Center for Disease Control
You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. Leviticus 19:17 NASB
Incur – The most infectious disease the world has ever known is sin. To this day there is no cure for the spread of the virus. In fact, everyone catches it. And it is lethal one-hundred percent of the time. With these facts in mind, you would think human beings would do whatever is necessary to find a cure, but the record is abysmally poor. Nothing anyone has done so far has even made a dent in the infection. Apparently only God can remedy this.
Unfortunately, when we live in a Greek-oriented culture two dysfunctional assumptions cloud our vision. The first is that since sin doesn’t produce immediate sickness it can be successfully ignored. We can always deal with it later. Today it is not a problem. Just like the national debt, we will only deal with it when we face imminent disaster. The second assumption is just as absurd but even less pressing. In biblical terms, sin is communal. Even if my life is in order, the godlessness of others around me drags me into communal guilt. In biblical terms, I can be guilty for someone else’s disobedience. The Western world rejects this idea on the basis of its commitment to the primacy of the individual. But the Bible and history tell us otherwise. We are all connected. Consequently, we share in each other’s condemnation.
We don’t like this. We want to shout, “No! That isn’t fair. I didn’t do anything.” Ah, but that’s the point. You didn’t do anything. You didn’t step up to prevent your neighbor’s sin. You didn’t protest. You didn’t counsel. You didn’t intercede. You didn’t rescue. In fact, even if you maintained your perfect, scrupulous life, but you made no objection to the godless laws of the country and the godless acts of your neighbor, you are guilty. You failed to guard God’s reputation. You gave tacit approval by your silence and your isolation. You did not lift away the stain. Therefore, you incurred guilt.
The Hebrew word here is nasa’. It is precisely the same word that God uses in Exodus 34:7 for His act of forgiveness. It means, “to lift off, to carry away, to take, to lift up.” But here, in this context, what was an act of forgiveness becomes the vehicle of the burden of guilt. By not lifting, you and I share in the crushing weight of the neighbor. The men on the ship who cast lots to see who brought wrath upon them understood this idea. Jonah’s sin imperiled their lives. They might have been innocent in the courts of the West, but in the East they were guilty simply because a sinner was in their midst. In order to be saved, they had to throw Jonah overboard. None of this would have been necessary had they simply asked, “Jonah, why are you so anxious to travel with us?” Their detachment nearly cost them their lives.
So what are you doing? Are you sailing along with sinners hoping that you will not suffer consequences just because you didn’t do anything?
Topical Index: sin, infection, guilt, nasa’, Jonah, Leviticus 19:17
That is so true, and so often ignored in our society. I think of it in the context of a family. A sin of any member of the family infects every individual in the family. Sin must be acknowledged and destroyed for the enemy it is. Try telling someone you love that their sin is hurting you. How often will you get the reaction of, “it’s none of your business, butt out”. But sin is like cancer, it destroys cells all around it. My prayer is that I would see my sin, repent, and have it blotted out by our Father, who sees and knows all things. And then help others to do the same.
Sin is a disease, far worse than the current outbreak and threat of the “Ebola virus.” As no man (Greek or Jew) is an island, and (yes) as we all (both Greek and Jew) live in “community,”- and as no man (no, not one!) lives and dies unto himself (or herself)- what “I” do (or don’t do) absolutely/positively affects those “in contact” with me! No one, (no, not one) may sin and “get away with it!”
As the scriptures state (we report – you decide, – decide whether or not God’s word is always true and faithful) ~ You* may be sure (very sure) your sin will find you out! ~ (Numbers 32.23)
Houston, – (might as well be Miami) – we (all-both Jew and Greek) have a problem. Friend, – (just the facts!) – “ALL” have sinned, (both Jew and Greek) and have come short of the glory of God. We have (ALL) missed the mark! Folks, At this point, I really don’t care how we got here, (whether we were born into iniquity and in sin did our mother conceive us), – it matters not, The “fact” (not the amount!) of sin remains: “Sinners r us.”
