“No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:3-4)
The awful effects of sin have been present since humankind’s fall in the Garden of Eden.
Way back before the tragic events of Genesis chapter 3, the Lord God once looked and saw that his creation was very good. It was perfect. And then sin came into the world and brought along total corruption, utter depravity, and certain death.
Ever since then, creation has been under its dreadful, weighty curse. No longer very good; no longer perfect. In fact, it’s now completely and utterly corrupted by sin.
We don’t have to look too hard to see sin’s awful effects. We don’t even have to turn on the news or scroll through social media.
It’s all around us.
Sin’s dreadful curse is in our country and communities; it’s in our schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and homes. It’s in our relationships, friendships, and marriages. More than that, it’s in our very selves—corrupting our hearts and minds like a cancerous rot.
Because of sin, we’re filled with guilt and shame as we do and say things that should never be considered, much less acted upon.
Relationships are ripped apart; friends and families are torn apart; homes and friendships are destroyed with devastating results. Our strength and vitality are sapped away; such gifts are replaced with illness and disease. Our loved ones are stolen, snatched away in the cold clutches of death before their time.
Because of sin, death will come for us too. And that unavoidable fact can fill us with fear. We know our sins. They’re ever before us in our waking moments. They can even plague our nights, robbing us of sleep and comfort.
The thought of standing before a holy and righteous God, knowing the things we’ve done . . .
Even though, as Christians, we know who our Savior is and what he has done for us, sin’s curse still torments us on our journey through the valley of the shadow of death that is this world. The devil works hard to get us to focus on such awful things as sin’s effects. And more often than not, he succeeds.
After all, sin and its effects are the polluted air we breathe day in and day out—we’ve never known a day without it. Like a thick, noxious smog, it’s suffocating. Our lungs burn, and our eyes fill with tears. We stagger and stumble through the darkness of this world.
And yet . . .
There is the sure and certain hope of breathing in fresh air, of clear skies, and of a brighter future on the horizon with these unbreakable words from our God: “No longer will there be any curse” (Revelation 22:3).
One day, dear Christian, we will hear our Savior’s final triumph song, forever breaking the discordant notes of sin’s curse. As John wrote, “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
We’ll hear our God definitively proclaim from his throne, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5).
New life and the certainty of eternal life in heaven are ours in Jesus—won by his perfect life, innocent death, and triumphant resurrection. He gives us his victory over sin, death, and the devil, freely out of his love for us.
Are the effects of sin around us right now? Yes. But look, dear Christian—look past and beyond such momentary, fleeting things. They’re like the night, which must eventually give way to day.
Look to what God says in his Word.
His promises are sure and certain. In Christ Jesus, your sins are forgiven. You’re dearly loved. You have a home in heaven waiting for you.
And by God’s grace alone, you and I will see our Savior face-to-face and serve him, in his city, in heaven, forever.
The book of Revelation provides you and all believers with the beautiful assurance of Christ’s final victory. John’s seven visions recorded in Revelation, and their interpretation, are often an interest for many Christians. To learn more about the final book in the Bible and the assurances God gives you in it, check out The People’s Bible commentary on Revelation.
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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