New Testament Christianity teaches that salvation comes by way of faith (belief) in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 can’t be much clearer:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (N.K.J.V.)

Similarly, Ephesians 2:8-9 says to Christians:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast. (H.C.S.B.)

What this means is that human works, good or bad, play no part whatsoever in a person’s salvation. What it doesn’t mean is that the Christian can sin without consequence. Yes, every sin the Christian will ever commit is already forgiven in Jesus Christ (Romans 4:7-8; Colossians 2:13-14; Hebrews 8:12), but sin in the life of the Christian still comes with a price. So, I thought it would be good if I provided a list of some of the things that price entails. I’ll cite at least one proof text per item, and I encourage you to look up each passage and read it for yourself as your own personal time of Bible study.

1. Sin disrupts the Christian’s fellowship with God. Psalm 51:1-4
2. Sin hinders the Christian’s prayer life. Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2
3. Sin defiles the Christian’s body (the temple of the Holy Spirit). 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
4. Sin robs the Christian of heavenly rewards. Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11
5. Sin makes the Christian miserable in the end. Matthew 26:69-75
6. Sin damages the Christian’s relationships with other people. Galatians 2:11-21; 2 Timothy 4:9
7. Sin hurts the Christian’s testimony as an ambassador of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:20
8. Sin takes the Christian to places he or she shouldn’t go. Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 1:8-19
9. Sin robs the Christian of the joy of salvation. Psalm 51:12
10. Sin prevents the Christian from enjoying inner peace. Philippians 4:1-10
11. Sin brings the Christian under conviction. Psalm 32:3-5
12. Sin grieves the indwelling Holy Spirit inside the Christian. Ephesians 4:30
13. Sin quenches the indwelling Holy Spirit inside the Christian. 1 Thessalonians 5:19
14. Sin causes the Christian to experience the chastening of God. Hebrews 12:5-11
15. Sin creates division within the church. 1 Corinthians 1:10-13
16. Sin lessons the Christian’s love concerning Christ’s return. 1 Timothy 4:8
17. Sin breeds more sin. 2 Samuel 11:1-27
18. Sin can cause the Christian to become a vessel of dishonor. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 2 Timothy 2:19-21
19. Sin can disqualify the Christian from holding offices in the church. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9
20. Sin can potentially lead the Christian to a premature death. Galatians 6:8; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 11:27-30; 1 John 5:16-17