According to 1 Peter 2:24, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness,” Jesus has taken on the punishment for all of our sins. God no longer punishes believers for their sins since He was punished in our place.
It is the grace of God. It is taught in several religions that you get what you deserve. Christianity tells us that Christ received the death penalty, which is what we deserved. And we receive eternal life, which He won for us. However, we are aware that becoming a believer does not make us flawless. Sin continues to exist in our lives. What takes place when we commit sin?
1. Your sin already has been forgiven
For our sins, Christ died. For all of our past, present, and future sins, He died. He took their penalty upon His death. At the cross, our forgiveness was fully granted. Thus, God has already pardoned our sin. There is no more penalty.
2. God disciplines us
When we sin, we turn away from the Lord. He wants to call us back to Him. Often He will let bad things happen to us. However, this is not meant as punishment (‘you deserve this!’), but as discipline (you are on the wrong way. Come back!’). The Bible shows us that God disciplines us because He loves us: “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:6). So if you are going through a difficult time, and you are wondering whether God is punishing you, the answer is ‘no’. God is not making you pay for your sins, for Jesus paid it all. But the Lord wants to teach you something. The lesson may be painful, but you can be sure that it is part of God’s good plan for your life.
3. Often God uses natural consequences in the discipline process
When we sin, often there will be consequences. When we insult someone, we may end up with a bloody nose. When we steal, we might end in jail. When we commit adultery, we might end up divorced. When we smoke, we might end up with lung cancer. Normally, the Lord will not protect us from these consequences. They are part of the discipline process. They make us realize what the temporary consequences of sin are. That reminds us of the eternal consequence of sin if we do not have a Savior. That eternal consequence is hell. It calls us to turn to God, if we never really put our trust in Jesus as our Savior; or it calls us to return to God, if we’ve strayed from Him.
In conclusion, believers are not punished by God. However, that does not guarantee that you won’t have difficulties. “Everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will face persecution,” according to 2 Timothy 3:12. The Lord will put us in challenging circumstances. That is evidence that He views us as His children and that He desires to educate us to be near to Him, so let’s celebrate that.
