Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must needs be
that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense
cometh!--_Matt. 18, 7._
It has grown a custom with us to regard on this particular Sunday
some particular phase of sin. Now there is a sin which very many
people think little about; that is the sin of making others sin.
They feel that they are accountable for their own sins, the sins
of their hands, tongues, and thoughts, but as to responsibility for
what others have done, they feel no guilt that belongs exclusively
to them. And yet, when one reflects on the matter; when we consider
how we are all bound up with one another, what influence we exert,
what our words and deeds cause others to do, how, without our
knowing it, others have taken our example to encourage themselves
in what is wrong, thinking they could not go wrong if following in
our steps; when we reflect that the first sin committed in the world
was the sin of making others sin, that of the devil tempting Eve to
disobey God, and that the first evil consequence of man's fall was
that Eve, when she had sinned herself, was to make her husband sin
also,--we begin to realize that it is a real sin, and a common sin,
the sin of making others do wrong; nor can there be any doubt or
mistake as to our Lord's judgment concerning it.
Our blessed Savior, in the course of His ministry, denounced woes
upon other sins. He said: "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee,
Bethsaida! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Woe unto
that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!" But when He said: "Woe
unto the world because of offenses!" He qualifies it; He bitterly
adds: "For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man
by whom the offense cometh! It were better for him that a millstone
were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth
of the sea." It could have been no ordinary occasion, it can be
no common sin that could have drawn from the merciful lips of our
Redeemer, that could have wrung from His loving heart, so tremendous
a condemnation.
Let us regard, then, _I. In what way we may cause others to sin.
II. How we may prevent it._ May God's Spirit make the words spoken
profitable and instructive to every one of you!
Causing others to sin may be done in two ways: by direct temptation
and by evil example. Sin loves companionship; having done wrong
themselves, men look for others to do wrong with them. There are but
few sins that men can do alone. They require some one to sin with
them.
There is nothing an infidel loves so much as when he can gain the
ear of some unsophisticated person to fill his mind with ungodliness
and infamy. The vile libertine never gloats more in fiendish glee
than when he can, by flattery or love of dress and amusement,
make some innocent girl the tool of his debauched sensuality.
It seems the delight of some to teach others the habit of taking
God's name in vain. What shall we say of those foul brothels that,
like poisonous mushrooms, pollute our cities, leading men's steps
down to the house of the strange woman; what of the conventional
drinking-houses and pool-rooms and gambling dens, the haunts of
profanity, intemperance, and profligacy; what of the playhouses
with their usual performances, beautifying vice and placing a low
estimate on marriage and morals? What are those but just so many
places and occasions of direct temptation to sin? And those who
conduct and foster them are under the condemnation of this text.
What are they but vultures that feed on the carrion of sin, making
men's lusts and depraved animal passions a source of ungodly gain?
No words would be a more truthful sign to place over the entrance of
such places than these of Matt. 18, 7: "Woe unto the world because
of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to
that man by whom the offense cometh!"
But this is not the only way in which men may transgress this text.
There are, be it said to the credit of our race, men who have not
much scruple about doing wrong themselves, but who have not so far
lost nobleness and generosity of mind as not to shrink from directly
tempting others who are as yet free from guilt. They think little of
the sin themselves, still they would not have others share their bad
experience. However, though they would not like to bring on their
souls the sin of directly tempting others, they forget what judgment
they are heaping on themselves by their evil example. And here it is
that we are all more or less concerned.
It may be well to observe that in the paragraph preceding our text
the Lord is speaking of little children, and so, we may consider,
first, the responsibility of parents. There are but few parents who
do not desire to bring up their children well, and to this end are
careful to teach them to be truthful and honest, pure, gentle, and
unselfish. But of how little avail to teach these things as theories
and principles when the example which parents set is precisely the
opposite to their teaching! When the head of the family commands
his children to attend divine service, but himself does not, what,
in fact, is he teaching but to stay away? Or does he think for one
moment that the children are so foolish as not to reason thus: If it
were really my duty to go to church, would not my father go himself?
Why do what my father fails to do? Or if the wife and mother is
seen by her offspring to practice deception in little things,
resorts readily to untruth, is not "in" when she is "in," and the
like, how quick they are to notice it, and grow up to think that
truth and honesty are to be held as theories, rather than practiced
as virtues. Nor need we restrict it merely to the home sphere, it
applies to every other, school, college, workshop, friendship.
