What does the Bible say about our sins and their consequences?

In examining the reason for God's people's captivity in Babylon, we find that their sins were the root cause. In 2 Chronicles 36, we see that King Zedekiah and the people transgressed against God, which led to their exile. The inhabitants of Jerusalem brought worldly abominations into God’s house, which provoked the Lord’s anger and resulted in their being carried away. This pattern illustrates a key aspect of God’s dealings with His people: often, our trials stem from our own sinfulness. The realization that many of our life’s troubles are consequences of our unfaithfulness should motivate us toward repentance and renewed faithfulness to the Lord.