A Loving Watchman

In Genesis 4:9, Cain asked God if he was his brother’s keeper.

What is our responsibility to our fellow bearers of God’s image?

God discussed this with Ezekiel, in chapter 3 of his prophetic book.

Ezekiel 3:17 NKJV

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

Sure, it is unlikely that God has made you a watchman for the house of Israel, or the United States for that matter.

Or has He?

Has not God given us his Word?

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

If His Word is given for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, is that something we’re supposed to keep to ourselves?

Or is it something we are to share with others?

Something we are to use to warn others about the dangers of their actions.

Something we are called to watch out for?

Ezekiel 3:18 NKJV

When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.

When God warns us that certain actions will result in death, do we have an obligation to warn others?

Do you have a responsibility to warn others of their sin?

Did not Jesus tell His disciples

Mark 16:15–16 NKJV

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Notice, in Ezekiel, the watchman is not responsible for the iniquity of the wicked man, neither are we responsible for the iniquity of the sinful person,

But if Ezekiel did not warn the wicked man, the blood would be on his hands.

Don’t we have a similar responsibility?

If we did not warn the sinful, then their blood is on our hands.

Even more reason to thank God that Jesus has already paid for our sins, including the blood that may be on our hands.

Ezekiel 3:19 NKJV

Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

But notice, if Ezekiel warned the wicked man, the that man’s blood was on his own hands,

And Ezekiel had delivered his soul.

Just one more reason to be thankful that your soul is not dependent on you fulfilling your responsibilities properly.

But does our responsibility end with the wicked, sinful person?

Ezekiel 3:20 NKJV

“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.

When you see a brother or sister in Christ do something wrong, what is your responsibility?

I have had a few occasions where I had either witnessed or became aware of, a brother in Christ committing an iniquity.

Some were small, minor offenses.

Others were not.

Some involved family or church members,

While others didn’t.

What was my responsibility in these situations?

Should I have minded my own business, or gotten involved?

Should I have said something or kept my mouth shut?

Based on what God is telling Ezekiel here, I would say I had a duty to say something,

If for no other reason than to avoid the blood being on my hands.

Because without correction, how will the righteous man realize his mistake?

Ezekiel 3:21 NKJV

Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”

Sometimes, our sins are obvious.

Other times, not so much.

In either case, once you know about the sin of another, do you have a duty to warn them?

How you do that is a topic I do not have time to go into in this sermon.

I merely ask, what is the loving response, to say something or to mind your own business?

And to ask, what are the consequences of that decision?

Conclusion

I don’t know about you, but there has been nothing in my life that has put more weight on my shoulders than being responsible for someone else.

Sure, the day I married my lovely wife and the day my daughter was born are examples of the burden I chose to bear.

But what about the time with an alcoholic friend, or the friend caught in adultery.

I had not committed those sins, but my knowledge of them placed a burden on my shoulders.

Then, of course, there are the “small” sins.

The deacon willing to compromise the truth to take the easy way out.

The acquaintance who unknowing hurt another.

Sure, I could look at this as an attempt to save my own skin,

As merely a way to keep their blood off my hands.

Or, I could look on my fellow human being in love,

Not wanting them to suffer the consequences of their sin, I do what I can.

Which brings me back to the question in Genesis,

Am I my brother’s keeper?

The answer appears to be, yes I am, to an extent.

If I love my fellow human being, then I must warn them of the consequences of their actions.

After all, if I love them, I do not want them to fall into the pit.

But I also must recognize, I am only responsible for what I do, not for how they react.

If I do not warn them, then their blood is on my hands.

If I do warn them, they may still suffer the consequences, but I am not responsible for their blood.

Which reminds me of something John Quincy Adams said.

After loosing his bid for reelection to the presidency, John Quincy Adams won a seat in the House of Representatives.

His agenda was quite simple, anti-slavery.

But the majority of the House was pro-slavery.

So none of his legislation restricting the slave trade was passed.

But John Quincy Adams kept working anyway.

When asked why he kept working to stop the slave trade when all of his efforts failed, John Quincy answers:

“Duty is ours. Results are God’s”

After reading Ezekiel chapter 3, I see John Quincy’s point.

Our duty is to do what is right with the information we have.

The results, be they for good or ill, are between the other person and God.

As long as I have done my duty, I have made my master happy.

If I do not my duty, then I have failed my master.

And just as in the parable of the minas, my master will call me a wicked servant.