A PARTAKER OF OTHER PEOPLE’S SIN?

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be
partaker of other men’s sins; keep thyself pure.
1st Timothy 5:22
Read: 2nd Chronicles 18:28-34, (KJV)
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king
of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I
will disguise myself, and I will go to the battle;
but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel
disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the
captains of the chariots that were with him,
saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only
with the king of Israel.
31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the
chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is
the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed
about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out,
and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to
depart from him.
32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains
of the chariots perceived that it was not the king
of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing
him.
33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture,
and smote the king of Israel between the joints of
the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man,
Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out
of the host; for I am wounded.
34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the
king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot
against the Syrians until the even: and about the
time of the sun going down he died.
MESSAGE
There is an error now rampant among the
children of God, which must be avoided if we will
make it to Heaven. That error is partaking in
other people’s sins, particularly the unbelievers!
The reason for this development is connected
with the unwillingness to take our stand in the
midst of opposition and antagonism from the
unbelieving people of this age. Children of God
now conform a lot with the evil in our society
because we do not want to be blacklisted,
whereas, this is the nature of our calling. Jesus
Christ said concerning the experience of His
disciplines in this world:
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s
sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be
saved.
Matthew 10:22
It is unfortunate that those who indulge in aiding
and abetting sinful ways do not know that they
will also be partakers of the punishment:
“And even as they did not like to retain God in
their knowledge, God gave them over to a
reprobate mind, to do those things which are not
convenient. Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity; whisperers… Who knowing the
judgement of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same,
but have pleasure in them that do them.”
Romans 1:28, 32
In the Bible reading for today, we read about how
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah partook in the sin
of his friend, the king of Israel and was almost
killed but for divine intervention. He agreed to
disguise to be the king of Israel, not knowing that
it was the king of Israel that was being sought
for destruction. In the same vein, many children
of God make friends with ungodly people of the
world only to discover that they share the
punishment with the ungodly. This should not be
so because the Bible says:
“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so
the Lord is round about his people from
henceforth even for ever. For the rod of the
wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the
righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands
unto iniquity.”
Psalms 125:2-3
Unless children of God cease from being partakers
of the sins of the unbelievers, we may continue to
suffer just because of our alliance with the
wicked people of this world. For example, when a
child of God enters into a business partnership
with an unbeliever who refuses to pay his tithe,
the business may collapse for this reason and the
ignorant child of God suffers together with the
unbeliever. May God have mercy on His children.
Action Point:
Break all alliances with unbelievers and pray that
the Almighty have mercy on you for previous
alliances.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1st Corinthians 11:17-14:25
and Psalms 10:1-11
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.