“If anyone causes one of these little ones those who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out.”

“Be careful, my brothers and sisters, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you with your “superior knowledge” eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died; and when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.”

“Those who cause divisions and put obstacles in the paths of others are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. I am telling you this so that no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you and I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. So then, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Praise the Lord!

“You love to destroy others with your words, you liar! You unleash your mouth for evil and unharness your tongue for deceit. But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living. Interlude. No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who tells lies shall stand in my presence, says the Lord.”

“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your brother. Instead confront him privately so you will not be held guilty for his sin. But, if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

“Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin. He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore, do not associate with a gossip. You must not go about spreading slander among your people nor endanger the life of your neighbor with your tongue.”

“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. Therefore, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” Heavenly Father, please be the doorkeeper of my mouth always.

“You therefore have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” Help us Lord, not to pass judgment on others, but instead look within ourselves so that we could acknowledge the things that we are doing wrong that we are so quick to judge others for.

“Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor. Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord pleads their cause and despoils the life of those who despoil them. Choose for yourself a good name which is better than riches and favor because it is better than silver or gold. If you continue to sow injustice you will reap calamity and will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end.”

My brothers and sisters in Christ, Scripture reminds us in Romans chapter two, that, if we are stubborn and refuse to turn from our sins, we are storing up terrible punishment for ourselves, for a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. God will repay each person according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.