The Greater Condemnation

“Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.” (Pr 28:10 AV)

Looking at this proverb, one might get the idea the righteous can fall into sin and not be judged for it.  If we look at that last phrase, the upright shall have good things in possession, and compare it to the first part of the proverb, it may appear there is little or no consequences for the choices of the saint.  Now, we know this is not true.  We know that if we sin, the LORD will chasten us.  This chastening is an expression of His love towards His children.  This chastening, according to Hebrews, is one of the proofs of our salvation.  So, if we know the upright will be chastened for his sin, how is it if the wicked cause the righteous to go astray, the righteous are still blessed?  What Solomon is teaching his children is the principle of the wrath of God upon the tempter, not the blessings of the tempted.  In other words, God may and will chasten the saint for falling, but the one who caused him to fall will receive greater punishment.  The tempter will fall into his own pit which will be greater than the pit in which he caused the upright to fall.  The book of Revelation calls this the patience of the saints.

There is a practice among drug dealers that produces more customers.  It is common among young users.  The drug dealers will lace food items or legal vices with a very small dose of the drug they are selling.  The victim us unaware he is being enticed.  The dose is increased until the victim is hooked; often without being aware of what caused his symptoms.  Along comes the dealer and offers a cure for what ails him.  He takes the cure, which he has been unknowingly consuming all along, and is hooked for life.  When we hear of these types of people, our blood boils.  Those who would peddle their poison for their own profit.  Other vices become a problem simply because we are confronted with temptation relentlessly.  We could get ride of our T.Vs, smartphones, and the internet and it would only scratch the surface of the countless ways in which immorality hits us in the face.  The only safe space we have is our own homes.  Even churches today are struggling with the bombardment of a super-sexualized society.  The saint which desires to live a holy life finds it frustrating.  He or she is moved to anger at the bombardment which comes daily.  Those who live for the LORD cannot wait until the LORD returns to clean up the mess mankind has created. 

The hawkers of wickedness have a special place in God’s wrath.  We pray for their soul.  Absolutely.  Yet, there is a balance here.  The saint of God has the patience that God will eventually judge all of this.  He will not tolerate the wickedness of man very much longer.  There is justice.  Yes, the child of God must own up to the choices he or she makes.  There are no excuses.  We have the Holy Spirit of God living inside our hearts to empower us to live free of sin.  Regardless of the temptation, the Holy Spirit is stronger.  All we must to is depend wholly upon Him and the promises of His word.  The tempter is defeated when prayer and God’s power are united in battle.  We can and should take comfort in the fact there is a special place of judgment for those institutions or people who make a sport of enticing God’s people into wickedness.  This thought should help us to resist knowing that even though we, in our own strength, might be helpless, the tempter is no match for the God who created them.  We must remember we are surrendering to a defeated foe.  Time to live in promised victory.