Are you a slothful servant?

                                                                                                                                                               Vol. XXIII, No. 7, August 2010

[This is an excerpt from a sermon by Asahel Nettleton, 1783-1844, a founder of what is now Hartford Theological Seminary.]

“Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him” (Lev. 19:17) – is the command of God. To neglect this and similar duties for fear of incurring reproach is to indulge in spiritual sloth. You may sit down and rest quietly if you will not disturb your fellow sinners around you with a sight of their sin and danger. This requires no effort. And here thousands resign themselves to rest. Individuals or a church may close their eyes on the conduct of an offender and be silent, and this awful indifference to his soul assumes the name of charity, without lifting a finger to restore such a one in the spirit of meekness. The slothful servant will ever consult his own ease by sinful contrivance to shun duty.

[Reprinted from Professing Christians Awake!, the text of the sermon produced by The Inheritance Publishers and available free (donations needed) at P.O. Box 1334, Grand Rapids, MI 49501 or www.hnrc.org/ip.]