Tuesday, August 18, 2020

DON'T CAUSE A BELIEVER TO STUMBLE


PROCLAMATION
“If anyone causes one of these little ones, those who believe in Me, to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble!  Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come.”  Matthew 18:6-7 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to the Apostle Matthew.  While they were in Galilee, the disciples came  to Jesus and asked, who would be the greatest in heaven?  Jesus answered them and said, “… Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  Then He said that anyone who causes a believer to stumble and fall into sin would be better off with a millstone around their neck and cast into the sea and drowned.  Woe unto them that cause a believer to stumble.

APPLICATION
We all know that it is bad for us to sin.  It is even worse for us to cause someone else to sin with us.  However, it is even worse yet for us to cause a believer to stumble and fall into sin.  Christ clearly does not like those who lead believers into sin and His punishment for them will be severe.  “Woe unto the world because of the offences … but woe to the man by whom the offence cometh.” (Matthew 18:7)  It is important for us not to be a stumbling block or be the reason that a believer stumbles into sin.  Let us not only avoid sin and let us abstain from even the appearance of sin. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)  


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