"Those who tempt
others plant their own wickedness in fertile fields and raise up new seed to
the devil.
To the end of the
world, every age will exceed the previous one in its degree of sinning. Ishmael
and the mockers of the old world will look like children and the bunglers
compared to the scoffers and cruel persecutors of the last days.
Think twice before
you use your intelligence to invent new sins! You provoke God to new
punishments. Sodom devised a new way to sin, so God devised a new way to
discipline them: He sent hell from above upon them.
These same demons
who invented sin are likewise the chief promoters of it. The
apostate angels were not only the inventors of sin, but are also its chief
enterprisers. These spirits are therefore called "the tempter," and
sin is called "the work of the devil," no matter who commits it--
just as the credit for the design of a house goes to the architect, even though
other men do the actual construction.
When you cause
anyone to sin, you take the devil's office out of his hands. Let him do it himself
if he can, but never allow him to use you as his hireling.
Tempting someone else to sin is worse than sinning yourself. Those who tempt
others plant their own wickedness in fertile fields and raise up new seed to
the devil. To cultivate the devil's crop of sin with the evil in your own heart
shows sin is mighty in you indeed. Parents, especially, must guard against such
a heinous act. What are they but devils incarnate who, by their own example,
teach their children the devil's catechism-- to swear and lie and drink?
Do you not know what you do when
you tempt? I will tell you. You do that which cannot be undone by your own
repentance. You contaminate your family and friends with error, and end them
rushing to join the devil's throng. Later, you may see your mistake and turn
from you wicked way. But can you force those you have led astray to fight
against the press of the worldly crowd to get to Jesus at all cost? “
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