“Watch Yourselves!”

“Watch Yourselves!”(Lk.17:1-4).
We introduce today’s reflection with a peep on supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism. Infralapsarians hold the view that God’s decree of election and reprobation preceded the Fall. Meanwhile infralapsarianism is the doctrine that God forsaw and permitted the fall after which he then decreed election as the means to save the human race. This is a perennial issue, but both doctrines find justification in biblical texts. What was the reason for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, if man was not to eat of it – except he wanted to die(Gen.2:9&17)?
The simple answer is God wanted to test man’s propensity to obedience. However, an omniscient God already knew that man will be curious to know why he is not supposed to eat from that tree. And as it is common to human nature, there is a burning desire to see what happens if you do what you are asked not to do.
According to Luke, Jesus acknowledges that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is always there in the garden. In his words, “The things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.”
In the case of Eden the woe should be on the serpent for seducing Eve, but even so, eating the fruit was Eve’s choice. Again, we can rightly say the woe is on Eve for seducing Adam, but the decision to eat the fruit was Adam’s.
This becomes a spiral; a vicious circle. To guard against this rippling effect of the spread of sin which ripples like a downline ponzi scheme, Jesus instructs: “So watch yourselves.”
Due to the fickleness of human nature with its tendency to sin, forgiveness of the repentant brother should be unlimited on a daily basis. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
Dear friend, the things that cause us to sin are always there, but let us pray the Holy Spirit to lead us not into temptation or to be the tempters who lure others into sin.
And when we sin against others, let us be humble to ask for forgiveness. Be frank to rebuke those who sin, and if they repent, forgive them; it doesn’t matter the number of times they sin, as long as they repent, forgive them.
However, unlimited forgiveness is not a license for continuous sinning! We cannot continue to sin because grace abounds!
Prayer of the day and week: Holy Spirit guide us away from presumptuous sins. Amen!
Welcome back to a new working day and week! Have a blessed working day and week! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.