Do Not Sin Against The Child

DO NOT SIN AGAINST THE CHILD

GEN 42:22

Intro: Note the words of the text. “Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child?” The essence of sin lies in being committed against God. When men are fully convinced that they have disobeyed the Lord, and that this is “the head and front of their offending,” then they are brought to a true perception of the character of sin. Hence David’s penitential psalm has for its acutest cry, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.” Yet the sword of sin cuts both ways, it not only contends against God but against his creatures too. It is a double evil. Like a bursting shell, it scatters evil on every side. Every relationship which we sustain involves duty, and consequently, may be perverted into an occasion for sin. As children, we sinned against our parents; as members of a family we sin against brothers and sisters; and against playmates and acquaintances. We can sin against a husband or against a wife, against an employee or against an employer, against a buyer or a seller. We can sin in public and sin in private, sin against our poverty and against our wealth. As the sea surrounds all shores, so sin beats with deadly waves upon all connected with our life. Our sin assails both heaven and earth, time and eternity, great and small, old men and children.

The text calls us to consider one particular form of sin, namely, sinning against a child. Every man, by his own conduct is educating the rising generation of the nation. If a man behaves improperly, if his speech is foul, if his conversation is polluted, he helps to educate children in the school of ungodliness. If, on the other hand, his ways are right, and by the grace of God he is brought to act morally and to speak truthfully, he is doing something to train up one for virtue and holiness. Our moral conduct sweetens or defiles the general atmosphere of society, and in children. I would declare that every man giving fuel to the fires of his lustful pleasures, if the presence of the angels and the Holy Ghost is not enough to silence your ungodly voice, at least consider the fair haired girls and the blue eyed boys against whom you sin dreadfully. Do not let the leprosy of your sin pollute your offspring. Were you about to utter a lascivious sentence? Withhold it, for it is not proper that little ears should so soon be desecrated by that which has become common enough to you, but will yet be shocking to them. Were you about to blaspheme? Is it not enough to curse your Maker? Why should you bring a second curse upon that harmless little one? Why teach those lips that will be all too ready to learn to speak hideous words? If you have any feeling left in you, respect the purity of childhood, and let the presence of youth be a reason for restraint in open sin. Charles Spurgeon said, “There are crowds of parents upon whose head the blood of their children will certainly descend, because they have launched them on the sea of life with the rudder set towards the rocks, with a false chart, a deceitful compass, and every other appliance for securing eternal shipwreck.” God, help us not to sin against the children!

*WHO CAN SIN? All of us. Every action impacts. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, and certainly we are to love and consider those who can not help themselves- whether it be the children whose heads lean upon our shoulders, or our elders who lean upon a staff.

*WHO SAYS TO US “DO NOT SIN AGAINST THE CHILDREN?” Nature- an animal would not do to his young what many people have done to the children. Experience adds its voice to nature. Conscience adds its voice to experience, and the church adds its voice to the conscience.

*WHAT WILL BECOME OF OUR SINS? Be sure that they will find you out! Joseph’s brethren had lived for years with their sins, but when they thought they had escaped the sin, they were forced to face it. Neglect not the children’s spiritual needs, or you will have to face it. Neglect not the Sunday School, prayers at home, and moral and scriptural training. Never fail to shed tears over them!! (Ill: I heard a woman stand and testify in Taylorsville, North Carolina on Mother’s Day. She said that her mother never lived for God or taught her about God. She felt certain that her mother was in hell! What a sad testimony to offer on Mother’s Day! What an awful pain in one’s memory! What burdened this lady even more, however, was that she had brought up her children the same way, and they were lost and condemned. They would not hear her word of testimony and conversion, and her sinful seeds were turning into a harvest of regret!) (Illustration: Max Jukes lived in New York. He did not believe in Christ or in Christian training. He refused to take his children to church even when they asked to go. He has 1026 descendants; 300 were sent to prison for an average term of 13 years; 190 were public prostitutes; 680 were admitted alcoholics. His family, thus far, has cost the state of New York in excess of $420 million. They made no contribution to society whatsoever. Jonathon Edwards lived in the same state at the same time as Max Jukes. He loved the Lord, and saw that his children were in church every Sunday, as he served the Lord to the best of his ability. He has 929 Descendants; of these 430 were ministers; 86 university professors; 13 university presidents; 75 authored good books; 5 were elected to the US Congress and 2 to the Senate. 1 was vice president of his nation. His family never cost the state one cent, but they have contributed immeasurably to the life of plenty in this land today.)