Without limit is the effect of unconscious example. We uttered it as
a mere joke, or what we styled as a harmless way of getting out of a
difficulty, but the falsehood we uttered has stuck, and taken root
in some one's mind near us, and blossomed into a full-blown way of
lying, which he says he learned from us, and defends by our example.
Because when we were young, we looked up and trusted and admired
some one, a teacher, a friend, on account of their attractiveness,
or brilliancy, or personal magnetism, we imitated them, and that,
perhaps, in things not at all commendable. And what we have done
and do, others in time do with us. The minister who will tell
his members and catechumens, You must mind only what I preach
and not what I _do_, is a caricature and disgrace to his office.
The religious teacher of the Sunday-school who goes to places of
frolic, and is seen by his or her pupils, or by the grown sisters
and brothers of these pupils, who then defend their presence there
because they, the teachers of religion, were there,--such teachers
are dropping evil seed which strengthens others in wickedness, and
do well to examine their conduct and character under the sharp lens
of this text.
The young man or, for all that, he, too, of advanced years, who is
seen seeking his couch in the late hours of night, or the small
hours of morn, apart from his family and the companionship of
reputable associates, may also reflect how this is likely to affect
the honor and peace of the home, and serve as an example for others.
Enough has been said, I take it, to make plain what is meant. And is
this a sin to think little of? Let us awake to our responsibility!
No man liveth to himself. The moral impulse, the influence we exert,
the example we set, God holds us answerable for them.
What, then, to come to the next particular, shall we do if we have
become guilty in this respect? I was once told of a man who on his
deathbed had something on his conscience which greatly disturbed
him. He had not been a bad man, from the world's standpoint, and
it was only a boyish freak. What he related was this: "I was going
across a common one day, and I saw a sign-post at the crossroads,
pointing the way to two different places. The post was old, the sign
easily removed, and so for fun I took down the arms and changed
them, so as to make them point to the wrong roads. It was a foolish
thing, but of late years it has continually haunted me. And now on
my deathbed it greatly troubles me to think how many a poor, weary
man crossing that common I have sent on the wrong road."
Beloved, this is a parable of life, nor leave it till you are on
your deathbed. Think if by your example you have ever sent any poor
fellow-creature toiling across the common of this life on the wrong
road, the road which leads to destruction, instead of the narrow way
which leads to heaven! Think if by any example of yours you have
removed the guiding post which would have led the man aright had you
not pointed out the wrong way, and if your conscience accuse you of
this, repent of your guilt and ask God honestly and humbly for His
forgiveness. That is the first thing we ought to do.
And, in the second place, we must give most careful heed to
ourselves. One thing we must never forget: we are Christians,
Christ's disciples, and concerning His disciples, Christ says: "Ye
are the salt of the earth, ye are the light of the world." That
is their distinctive property, their mission. Salt is an active
principle; it works, and purifies, and diffuses its saltiness.
So, too, it behooves us, by speech and pen, by example and
influence, by suffrage and legislation, by every agency in our
power, to set ourselves against the social sins of our land and
age,--intemperance, Lord's day desecration, uncharitableness,
lewdness, insubordination, which, like cancers, have fastened
themselves upon the moral and religious life of our nation, and are
fast destroying its vitality. We are to be a salt, a savor of moral
health to all who come into contact with us, and a light, so the
Savior directs. "Let your light so shine before men that they may
see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
We had respect to the evil example of parents,--why,
correspondingly, should it not make for good? We find not uncommonly
that the child catches the words, nay, even the tone of voice which
he has heard his father use. Will he not be still more likely to
catch his other habits?--to be mild and kind, sober and industrious,
if the manner and behavior of his father are marked by mildness,
kindness, sobriety, and diligence? And so in all deportments. They
are familiar lines, fraught with deep thought:
Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.
Let's leave some such footprints, some stimulating, ennobling
influence and example, around and behind us.
These, then, are the truths presented by the text. Let them be
seriously and deeply considered. May God by His grace deliver us
from the bitter "woe" of having given offense, causing others to
sin, and grant us wisdom and power to turn many into the right way
through faith in Christ Jesus, the Savior of sinners. Amen.