Luke 17:1-3 (NIV) Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.”
Sin is a terrible thing. In the beginning, it was a destroyer that wreaked havoc with God’s good creation, ushering death and disease into the world, and separating mankind from His presence. It warped and twisted God’s image in man, and made sin and rebellion the most natural thing to do.
It’s not that sin became inevitable. At every juncture where temptation arises, people have a choice as to whether or not to give in to it. And, when a person receives Jesus into their lives, they receive at the same time additional power to do what is right and holy instead.
Notice that Jesus did not say that sin itself is bound to come, or that it is inevitable, but that things that cause people to sin are inevitable in this world. That is, no one will be able to avoid temptation as long as they live in the world. Even Jesus Himself was not immune to temptation (Luke 4:1-13), but He chose not to give in to it, and thus remained holy.
But Jesus did caution His followers to never become an agent of satan, a source of temptation to others. Here He is not only referring to temptations to break the Ten Commandments, for example by tempting people to covet or commit adultery, although that would definitely be included. He was also echoing things like the Old Covenant prohibition against encouraging idolatry, the worship of any god other than the true God as He has revealed Himself. (Compare to Deuteronomy 13:1-5.) He is referring the teachers of the law who, through the legalistic self-righteousness that they taught, put a wall of separation between their followers and God (Matthew 23:15). And, of course, He was referring to those like the Pharisees who were continually trying to get Jesus’ followers to doubt Him and turn away from Him to their ultimate ruin.
Life in the world will present more than sufficient opportunities for temptation. That is a fact of existence. But if I lead a person into temptation, especially a follower of Jesus, He clearly indicates that a terrible judgment awaits me.
Father, Paul echoed this same understanding when he wrote that he never wanted his freedom in Christ to lead someone else astray, so he always watched his step (1Corinthians 8:9-13). We don’t always think through the impact that our little compromises can have on those around us who look to us to see how to live in Your kingdom. But clearly we must. Help me, Lord, to never be a source of temptation, but only of encouragement, and clear and accurate teaching of Your word. Amen.