1. Strengthening The Hands of The Wicked (II) Ezekiel 13:17-23

2. As Christians… Fight against the world’s ways Not envy sinners (Proverbs 23:17) Abstain from sin (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

3. Must Not … Strengthen the hands of sinners By sinning with them (Ezekiel 13:22; Acts 5:11) Upholding them in their sin (Obadiah 10-15; Acts 7:58) Other ways …

4. Failing To Confront Sin Risk the confrontation Isaiah and Israel (Isaiah 58:1) Ezekiel and Israel (Ezekiel 3:16-21)

5. Failing To Confront Sin Turns one away from God Achan (Joshua 7) Church at Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-16) Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-23) Corinth (1 Corinthians 5:1-8)

6. Failing To Confront Sin Leaves “blood on our hands” Not Paul (Acts 20:26, 27) Confronted Peter (Galatians 2:11-14) Confront elders when necessary (1 Timothy 5:19, 20)

7. Failing To Confront Sin Sin too often tolerated Worldliness False views of fellowship Must stand up for the Truth Fail to be a good influence

8. Teaching Things That Lead To Sin Never cause another to sin Legitimate use of Romans 14 Similar teaching elsewhere (1 Corinthians 8:1-13)

9. Teaching Things That Lead To Sin Through false teaching “What the individual can do, the church can do” Has divided churches “Alien sinner not amenable to Christ’s teaching on marriage” Leads to adultery (Matthew 19:9)

10. Teaching Things That Lead To Sin Partiality toward false teachers Influential can be fellowshipped Remember Paul rebuked Peter (Galatians 2:11-14) Not to show partiality (Romans 2:11; 1 Timothy 5:21)

11. Teaching Things That Lead To Sin Problem in the church today Not to call certain people false teachers This strengthens the hands of the wicked (Philippians 3:18, 19)

12. Hindering Truth Bible examples Pharaoh’s magicians (Exodus 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18) Elymas, the sorcerer (Acts 13:6-10) Jews (Acts 13:42, 44-46, 50; 14:2)

13. Hindering Truth Many reasons and methods Some motivated by envy, malice, or pride (Colossians 3:8) Truth hindered by gossiping, whispering, spreading rumors, etc.

14. Hindering Truth The faithful are slandered Paul (Romans 3:8) Faithful brethren (3 John 9, 10)

15. Hindering Truth Successful tool of Satan Based on second hand information Verify what others teach Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:14, 15)

16. Conclusion Do not lead others into sin Let’s not strengthen the hands of the wicked