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
At the end of chapter 17, Jesus made a strong inference that the disciples were exempt from the ransom/atonement/temple tax because of their sonship. (See Exodus 30:11-16) But just as significant, He also insists on not offending those who were asking for payment of this tax. Jesus understood that people have their "hot-buttons". Those hot-buttons are varied, depending on individual convictions.
But what is it that offends the Almighty? Shouldn't we care about this more than any other offense? In a world where avoiding offense is the prescribed, most sacred moral value, what gets the Lion of Judah so much in a rage that He states that the offender should prefer the death penalty above all other punishments? God is offended to the core when anyone leads or steers a believer onto the road of sin. Indeed, addiction or poor attitude are avenues of sinfulness. But what really angers Him to the core is when we convey sinfulness onto another. The propagation of the human disease is the truest offense to God.
To be honest, though, I think it is safe to say that we are all culpable of this cosmic crime. We have all led others astray - be it directly or passively. We are truly lost - the blind leading the blind, bumping against each other in a comedy of mirrors. But the good news is the passion of Christ that He left the fold to rescue each one of us, one by one, and bring us back into His care.
Let us be more patient, then, with one another. Let's cooperate with this Great Shepherd and bring the lost back with joy.
But what is it that offends the Almighty? Shouldn't we care about this more than any other offense? In a world where avoiding offense is the prescribed, most sacred moral value, what gets the Lion of Judah so much in a rage that He states that the offender should prefer the death penalty above all other punishments? God is offended to the core when anyone leads or steers a believer onto the road of sin. Indeed, addiction or poor attitude are avenues of sinfulness. But what really angers Him to the core is when we convey sinfulness onto another. The propagation of the human disease is the truest offense to God.
To be honest, though, I think it is safe to say that we are all culpable of this cosmic crime. We have all led others astray - be it directly or passively. We are truly lost - the blind leading the blind, bumping against each other in a comedy of mirrors. But the good news is the passion of Christ that He left the fold to rescue each one of us, one by one, and bring us back into His care.
Let us be more patient, then, with one another. Let's cooperate with this Great Shepherd and bring the lost back with joy.
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