From the desk of Pastor Ben

Do Not Cause a Brother to Sin – Part 1

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!”     (Matthew 18:6-7)

The truth that whatever affects believers also affects Christ also has a negative side. So, whenever someone mistreats a believer, he mistreats Christ. Whether the person is the most evil unbeliever who harms a Christian, or just a careless, sinning believer who harms a fellow believer, the effect is the same: Jesus is harmed and dishonored. So, it is crucial that Christians take extra care not to sin against other Christians.

The verb “to stumble” literally means “to cause to fall” and refers to moral and spiritual stumbling, namely sinning. Jesus explained to the disciples of trapping or influencing a believer so that he sins or finds it easier to sin than otherwise.

With graphic and sobering language, Jesus declares that one who causes one of God’s children to sin would be better off dying a terrible death such as drowning in the sea. The millstone was used to grind grain and often weighed hundreds of pounds. The Romans would tie the stone around a criminal’s neck and drop him overboard into deep water. Such a pagan form of execution was reprehensible to the Jews, maybe even more so than crucifixion. Yet Jesus did not back away from saying that suffering such a terrifying death would be preferable than causing even one child of God to sin.

Ask Yourself:
Sometimes we fail to remember how patient God continues to be with us as He does His work of sanctification in our hearts. What makes us think we are at liberty to demonstrate a lack of patience toward others of His children — our spiritual brothers and sisters?