Whyizzit? We never have to teach or train up a child to do “wrong?” We just come by it “naturally?” Again, whether learned or inherited, – the fact (just the facts!) remains.. (the word of God is always true!)- We (all) do have a sin problem.
What about sin? and where or what seems to be the “problem” here? Easy peezy- “sin separates.”
Sin separates between God (thrice holy God) and man, (but wait!- there’s more!) Sin also separates between man and man, or between man and woman! – or between husband and wife! – or between father and child.. or between neighbor and neighbor.. or..- this “list” could continue indefinitely!
Sin separates.
How are we (both Jew and Gentile) to celebrate “life together” and live in perfect harmony if (read “since”) sin separates (and continues to separate or divide) us?
God (alone) must provide (and He did provide!) and answer to this ancient problem (dating back to the Garden!)
~ Abraham said, “God will provide Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they walked on- both of them together ~ (Genesis 22.8)
And now, (with 20/20 hindsight) we may ask.. “Did He?”
The Testimony of John the Immerser:
~The next day he (John) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” ~
The Testimony of Rabbi Sha’ul (Paul the apostle)
~ This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”–and I am the worst of them! ~
Man of Sorrows! what a Name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Separation? ~ God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself! ~
~ And I sought for a Man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none ~ (Ezekiel 22.30)
That Man- the Messiah has been revealed! The Second Adam- Savior-Deliverer-Redeemer-Intercessor.
There, to my heart was the blood applied!
Glory to His Name!
~ and when I see the blood, I will pass over you! ~
~ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!! ~
Very timely Skip. You do know that the Book of Jonah is read by every Jew on Yom Kippur! Very timely indeed! I think God is trying to get our attention!
This has identified in me an attitude I’ve held (not my sin, not my problem) for a long time without ever realizing its impact. Great word to chew on. This one wasn’t easy to hear.
This surely brings a new dimension to the need for intercessory prayer. Perhaps there could be another TW on what that looks like? I know we are exhorted to pray for our leaders, and I know that the flesh reaction to that is to pray for God to bless the ones we like and to do the not-bless (curse, villify, lessen the blessing of) those we don’t, but if we understood it in the context of we are all in the boat together so now what do we do, perhaps we would pray a little different? That perhaps I may need to pray a lot more and a lot harder for the ones that scare me? We can see how the sins of leaders impact us, and we are right to be afraid of that, but what we do with that fear is the important thing. If I am praying for God to ignore them, then what if He hears that as a prayer for Him to ignore me, too?
It has been on my heart that the choices of those around me directly impact me, but likewise, that I can bless those around me just by doing right. I can also intercede for those around me in the context of understanding that we are connected in a web, and so therefore I can pray for the good of others just like I pray for myself, knowing that that prayer really is just another version of praying for myself. This has been such a blessing to my heart that carries a burden for my precious ones who are running in harm’s way. I understand that BECAUSE WE ARE CONNECTED, the principle that others’ sin affects me also means that I can DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT BEFORE THE THRONE, and not just be either a helpless victim or fool myself into thinking that I can detach myself like the ruler who prayed that he thanked God he was not like that sinner over there in the corner. It has crossed my mind that perhaps that sinner in the corner was praying for God to forgive him for feeling offended at the bigotry of the other, and perhaps he was even praying for his enemy, as he had been instructed to do.
I have found the people who have hurt me the worst were the ones closest to me that I loved the most. In the process of learning how to deal correctly with that sin; overcome that sin; intercede for them for that sin; but most of all, to overcome the offense, hurt and bitterness in my flesh that their sin tempts in me, I have been learning how to see the web that weaves me to others. The fact that we are connected just tells me that I have a power over others in the good ways too. I can bless the breath of others just by choosing to breathe the air of heaven myself. I can help heal others by choosing to go to the effort to get it right before the throne so that I can be healed myself. This also makes it clearer why we were called to be a witness as our primary calling in the world. The very fact that I can choose to walk the earth as a skin for Yeshua is a powerful way to warp the very fabric of space and time toward goodness. This can also explain why Abraham was so confident before the Lord in his intercession for Sodom. If a bad apple can spoil a barrel, just think what a good apple can do! Halleluah!
