Matthew 18.6-7 Mark 9.42
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6 but
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. 7 “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!
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42 “Whoever
causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better
for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast
into the sea.
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The consequences of sin are always serious. However, there seem to be certain sins that
have more serious consequences than others.
Since forgiveness of sin comes through faith in Christ, we generally say
that the sin with the most serious consequences is the sin of unbelief. However, today’s text implies that even more
serious than the sin of unbelief is the sin of an unbeliever who causes a
little one to stumble. The seriousness
with which this passage speaks of being a stumbling block should be a sobering
warning for any who do such things.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS PREFERABLE TO BEING A STUMBLING BLOCK:
It is hard to know exactly what Jesus had in mind when He was speaking of being
a stumbling block, but it seems that it has to do with actions that cause
others, especially children, not to believe.
There are people who abuse children for their own pleasure. Some children struggle greatly to trust God
because He is called a Father and the only father these children know is an
abusive or neglectful, angry man.
Children have a simplicity and an innocence about them that makes them
especially vulnerable to the evil schemes of wicked men that can completely rob
them of their innocence and their ability to trust others or even God. Satan seems to especially like to destroy the
faith and even the very lives of children.
Abortion, infanticide and pedophilia are all sins that spring from the
heart of hell and destroy children.
Jesus says that it would be far better for that person to have a
millstone tied around his neck and be cast into the ocean than to be a stumbling
block for a child. In other words, it is
worth doing anything to avoid the consequences of being a stumbling block.
ETERNAL PUNISMENT IS THE RESULT OF BEING A STUMBLING BLOCK:
It seems clear from the passage that there are different degrees of punishment
in hell. There will be no happy people
in hell, but there will be people who suffer greater misery and agony than
others. Jesus recognizes that in a
sinful world there will be stumbling blocks but two times in this passage He
says “woe” to the one through whom stumbling blocks come. This certainly seems to indicate a greater
degree of suffering for those who cause this condition. Those who have been victims of abuse as a
child or had a child who has been abused by someone else usually feel like a
terrible injustice has been done. We can
rest assured knowing that there is no injustice with God. He has special place in hell reserved for
those who cause children to stumble. I
have no idea what those different degrees of suffering will be or how they will
be inflicted; and I have no desire whatsoever to find out.
APPLICATION: Be especially careful to love and preserve the
innocence of children. Flee from and
take radical measures to keep from temptation to do anything that might cause a
child or anyone to stumble. Do not worry
about injustice on this earth or try to seek vengeance for wrongs we or loved
ones have suffered at the hands of wicked men.
Know that God will judge righteously and ruthlessly those who have committed
atrocities against children.
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