Category Archives: 19th

We sometimes hear of persons blaming their parents and ancestors for the mess they are in. Such persons seem to think that the actions and wrongdoings of their parents and ancestors would cause them to be punished or greatly affected, as if such actions and wrongdoings would be passed down from one generation to the next. Instead of taking responsibility for themselves and striving towards change and conversion, such persons conveniently think that there is nothing they can do about it, and that the sin is beyond their control; and others are blamed for causing them to be in the situation they are in.

But today’s reading makes it clear that God holds each individual responsible for his or her own sin. The reading tells us: “Why do you keep repeating this proverb in the land of Israel: “The fathers have eaten unripe grapes; and the children’s teeth are set on edge” ‘As I live – it is the Lord who speaks – there will no longer be any reason to repeat this proverb in Israel. See now: all life belongs to me; the father’s life and the son’s life, both alike belong to me. The man who has sinned, he is the one who shall die.'” The reading also adds: “House of Israel, in future I mean to judge each of you by what he does – it is the Lord who speaks. Repent, renounce all your sins, avoid all occasions of sin! Shake off all the sins you have committed against me, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!”

So what does this mean? It means that we cannot find a scapegoat or make excuses and put the blame on others for sins committed, and that there is no such thing as the consequences of sins or wrongdoings being passed down from one generation to the next. We are responsible for our spiritual growth and well-being and we can choose to avoid all occasions of sin, with God’s grace and help. May we make every effort to break the vicious cycle of blaming, and instead take responsibility for our words and deeds, and glorify God in all we say and do.

How is it possible for some of us to fall into the sin of serving other gods? When we begin to treat wealth, property and other things as more important than God, then we would be falling into the sin of serving other gods. We say we love and serve God, and yet some of us seem to find it difficult to take time off from our work to come to church on Sunday; or we seem to spend more time in pursuing our personal interests, instead of church or charitable activities to give glory to God. When we have such attitudes or excuses, then are we really loving and serving God, or have we strayed away from God or even rejected God outright?

In today’s reading, “The people answered Joshua, ‘No; it is the Lord we wish to serve.’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’ They answered, ‘We are witnesses.’ ‘Then cast away the alien gods among you and give your hearts to the Lord the God of Israel!’ The people answered Joshua, ‘It is the Lord our God we choose to serve; it is his voice that we will obey.’”

Notice that in the reading, Joshua challenged the people to “choose today whom you wish to serve.” And the people made a clear and firm choice in choosing to serve God, and not some other foreign god. Are we willing to commit ourselves just like the Israelites did? Or have our hearts become divided, or even rejected God, in pursuit of other gods such as our wealth, our property, our fame and popularity, and other things?

Some cultures and persons seem to think that sins committed by their parents and ancestors would cause them to be punished or greatly affected, as if such sins would be passed down throughout generations. Such cultures or persons begin to think that there is nothing they can do about it, and that the sin is beyond their control; and some begin to blame others for the situation they are in, instead of taking responsibility for themselves and striving towards change and conversion.

But the reality is this. today’s reading makes it clear that God holds each individual responsible for his or her own sin. The reading tells us: “Why do you keep repeating this proverb in the land of Israel: “The fathers have eaten unripe grapes; and the children’s teeth are set on edge” ‘As I live – it is the Lord who speaks – there will no longer be any reason to repeat this proverb in Israel. See now: all life belongs to me; the father’s life and the son’s life, both alike belong to me. The man who has sinned, he is the one who shall die.'” The reading also adds: “House of Israel, in future I mean to judge each of you by what he does – it is the Lord who speaks. Repent, renounce all your sins, avoid all occasions of sin! Shake off all the sins you have committed against me, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!”

So what does this mean for us? It means that we cannot find a scapegoat or put the blame on others for sins committed. We are responsible for our spiritual growth and well-being and we can choose to avoid all occasions of sin, with God’s grace and help. May we make every effort to break the vicious cycle of blaming, and instead take responsibility for our words and deeds, and glorify God in all we say and do.

How easy it is for some of us to fall into the sin of serving other gods, especially when we begin to treat wealth, property and other things as more important than God. For example, we say we love and serve God, and yet some of us seem to find it difficult to take time off from our work to come to church on Sunday, because business seems to be brisk and profitable on Sundays. Also, some of us say we love and serve God, but we seem to spend more time in pursuing our personal interests, instead of church or charitable activities to give glory to God. When we do such things or have such an attitude or behaviour, then are we really loving and serving God, or have we strayed away from God or even rejected God outright?

In today’s reading, “The people answered Joshua, ‘No; it is the Lord we wish to serve.’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’ They answered, ‘We are witnesses.’ ‘Then cast away the alien gods among you and give your hearts to the Lord the God of Israel!’ The people answered Joshua, ‘It is the Lord our God we choose to serve; it is his voice that we will obey.’” Notice that in the reading, Joshua challenged the people to “choose today whom you wish to serve.” And the people made a firm choice in choosing to serve God, and not some other foreign god.

What about us? Are we willing to make a firm choice and choose to love and serve God, just like the Israelites did? Or have our hearts become divided, or even rejected God, in pursuit of other gods such as our wealth, our property, our fame and popularity, and other things? May we choose wisely, and not end up regretting later for making a wrong choice.