I do not understand. I object to gay marriage, yet what I power do I have to stop the Supreme Court? I object to the abhorrent behavior of most of our culture, yet what power do I have to reverse it? I object to the sinful choices of my neighbor, yet they ignore my protests and continue down a destructive path. What power have I to change them? If I’m on a sinking ship I know a path to safety yet no one will listen, what choice do I have but to save my own skin?
I have heard for most of my life, you must pray. Pray for abortion to become illegal, pray for Gay marriage to be struck down, pray for the President….. And we do pray, Millions of people praying yet NOTHING changes, they still perform abortions and continue to make it easier and easier to do it, gay marriage is going to be legal in all 50 states inside of a year, the liberal agenda is going to continue to be pushed down our throats, the list goes on and on, and there is seemingly NOTHING we can do about it.
The verse “Whom I in heaven but you?” comes to mind. The only thing I can wholeheartedly rely upon is God. Which also means relying totally upon His leading. I do not believe my words carry any weight with anyone, alone they hold no power to effect change in anyone. Words spoken with God’s leading, however, is another matter entirely. So without God’s leading, how is it that we are supposed to effect any real change? How can He hold us accountable for the sins of strangers when they will not heed our warnings or His?
Perhaps I read this too literally or wrong, but it is certainly one of the most thought-provoking pieces I’ve read in a while. I shall be ‘chewing’ on this for some time to come.
I’m not sure why you don’t understand. If you protest, object, and do what you can, and nothing changes, then it certainly isn’t your fault nothing changes. But if you say to yourself, “Nothing ever changes,” and then use that as an excuse not to do anything, you are as guilty as the ones who perform the acts of disobedience. We are called to protest, but that does not mean there is any guarantee things will change. We aren’t called to change the world, only to protest against it’s unrighteousness in whatever way we can. And sometimes that does change the world.
So…I issue marriage licenses as part of my job…very soon, here in Missouri, our constitutional amendment will be overturned and I will be required to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples…how am I suppose to protest that? quit my job? not tell them “congratulations” when I hand them the paperwork? and truly…99.999% of the couples that sit across the desk from me when I issue a license now are guilty of fornication…how, in any kind of a practical way, can we protest sinful behavior in others? If God was going to take the lives of the men on the ship with Jonah because Jonah was disobedient then we’re all in deep do-do because the whole world is one great big ship and it’s sinking fast. I have a hard enough time keeping myself halfway straight…hopefully the way I choose to live speaks louder than any actual words I can utter in my little circle of influence.
I think your idea of protest might be too political. Yes, under the laws of the state, you must issue licenses to those who do not share God’s point of view. But you don’t have to participate in that practice even if you are required to give them the license. You protest by not endorsing, participating, encouraging or voting for such things. And perhaps you will have opportunity to do more when the time is right. Protest is not limited to carrying banners or quitting your job.
One other note is important. I once wrote something about “Torah is not for everyone.” What I meant is that living this Torah life is a CHOICE and most people in the world are not going to make this choice, either out of ignorance or rebellion. So we live it out anyway, as a daily protest to the world. Sometimes we are called upon to make greater sacrifices. Sometimes just living the daily mitzvot is enough. But we do not add to the chaos. As a result, when the lives of the wicked fail (and they will), we are there as rocks in the stream, waiting to help those who are drowning.
If you get mad enough about all the non-biblical behavior, you might become an activist for the cause, but I think that just living what you believe has deep effects on those who know you, and after all, you can’t disciple a stranger.
Very good…