It is amazing to me how we are able to convince ourselves that we can get away with rebellion from God without harm.  It is simply not possible!  There are always consequences when we allow temptation to get the best of us.

First of all if you give in to the temptation you will withdraw from God.  As you become more and more aware of your guilt you step further and further away from Christ.  It is just a natural part of who you are.  I was a very rebellious teenager and when I knew I was in trouble I would always prolong the journey home.  One time when I was 17 I stayed away from home for two weeks just to keep distance between myself and my parents.  We do the same thing with God when we are guilty.  Our first response is withdrawal because we are afraid.  Just ask Adam and Eve!

Because of our withdrawal from God we begin to experience low self-esteem.  This is how people get so far away from God.  Succumbing to temptation always brings shame thereby lowering self esteem.  When your self-esteem is low  you are more susceptible to temptation because you want to feel better.  Therefore you give in more easily to temptation in order to experience relief.  Its not lasting relief but it is relief none the less and you are willing to compromise just to experience it.  This is a vicious cycle that many people get caught in.

Because you are caught in a cycle it doesn’t take long to develop a hard heart toward God.  Hardness of heart is always a result of continually mishandling temptation.  When your heart gets hard you give Satan complete control of your life and it is a terrible place to live.  I know from personal experience.  This is the TRUTH and those are the CONSEQUENCES!

James 1:14-16 (NIV) but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.   Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.