Sin accelerates aging and death.  Learn why.

Psalm 49:14  “Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.”

God made the human body to live indefinitely.  It is a marvel of God’s creative power.  Yet, every body will cease to function because of sin.  

When Adam sinned, he genetically corrupted the human race, and the sin nature passes from parents to children.  Sin kills the soul, and it destroys the body.

After the first sin, mankind still lived to be over 900 years old.  After the Flood of Genesis 6, life expectancy dropped to around 120.  Then in Psalm 90, God tells us we can expect to live 70 years and if we live longer than that the body will not function well.  Why?  Because sin destroys the body.

[shareable]Stop hurting yourself.[/shareable]

Aging is the visible effect of sin on the body.  Wrinkled skin, gray hair, aching joints, etc. are physical symptoms of man’s spiritual problem – sin.

In the grave, sin completes its destruction as corruption turns the body back into dust.  

The more you sin, the faster sin destroys your body.  Don’t miss this essential truth!  Sin steals youth.  Sin consumes beauty.  Sin strips away health.  Sin can make you die sooner.  Why?  As you choose to sin, its ruining effects accelerate in your body.

We see this acted out around us every day as people who decide to sin look much older than they should.  Once, I saw a video of a mom and a daughter sitting on a couch.  I didn’t know their story, but the resemblance was unmistakable. 

Once they started talking, I was shocked to hear that they were actually twins born only minutes apart.  The “younger” one had lived a normal life.  The “older” one had spent 20 years struggling in addiction and other sins.  Sin consumed her beauty and stole her youth.  What a convincing picture of how sin corrupts and destroys the body!

The physical results of sin are easy to document.  Smokers ruin their lungs.  Drinkers injure their livers.   Fornicators contract and pass on STDs.  Drug users addict their bodies to poisonous substances that are killing them and destroying their lives.  Gluttons flood the body with sugars and chemicals while denying it the nutrients required.  

Pride can hurt the body in the forms of anorexia, bulimia, excessive working out, or unneeded surgeries.

Sins such as anger, jealousy, bitterness, malice, unforgiveness, etc. hurt the body twice.  Once in how the stress of those sins is carried in the body (detrimental effects of negative emotions on health are well documented) and next when those sins are acted out to hurt others.

You get the idea.  Sin destroys the body.

Every time you surrender to temptation, the destructive effects of sin accelerate the corruption of your body.  Stop hurting yourself.

Just say NO to temptation!  

[callout]“Lord, I appreciate the body you have given me. Help me protect it. Give me wisdom to take care of it and not destroy it through willful sin. Empower me to reject temptation today and live as you would if you were in my shoes. I want to please you in my body, soul, and spirit. Amen.'[/callout]

Today’s Bible Reading:  Psalm 49

Read this devotional series from the beginning here.