DO NOT CAUSE OTHERS TO SIN

PROCLAMATION

“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”  Mark 9:42 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  While Jesus was still in the villages around Caesarea Philippi, He took Peter, James, and John with Him and led them up a high mountain.  There He was transfigured before them, and Elijah and Moses appeared before them and began talking with Jesus. (Mark 9:2-8)  When they came back to the village and joined the other disciples, there was a large crowd around them.  A man in the crowd said that he had brought his demon possessed son to His disciples, but they could not heal him.  Then he told Jesus, “If you can … help us.” (Mark 9:17-22)  Jesus responded, “All things are possible to him that believeth.”  Immediately the father of the child cried out, “Lord, I believe; Help Thou mine unbelief.”  Jesus rebuked the impure spirit and commanded him to come out of the boy, and immediately he was healed. (Mark 9:23-27)  Then Jesus and His disciples left there and went to Capernaum.  There was a man there who was driving out demons in the name of Jesus and His disciples told him to stop because he was not one of them.  Jesus told them, “Do not stop him, … For he that is not against us is on our part.” (Mark 9:38-40)  Then Jesus told them that anyone who gives them a drink of water because they belong to Christ will be rewarded.  He also said that anyone who causes one that believes in Him to stumble and sin would be punished.  It would be better for that person to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the sea. (Mark 9:41-42)

APPLICATION

We should be very careful regarding how we act around people, especially believers.  We should also be careful about the activities that we encourage them to participate in.  We should not actively persuade them to sin, and we should not let them see us sin, or doing something that may be perceived as sinful, (1 Thessalonians 5:22) for they may imitate our behavior and sin.  Woe be onto anyone that causes a believer to stumble and fall into sin for they will receive a severe punishment. (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:41-42, and Luke 17:1-2)  We should be holy because He who called us out of darkness into His light is holy. (1 Peter 1:15 and 2:9)  We should behave in such a way that people see Christ in us. (Matthew 5:16)