WLC 28

Q28. What are the punishments of sin in this world?

The punishments of sin in this world are either inward, as blindness of mind, a reprobate sense, strong delusions, hardness of heart, horror of conscience, and vile affections; or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures for our sakes, and all other evils that befall us in our bodies, names, estates, relations, and employments; together with death itself.

Proof texts

• Eph. 4:18 — [18] They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
• Rom. 1:28 — [28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
• 2 Thess. 2:11 — [11] Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,
• Rom. 2:5 — [5] But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
• Isa. 33:14 — [14] The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: “Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?”
• Gen. 4:13 — [13] Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
• Matt. 27:4 — [4] saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”
• Rom. 1:26 — [26] For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
• Gen. 3:17 — [17] And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
• Deut. 28:15-18 — [15] “But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. [16] Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. [17] Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. [18] Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.
• Rom. 6:21,23 — [21] But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Eph. 4:18 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 11 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q13 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WCF 6.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q13 · WCF 6.1 · HC Q3 · BC 4.1 · BC 4.2 · 1689 6.1 · 1689 6.2 · 1689 6.3 · 1689 6.4 · 1689 6.5