Of Sin and Consequence

"As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one...and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." Romans 3:10, 17-18

All men are sinners. There is no one who is righteous--that is there is no one who does righteous things or who is righteous in nature. Mankind, at its very core is corrupt. Sure, people can do apparently moral acts and people can affirm that something is good, but Scripture teaches that even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags when we see them as God sees them. By our own standards we deserve heaven. But by God's standards we deserve hell.
L. S. Chafer says in his Systematic Theology that "sin is exceedingly sinful." How true this statement is. Sin, in its very nature is sinful. It is offensive to the righteousness and holiness of God. Sin will always produce sinfulness and never produce righteousness.
As I was reading my Bible this morning, I came across this note in the margin: "Sin is theological in nature, but sociological in consequences." When we sin, it is always offensive to God and it always has consequences for us and the people around us. We must understand what sin is like if we are to understand who we are as sinners. As sinners, we have offended God and there are consequences for those who live in proximity to us. Let us confess our sin to God and trust that He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.