will draw one to repentance. Likewise, MANY people confuse repentance with confessing or professing one’s sin to God in prayer. Repentance is not merely an acknowledgment of our sin, though that is the first step. Once we acknowledge our sin to God with heartfelt sorrow, we must next choose to turn away from our sin, turning back to God and His ways. Making the sincerest effort to be transformed in our thinking, behavior, and way of living by renewing our minds through God’s Word. It is not by our own strength we are able to do this, but by the power and righteousness of Jesus Christ in us.

When there is sin present in our lives, we must run to the throne of God with an earnest heart, acknowledging our sin and participation in it, taking responsibility for the free will choices we made that led us to it. Seeking God’s grace and mercy. Determined to turn away from the things that are displeasing in His sight, to bridge that separation caused by our willful sin and disobedience. Never forget brethren, repentance is a gift from God.

Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.Revelation 2:16

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