Sin, Faith, Duty. Luke 17:1-10 The journey of the Lord to Jerusalem with His disciples and those who traveled alongside Him was an ongoing time for teaching the principles of discipleship that still apply to us as they did to them. The text of Luke chapters fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, and the first ten verses of seventeen likely occurred on the same day, with the words and wisdom flowing together with practical matters as they emphasize the responsibility of being a disciple of the Lord.
Teaching about humility is followed by those who are disciples responsible for the Gospel. Chapter fourteen concludes with the necessity of total commitment on our part to our Lord and Savior. The condition of the lost, along with how God the Son, Holy Spirit, and Father interact with them in chapter fifteen, serves as a guideline for us in engaging with those around us who don’t know God. The theme of chapter sixteen is the need for wisdom and integrity in managing money and our attitude toward it. In the first ten verses of chapter seventeen, sin, forgiveness, faith, and service are central to His teaching.
The Lord Jesus understood the conditions of the world during His time, and He knows what they are today. Because of human sin, “It is impossible that no offenses will come.” The influences that lead people to sin are everywhere, but our responses to them are our choices. People are being stumbled by misguided individuals or are deliberately introduced to sinful practices and teachings by those who oppose the truth of the Bible. Anything that causes a brother to stumble or fall into sin will bring a “woe” upon the person responsible for it. Such actions are not only offenses toward a child or a new believer, but they are also significant offenses against God, who is righteous and holy and has a special concern for the young who are just starting their faith journey. He intends to have a “holy nation” and a “peculiar people” who are “zealous of good works.”
Television programs, internet content, video games, and even lessons taught in schools by secular educators appeal to the sinful nature of those who are either young in age or young in faith. When a person sins, it is our responsibility to correct them with an appropriate rebuke, demonstrating concern for their well-being and showing our love for them as individuals. We cannot condone sin, but we can illustrate what is right and guide those who stumble back to the path of righteousness. Rebuke and forgiveness are closely linked. Forgiveness should be freely given to anyone who claims to repent. Our willingness to forgive depends not on whether we believe the repentance is sincere but on what the sinning and repentant individual expresses.
There are three principles regarding how to deal with sin. First, avoid anything that could cause someone to sin or make them believe sin is permissible in some situations but not others. Second, when someone we know who is a child of God sins, find the best way to correct their behavior. Third, when that person repents, be quick to forgive them. Moreover, our forgiveness should be limitless. Correction without forgiveness will not aid anyone who sins, whether in personal situations or matters concerning the assembly.
The disciples’ response to such radical forgiveness suggested they felt incapable of practicing what the Lord Jesus Christ taught and meeting the standards of the kingdom of God. They still believed that the extent of their faith was what was required to achieve the high moral standard that limitless forgiveness demands. Their comment reveals what they thought: “Increase our faith!”
The Lord Jesus then opened their understanding to the second important part of His teaching regarding this whole issue. It is not the amount of faith a person possesses that matters; rather, it is in whom that faith is placed. A small amount of genuine faith is all that is necessary when that faith is directed toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in ourselves or others is neither enduring nor of great value. Human beings are unreliable foundations on which to build our trust. The key question regarding faith is, in whom do I place my trust? If my trust is in God, I acknowledge that He has all the power needed to enable me to do His will, and He bestows that power upon me. When I act according to His will, He makes it possible to surpass what is natural or anything I could achieve through great faith in myself. Our God understands all our needs and problems and can grant us the victory that overcomes the world and all that it imposes on us.
The Lord illustrated this teaching by emphasizing what true service is and who true servants are. These same men who heard His teaching that day had performed miracles of healing when He sent them out to proclaim that the kingdom of God had come. They would do the same things after the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. They needed to learn and always remember that all they did was in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His authority and power that any of His servants performs any miracle of blessing.
A servant belongs to his master. It is unnecessary for thanks to be given to a servant for fulfilling his duty. He works for the One to whom he owes his life, health, and well-being. When we do what is right, we are simply doing what is expected of us. We have no right to anticipate thanks and praise for what God does through us. To believe we should receive credit for obeying what we have been instructed to do renders our service meaningless. Spiritual pride and self-esteem for doing what is right instead of engaging in sin are entirely unwarranted.
This chapter teaches three principles that guide our relationship with God. First, we trust Him. Second, we should not be proud when we have fulfilled our duty and what our Lord commanded. Third, we should be thankful for the grace God has freely bestowed on us. When we have done what is right, we should say and genuinely mean that what we did was our duty. It is impossible for us to perform even a significant part of our service as a way to repay God for what He has done for us. Adding anything to a priceless gift diminishes both the gift and the Giver.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example of a servant. He served His disciples with grace and humility, and we serve Him by serving His people in the same way. Ordinary servants who are willing to serve our Lord and love Him, even though the cost of service may be high, will appreciate the honor and privilege of serving Him from our hearts.