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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: causing to stumble |
Bible Note: Mr. Moran, Thanks for responding. I feel a little silly for posting notes to get some people's attention. Oops. It never occured to me that someone would maliciously plan to cause someone to stumble. When Jesus was talking here, he was talking to his disciples (believers). It seems rather horrific to think that a believer would want to cause a fellow christian to stumble. Do such things happen? Or is it also for nonbelievers who try to stumble Christians (I've known of that to happen) - that they will come into condemnation for that as well as their other sins, if they do not come to repentance before Judgement? I've been bugging my pastor specifically about 1 Timothy 5:22 this week (that's why I asked this question here, he's got alot of people to worry about, so I feel bad monopolizing his time with all of my questions). Even though he clarified that the ones who might come into "sharing" of the elders' sins would be the ones who appointed the elders (keeping the context of that passage in mind), he sent me three sets of verses (which I don't have in front of me right now) detailing particular sins a christian must repent from before we can fellowship with them. Here is the conclusion I came up with on Friday. I must conscientiously avoid those particular sins (always, not just in front of other Christians), because they might cause someone to stumble when they are made known, and if someone comes up with an accusation, I must be prepared to listen, consider, and perhaps change my ways. But, living in fear of causing someone to stumble (I like the way you put it), is not only boring and confining...it gives a false impression of where I am in my walk with Christ. How can other Christians help me mature if they don't know exactly where I am? Thank You for taking the time to read and respond! Steph |