Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 18:6 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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. [Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2] |
Subject: Do all little ones believe? |
Bible Note: Dear Johnny, Greetings in the name of Jesus! "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." Romans 7:14-25 NASB. My friend, Paul is speaking here of the 'law of sin' that works in our flesh, born of Adam. We are not saved from our accumulated SINS, but from the SIN that rules our flesh. The slate is wiped clean because the ROOT of sin is removed, not because He 'unchecked' each individual sin from His 'ledger.' Actually, sin originated (and flourished!) before the Law. We are 'by nature children of wrath' (Ephesians 2:1-3) because of Adam's rebellious transgression, because he indirectly listened to the 'originator of sin and lies.' Perhaps a babe of one month could be called 'not yet capable of willful sin,' but most by six months are 'ready and willing' to sin! :-) Nonetheless, the Bible does say that we are conceived and born in sin. To 'take a page from your book,' please show me a clear Scripture stating the innocence of all children. I have yet to find one. Please note that the Bible DOES give us some assurance that the children of believers are blameless for the faith of their parent(s). (1 Corinthians 7:14) Finally, Hebrews 5:13, and the surrounding Scriptures are speaking of immature Christians, not babies. Blessings and peace in Christ Jesus, charis |