There are several reasons why we should avoid sin.

1. Sin has consequences. The eternal law of sowing and reaping still applies, even to those who have been forgiven. If you sow sin, you will reap destruction in your life. Even if you are forgiven in the eyes of God, here on this earth, sin will destroy you. Grace forgives our sin, but grace does not change the negative consequences that sin can have.

2. Sin opens a door to the devil. This is why Ananias and Sapphira died (Acts 5). They did not die because God judged them; they died because their lie opened a door for Satan to work in their lives. Every problem you have in life is attached to sin; either your sin, Adam’s sin, or someone else’s sin. Sin is always devastating.

3. Sin changes the direction your life is headed. Stephen Hofer says “Grace doesn’t keep us from the destructive results of sin. Sin damages the heart. It makes it difficult to trust God in the future. It makes us doubt God’s love and ability to forgive us. When we sin, God does not change and withdraw from us, but in our hearts we change and withdraw from Him.” The direction you are headed in reveals your final destination.

Sinning does not make God run away from you; rather it makes you run away from God. Under grace, you have freedom to sin. But walking in sin will pull you away from your relationship with God with no guarantee that you will ever be able to make your way back to Him.

4. Sin enslaves you. Sin actually takes you captive and turns you into a slave. You do not exercise your freedom by sinning; you actually destroy your freedom by sinning.

5. God hates sin. God abhors sin. He cannot allow sin to exist in His presence. The purpose of grace is not to allow sin, but to destroy sin. God’s grace empowers you to live holy. God’s grace frees you from sin.