Sin Forever and Ever?

Seriously, will sin on earth go on forever and ever? Below are four intimidating questions and a challenging assertion I was confronted with last week on Facebook.  

How would you respond?

“John, in all that you’re saying, you are not saying that sin will just go on and on and on are you? That there won’t be an end to unrighteousness? People would be spooked if that is what all you’re teaching amounts to. Isn’t Jesus about to put things right? Isn’t His intervention around the corner?”

My Response: The Bible proclaims (in the past tense) that Jesus came to “do away with sin” (Heb. 9:26). Did He fail? Then why is sin still here?

The Bible proclaims that Jesus “hath destroyed [abolished] death” (2 Tim. 1:10). Did He fail? Then why do people still die?

The Bible proclaims that Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil” ( 1 John 3:8). Again, did He fail? Then why do we still see works of the devil?

Want some more?

Just look what we find on the last page of the Bible, on earth, after the coming of the new heaven, a new earth, and the holy city, the new Jerusalem (whatever it may or may not be – a topic for another occasion). Outside this city’s gates we find people still sinning . . .

“Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehoods” (Rev. 22:15).

If that’s not disturbing enough for those of you subscribing to what might be termed “fantasy Christianity,” check out this other revealing and scriptural tidbit.

The leaves of the tree of life inside that holy city are for “the healing of the nations” (Rev. 22:2).

So what do the nations need to be healed from if all sin and evil has been removed and everything is perfect, as so many have been taught is the earth’s ultimate destiny?

Perhaps, we are the ones who have failed to understand how these victories – doing away with sin, destroying death, and destroying the works of the devil – were actually accomplished (past tense) by Jesus long ago?

Are you now “spooked,” as my interlocutor warned?

Or do we need to get our faith better straightened out?

What do you think?