A person can sin unto death by violating God’s holy boundaries. God vindicates his holiness by withdrawing his gift of life, turning a person over to death.

Over the last year or two we have seen something become common in the corporate world that used to be rare, and it gives us insight into one aspect of God’s holiness.

Hardly a month now goes by without a high-profile executive, journalist, or politician losing their job because they have crossed a boundary that once was not fatal to one’s job. For example, there is now zero tolerance for racist actions, sexual abuse, or saying derogatory things about women. When a leader crosses one of these boundaries, the company fires them and thereby shows its disapproval of the words and actions of the offender. The company knows that no matter how talented and effective that leader has been, many in the public will turn against that company if they tolerate such behavior. Better to lose even their best employee and try to salvage their name. No one is bigger than the company. By firing an offending employee, they uphold what they and the public regard as good. Good companies fire leaders who violate vitally important boundaries.

To cross certain boundaries is to sin unto death

In the same way, God has boundaries. And for some of his boundaries there is zero tolerance. This is not because God is bad, but precisely because he is good. Holy means good. God protects the things of highest value, moral weight, and significance. What is of highest value in all existence is the honor of God’s holy name. God’s holiness is the ground of all truth, purity, righteousness, virtue, and justice. Therefore, his holiness is all important not only to him but to humanity and all the moral creation including angels, authorities, powers, and so on. God’s holiness is more sacred and important than any human life.

As a result, there are several surprising stories and sections in the Bible that tell of God’s having to withdraw the gift of life from a person who violates the boundaries of God’s holiness. That is how God vindicates his holiness. That is how God makes clear to others the seriousness of violating this boundary.

These stories don’t get talked about much because they don’t fit the popular notion that God should always be nice no matter how evil a person becomes. It makes us uncomfortable to think that God would end a person’s life because of something that we may not even regard as a serious violation. But make no mistake, there is no greater boundary you can violate than God’s holiness. If you regard that boundary like men once regarded sexual abuse of women, you will sooner or later find that it is a big deal to God.

You, too, have boundaries

God and companies are not the only ones with zero-tolerance boundaries. You also have boundaries. There are things you will not allow anyone to do or say to you. You respect yourself enough not to let violations happen again.

Good people, good companies, good governments, and our good God—all have proper boundaries. And for the most serious of those boundaries, there is zero-tolerance.

Examples of sin unto death

Here are stories and passages, both in the Old and New Testaments, that describe times when God takes back the gift of life that he gave in the first place in order to vindicate his holiness. As you read this list, keep in mind God’s words through Ezekiel: “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 18:32).

The great flood kills all that breathe except Noah and those in the ark. Genesis 6–8.
The cities and people of Sodom and Gomorrah are burned with fire from heaven. Genesis 19:1–29
The Angel of the Lord slays all the firstborn of Egypt, and then the entire army of Egypt that pursued Israel into the Red Sea. Exodus 11, 12, 14
Aaron’s priestly sons Nadab and Abihu try to offer unauthorized fire to the Lord, and fire goes out from God’s presence and consumes them. Leviticus 10:1–3
Moses fails to circumcise his sons, and God comes to slay him for rebellion against this fundamental commandment for all Israelite males. But Moses’s wife circumcises the children just in time to save Moses’s life. Exodus 4:24–26
Seventy men of Beth Shemesh look into the ark of God and die. 1 Samuel 6:19–20
Uzzah puts his hand on the ark of God and dies. 2 Samuel 6:1–10
Korah and other leaders in Israel rise up to oppose the authority of Moses and Aaron, and the earth literally opens beneath their feet, and they and their households are swallowed alive. Fire also goes out from God’s presence and consumes 250 other rebellious leaders. Numbers 16:1–40 (verses 37–39 are especially revealing)
The people of Israel arise in rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and a plague breaks out, killing 14,700. Numbers 16:41–50.
During the time of Israel’s 40-year journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, there were other similar occasions when major sins resulted in major loss of life: Exodus 32. Numbers 11; 14:1–38; 21:1–9; 25:1–13.
The priestly family of negligent Eli and his wicked sons die. 1 Samuel 3–4
The Angel of the Lord slays an army of 185,000 Assyrians whose leader had taunted God. Isaiah 37:23–38
There are several stories of people mistreating Old Testament prophets—who spoke the words of God and therefore carried God’s authority—and dying as a result. 2 Kings 1:1–15; 2:23–24. Jeremiah 28.
Many in the Corinthian church were not treating the Lord’s Table with proper respect, and so some offenders became sick and some died. 1 Corinthians 11:27–34
Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Holy Spirit and die, and—what might be surprising to us—the church grows in numbers and favor afterward. Acts 5:1–14.
King Herod is slain for receiving praise as a god after an effective speech. Acts 12:21–23
The apostle John writes about the sin unto death. 1 John 5:16–17.

Well, you get the point; I’m sure the list could be longer. Since we naturally feel compassion for other humans and most of us are in no hurry to die, it is normal to shudder at stories like these. Death is tragic; God himself regards death in these circumstances as tragic. Again, God told sinful Israel, “Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live” (Ezekiel 18:31–32).

Why do I compile a detailed list like this? Because God records these stories in his book for a reason. He wanted them in the Bible. They are not a dark secret about which we should be ashamed or defensive. This is an important part of God’s holiness.

Reverence before God

Some people have the insolence to question whether God should do this. It is our wisdom and humility to say with Job, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). God always does right. In American culture we are seeing the moral decay that results when people lose the fear of God.

God has warned humanity, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The vindication of God’s holiness is infinitely more important than the lifespan of any human; those who object probably see it the other way around. (But God forbids anyone from taking punishment into their own hands. That’s called murder, which God outlaws. God gives only civil governments the right to execute the death penalty. See Romans 13:1–7.)

Our sins, Christ’s death

I conclude with good news. God has made a way to show mercy. He has provided his Son Jesus, who on the cross took the death penalty for all people. You can run to him in faith and find mercy from God.

John 3:16–17 says, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

1 John 5:12 says, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

If you have not done so already, turn now to Christ and begin following him as your Lord and Savior.