James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. I was in a store the other day when I saw a couple of kids running around wrecking the place. I thought to myself "If I had acted like that when I was a kid, Mom would have tanned my hide.". As it turned out, someone asked the kids to keep it down (To my surprise they actually did!) That's when I realized, these kids didn't know any better. I was always taught to behave myself, but esspecially in public. So if I wasn't good, a hide tanning was perfectly fine. But these kids, obviosly didn't know they were supposed to be good, so they only got a minor scolding and told to stop. The same holds true with all of us.
You see, we that do know better have a higher responsibility to do whats right. Luke 12:42-48 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find him so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom men have committed much, of them shall they ask the more. We clearly see the difference, at least in responsibility, between the man who knew better and the one who didn't. The one who knew better was given many stripes. Whereas the one who didn't was given just a few. God sees a very big difference between outright defiance and ignorant lawlessness. Even I'm smart enough to figure it out. So next time you have opportunity to sin, think about that. And, behave yourself! You know better!
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