Matthew 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
This passage of scripture exhorts all Christians to be converted, and it also issues an indictment against anyone who causes the "Little"ones to stumble for any reason. The little ones here spoken of do not only refer to children, but also those who are young and inexperienced in the faith of Jesus Christ. It is a terrible thing for a person to be lost for eternity, but what is much worse is if we lead others astray and cause them to lose their way. In other words, if a person wants to be lost, let them be lost for themselves, but never should they take down others with them, for this is the equivalent of being a suicide bomber.
A very serious responsibility devolves upon those of us who name the name of Christ and we should be very careful, lest by some inordinate action of ours, that a root of bitterness springs up among us whereby many are defiled.
In recent years and even currently, facts have been uncovered that show the abuse of minors by priests and bishops to whom they were entrusted, and because of this, a deep anger and resentment against all religion has taken root in many hearts. Some of those who have been thus abused will have nothing to do with Christianity anymore, and many other would-be disciples have recoiled in horror at actions too gruesome to mention, actions that are not to be found even in those of a secular mindset. Thus it was to stem the tide of stumbling blocks, that Christ stated that it is better for someone to lose their life by drowning, than for them to mislead or prevent others from entering the kingdom of God.
There are also other ways that the "Little ones" can be caused to stumble. Some people become confused and spiritually disoriented because of erroneous teachings that have been presented to them, and others have been led into full-scale rebellion against the organized body of believers, by those who were perpetrating false theories, or have been pursuing their own agenda. Whatever the reason may be, we must of necessity take the word of God seriously, because the blood of souls will be on our hands if we deliberately cause others to stumble. Let's read:
Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
In our own personal experiences it is important that we do not cause anyone to slip and fall in their relationship with God, because of some unresolved issue, or doctrinal vagary we have espoused or cherished. In all that we do, think, or say, let edifying and building up be our watchwords, instead of tearing down and estrangement, for in the final analysis, we will have to give an account unto God, who died to redeem the human family from the thralldom of sin. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that reiterates this very point, and it is the will of God that we take heed to the words thus spoken. Let's read:
Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!