Don't be that guy
This week is on Luke 17:1-4:
In this short conversation, Jesus touches on three sides of sin: The person enticing people into sin, the person committing the sin, and the person aware of the sin or victim to the sin. That pretty much covers any position except maybe the person reading about the sin and shaking their head, but that could fall under the third example.
The worst guy to be is the guy trying to lure others into sin. He knows what God wants, but he also knows what he wants and they're not the same thing. He's the guy who talks women into adultery or premarital sex, because marriage is different now than it was in Biblical times. He's the guy who says it's OK to steal, because insurance covers the losses anyway. He's the guy who says it's OK to suspend forgiveness of certain offenses like rape or pedophilia, because some things are just beyond society's forgiveness. He takes the opinions of man, or his own thoughts, and crosses out God's commands to supersede them with his own. He may get what he wants, but things don't end well for him if he continues on that path.
God's commands for mankind aren't just a practice test for us to judge our character by. They really do have solid justifications that help us. Sometimes those justifications are society-wide. One person committing a sin won't necessarily destroy society, but a society of people committing that sin will. One person may even be a bad example for the rest of society. God's words have depth.
If someone is an alcoholic and you try to use the scriptures with Jesus in the wedding at Cana as justification of why they should drink, and they fall for it, they'll sin, and you'll be held accountable. Why lead someone into a trap just to make them fit the model of how you think things should be? It's the ultimate in selfishness, and if there's one thing Christlikeness isn't, it's selfish.
What if you're the guy who sins? Sin is sin, but if you realize your mistake, God wants you to be able to start over. There are no lifetime registries or debtors prisons in God's kingdom. If you genuinely want to start over, and to change your life, God is there to help it happen. It might take you a thousand tries, but God is there each of those times to help you up. Never carry a lifetime burden around when you don't have to. Your life is eternal. That's a long time to be carrying something you don't need to carry.
What if you're the guy who gets hurt by someone sinning, or sees someone sinning? Say something! Seriously, this is the one modern church people seem to get caught up on. Don't talk about the sinner behind their back. Don't close your heart to them until they're changed. Talk to them. If you're angry, tell them you're angry. If you're hurt, tell them that. If you're worried about them, tell them you're worried. Don't just sit on it.
If they try to change, support them in it. Seriously, don't go around telling people they're not going to change, or that they're just saying that to trick people. If they're making an effort, you can make one too. Do you want Jesus telling God the Father that you're not sincere, that you're just saying the words so that you can get into heaven? Even if it takes them a thousand tries, each time help them up, and help them get going. What would Jesus do, right?
Sin is something to be put behind us. Don't make other people do it so you don't have to examine your own. Don't hold onto other people's sin so you don't have to let your own go. Don't hold onto your own sin when you can let it go. In these verses, God tells us how to be free.
Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
In this short conversation, Jesus touches on three sides of sin: The person enticing people into sin, the person committing the sin, and the person aware of the sin or victim to the sin. That pretty much covers any position except maybe the person reading about the sin and shaking their head, but that could fall under the third example.
The worst guy to be is the guy trying to lure others into sin. He knows what God wants, but he also knows what he wants and they're not the same thing. He's the guy who talks women into adultery or premarital sex, because marriage is different now than it was in Biblical times. He's the guy who says it's OK to steal, because insurance covers the losses anyway. He's the guy who says it's OK to suspend forgiveness of certain offenses like rape or pedophilia, because some things are just beyond society's forgiveness. He takes the opinions of man, or his own thoughts, and crosses out God's commands to supersede them with his own. He may get what he wants, but things don't end well for him if he continues on that path.
God's commands for mankind aren't just a practice test for us to judge our character by. They really do have solid justifications that help us. Sometimes those justifications are society-wide. One person committing a sin won't necessarily destroy society, but a society of people committing that sin will. One person may even be a bad example for the rest of society. God's words have depth.
If someone is an alcoholic and you try to use the scriptures with Jesus in the wedding at Cana as justification of why they should drink, and they fall for it, they'll sin, and you'll be held accountable. Why lead someone into a trap just to make them fit the model of how you think things should be? It's the ultimate in selfishness, and if there's one thing Christlikeness isn't, it's selfish.
What if you're the guy who sins? Sin is sin, but if you realize your mistake, God wants you to be able to start over. There are no lifetime registries or debtors prisons in God's kingdom. If you genuinely want to start over, and to change your life, God is there to help it happen. It might take you a thousand tries, but God is there each of those times to help you up. Never carry a lifetime burden around when you don't have to. Your life is eternal. That's a long time to be carrying something you don't need to carry.
What if you're the guy who gets hurt by someone sinning, or sees someone sinning? Say something! Seriously, this is the one modern church people seem to get caught up on. Don't talk about the sinner behind their back. Don't close your heart to them until they're changed. Talk to them. If you're angry, tell them you're angry. If you're hurt, tell them that. If you're worried about them, tell them you're worried. Don't just sit on it.
If they try to change, support them in it. Seriously, don't go around telling people they're not going to change, or that they're just saying that to trick people. If they're making an effort, you can make one too. Do you want Jesus telling God the Father that you're not sincere, that you're just saying the words so that you can get into heaven? Even if it takes them a thousand tries, each time help them up, and help them get going. What would Jesus do, right?
Sin is something to be put behind us. Don't make other people do it so you don't have to examine your own. Don't hold onto other people's sin so you don't have to let your own go. Don't hold onto your own sin when you can let it go. In these verses, God tells us how to be free.
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