"Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong." Exodus 23:2

This text teaches us that we are morally responsible human beings. As human beings we do not live in a vacuum. You and I, as social creatures, belong to certain groups: the family, the church, the community, the nation, the human family. This explains why we are so prone to "follow the crowd."

God does not say that it is always sinful to follow the crowd. But He does say it is sinful to follow the crowd "in doing wrong." Unfortunately this is the direction the crowd is likely to take.

When we follow the crowd to do evil, we somehow seem to feel that we are not as guilty as if we did wrong by ourselves. We seem to think the fact that many others do the same thing somehow makes wrong right, or if not right, at least okay.

God doesn't think so, and for this we have reason to thank Him. Because we are individually responsible, He sent Jesus for each of us. That is why in His Word, in Holy Baptism, and in Holy Communion, He gives to each of us the assurance of personal salvation and forgiveness. That is also why He offers each person the gift of a saving, personal faith in Christ.

We are individually responsible.

PRAYER: God, help us to face life's responsibilities and to confess, "I believe that Jesus is my Lord;" in His name. Amen.

(Devotions from "The Abundant Life" copyright 1998, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time e-mailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 4-6    Luke 18:1-23

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