Giving Occasion

"And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick." (II Samuel 12: 13-15)

Christians, when they commit iniquity, also find forgiveness with the Lord as did David. But, oftentimes, there are temporal consequences, nevertheless.

The adultery of David, and his conspiracy to murder an innocent man, were heinous sins, especially for such a righteous king, as was David. His sins brought on two great evils, in spite of personal forgiveness. He was to lose the life of the child born to the adulterous union, and he, by his sins, had "given occasion (created circumstances) for the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme."

It is no light or little sin to do things, as professing Christians, that will cause outsiders and non-Christians to speak evil of Christ and the Christian religion. Yes, evil men are going to speak evil of Christ and Christians. But, are we, as Christians, "aiding and abetting" the enemies of Christ by giving them ammunition to use against Christ and us?

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (II Peter 2: 1, 2)

False Christians, those who are hypocrites, are they who do the most damage to the Christian religion. By their hypocrisies and their corrupt teachings about God and salvation, they cause "the way of truth" to be "evil spoken of." But, even true Christians may "slip up" and do things that harm the Christian witness.

The Lord's people, under the Old Testament (Covenant), the Hebrews, were continually, by their evil deeds and disobedience, causing their witness to have little positive effect with their surrounding Gentile neighbors. Paul, a Hebrew himself, spoke of this:

"Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written." (Romans 2: 23, 24)

Paul too continued to preach the same message to the early Christians, admonishing them to be careful how they live, to be godly in their daily lives, for one of the evil consequences of ungodliness, in professing Christians, is that the enemies of Christ, and the gospel, are given "fodder" to speak evil of the way of Christians.

"I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully." (I Timothy 5: 14)

"Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." (I Timothy 6: 1)

"To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (Titus 2: 5)

The strength of the Christian message lies, to a great degree, in the lives of its adherents. Were all Christians hypocrites and ill livers, the gospel message would have no veracity and strength at all. The godly lives of most professing Christians is a testimony of the divinity of the message of Christ.

Christians should be on guard in this respect, being careful about living uprightly in the world, knowing that they may win far more to Christ by their godly living than by the mere preaching of the words of the gospel.

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." (Galatians 5: 13)

"Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way...Let not then your good be evil spoken of..." (Romans 14: 13, 16)

Eyes are watching Christians. Believers in Christ are a "spectacle" to the world. (I Corinthians 4: 9) Some eyes are even looking hard for anything they can use to discredit Christ and his saving message. Are we, as Christians, giving the enemy "occasion" to increase the strength of the accusations of anti-Christian world?