I knew a guy who was
arrested for being an accomplice to a crime which he actually had no part
in. He simply knew the man who had committed
the crime and saw him commit the crime without trying to stop him from committing
the crime and without reporting the crime to the police.
When he was arrested he
didn’t understand why he was being arrested asked for answers and was told that
even though he did not take part in the crime he was just as guilty as the one
who committed the criminal act because he made no efforts to stop him or to
report him to the police.
Therefore according to
law a person doesn’t have to commit the actual crime to be guilty they only
have to see it done and remain silent while it is being committed.
Christians when we see
sin and wickedness being committed all around us by family members, friends or
even strangers and say nothing to warn them of the consequences of their
actions or do nothing in attempt to encourage them not to do it we make
ourselves a party to their sinful deeds and are considered an accomplice by our
inaction and silence.
By our silence and
failure to speak out against sin we condone sin and show no love for the sinner,
by our silence we show no hatred for sin.
“When I say to the wicked, 'You wicked person, you will
surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that
wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their
blood.” Ezekiel 33:8
“Hate evil, you who love the LORD, Who preserves the souls
of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 97:10
“The fear of the LORD
is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward
mouth, do I hate.” Proverbs 8:13
“ “save others by snatching them from the fire; to others
show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted
flesh.” Jude 1:23
Brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ as faithful
children of God we must hate all sin with a passion. We must love all sinners with a passion and
we must speak out against all sin with a passion.
We must remind sinners of the serious consequences of their sinning,
we must encourage sinners to repent and turn away from their sinning.
Under no circumstances no matter the cost to us should we
watch them live in their sins and die in their sins remaining silent.
For God has said,” I will hold you accountable for their
blood.” Ezekiel 33:8
