Millstone Sins: Daily Thoughts from Mark (Mark 9:42-50)

All sin affects not only the sinner but those connected to the sinner, even if in seemingly imperceptible ways.  But there is a sin against others that causes them to sin and is viewed by God as particularly heinous.  We may think of the unfortunately numerous cases of sexual abuse by religious figures, and other figures in power over children.

Jesus has just challenged his disciples about not judging others who don’t do exactly as they do in the expression of their faith in Jesus.  But now he addresses the situation of leading innocents into sin.  The consequences are not minor.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:42-50, ESV) 

When someone believes in Jesus they are still susceptible to great disobedience or unbelief, especially if led by someone who professes to be a believer but who leads them astray.  There is severe punishment for the person who leads them astray because of God’s great love for the “little one.”

The consequence of leading a “little one” astray is hell.  This indicates that the one who does lead astray this way is not a genuine believer in Jesus.  A genuine believer will take extreme measures to prevent sinning in this way.  Jesus characterizes this as cutting off body parts.  He uses hyperbole or exaggeration to make his point.  Cutting off these body parts would not actually stop the sinful urges within.  It might keep the person from doing something wrong, however, against another.  The point is, the consequence of a hell of unquenchable fire for sinning in this way is worth taking severe measures to avoid.

Jesus says “everyone” will be salted with fire.  The “everyone” he seems to mean here is everyone who sins in this way against his “little ones” and the fire is the fire of hell.  There is a kind of salting that is destructive, as when conquering armies would salt a conquered land to prevent the ability of the soil to grow crops.  This is the kind of salting God will do, a destructive salting with fire, on those who lead others astray.

But then Jesus urges his disciples to something different.  There is a good salting and that is the kind of salting his disciples need to do.  They must remain “salty” to do so, to have the preserving effect of salt it is meant to have.  They must not prove to be unsalty, that is, unsaved and destructive.  If they remain salty they will be at peace with one another, will help one another, instead of destroying one another.

Are you tempted to use another for your selfish purposes?  It would be better if you were drowned with a millstone around your neck.  Do whatever you need to do to prevent such sin against God’s “little ones”.