How to Stay Safe in A Spiritually Dangerous World: Reflections on Luke 17:1-4
We're living in a dangerous world. Physically dangerous, for sure. We're constantly being reminded of that. Everywhere you go, there are warnings—watch out for this, be careful of that.
While we're very concerned about physical dangers, we often pay far less attention to spiritual ones. And yet, the spiritual dangers we face are actually more serious than the physical ones.
Think about it—what's the worst thing that can happen to you physically? You die. That's certainly bad from our perspective. But what's the worst that can happen spiritually? Being judged by God. Forever. The consequences simply aren't equal.
The Parable's Warning
This was one of the key points in Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. Jesus was talking to the Pharisees—religious people who outwardly appeared righteous but inwardly were hypocrites. He told them a story about a rich man who lived luxuriously while ignoring the suffering of a poor man named Lazarus at his gate.
The rich man wasn't being criticized merely for his wealth. He was being condemned for his selfishness and greed—for living primarily for what he could get in this world right now. And Jesus made it clear: this mentality leads to judgment.
What's sobering is that Jesus was applying this story to the Pharisees. They didn't look like the rich man externally. They weren't dressed in purple and fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day. But Jesus said they had the same exact mentality inside.
This should concern us. We're living in a culture where that mentality is normalized and constantly being promoted. A selfish, live-for-now, avoid-suffering-at-all-costs approach to life is presented as wisdom. And this worldly value system can infiltrate our thinking without us even realizing it.
Spiritual Dangers Are Coming
Jesus makes this danger clear in in Luke 17. After confronting the Pharisees, he turns to His followers and warns them: "Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble." (Luke 17:1-2) It’s like he is taking the parable of the rich man and Lazarus and applying it. The word for "temptations" here is actually "stumbling blocks"—things that cause others to fall spiritually. He’s looking at the way the Pharisees were living and influencing others and saying, this is going to be the way it is for a while.
Three Steps to Spiritual Safety
So what do we do?
1. Recognize the Reality
First, we have to acknowledge that we live in a spiritually dangerous world. Jesus says stumbling blocks are "sure to come." This isn't something we need to wonder about—it's guaranteed.
There are people who will influence others to sin, specifically to turn away from biblical truth. They'll promote a self-centered, comfort-seeking, wealth-accumulating mentality that looks appealing but leads to spiritual destruction.
Sometime their error will be obvious. Other times though, a lot more subtle. And if you are not paying attention you might miss it. Because it is coming from people who kind of look like they knowing what they are talking about and who seem to have your best interest at heart. They don’t seem evil. The Pharisees definitely didn’t. They were respected religious leaders. The same is often true today. Some of the most dangerous spiritual influences comes from those who claim to be on God’s side while actually promoting a way of thinking that is anti-Jesus and anti-gospel.
2. Believe the Warning Label
When Jesus says it would be better to die by drowning than to cause someone else to sin, He's putting an extremely serious warning label on spiritual danger. If you have to choose between having a huge heavy stone put around your neck and being thrown into the middle of the sea or causing someone else to sin, choose drowning. That’s intense. The question is, do we believe Him?
We need to trust what Jesus says about the seriousness of greed, selfishness, and living for present comfort rather than eternal values. The rich man in Jesus' parable didn't take the warning seriously, and the Pharisees weren't taking it seriously either. What about us? It's strange how we can hear a doctor tell us we have cancer, and our whole life changes immediately. Yet when Jesus tells us "beware of greed" or warns about storing up treasures on earth instead of heaven, we often hardly react at all. If you believe Jesus when he says there are going to be people who are seeking to influence you to think like this, you need to believe Jesus when he talks about how SERIOUS A DANGER THAT KIND OF THINKING IS.
3. Watch Out for Yourself and Others
If you do, you are going to take action. In verse 3, Jesus tells us exactly what to do. He says: "Pay attention to yourselves!" (Luke 17:3) Meaning, watch out. Don’t let them do that to you. And don’t you be the kind of person who does that to others either.
I know that maybe you say, "I am a Christian, and I've got this down." Or, "We are a Bible church, and we are not going to influence people the wrong way."
And yes, that's great. Maybe that's true.
But you know, the Pharisees said, "Hey, we're Jews, and we're the serious ones too."
I'm not saying we just have to close our eyes and pretend that God hasn't taught us a lot. God has taught us a lot. And He's shown us a lot of grace. So hopefully we are heading in the right direction, and we're helping people follow Jesus. But I think one of the ways that God keeps us from becoming the kind of people who cause others to stumble is by warning us that there are going to be people who cause others to stumble. He tells us that we need to pay attention to ourselves and make sure we are not one of them.
That's part of how you don't fall off a cliff. They put a sign there: "If you go this direction, you will fall off the cliff." And you listen to the sign.
Jesus says, "There are going to be people who cause others to stumble." And you listen to the sign.
Because you and I both know there are people who don't. You look out there and see people who claim to be Christians yet are giving people anti-Jesus counsel. They are literally giving advice that's the opposite of "deny yourself, pick up your cross." They are promoting the rich man's mentality.
That reality should not cause us to say to each other, "I can't believe these people are like this." Rather, it should make us more careful about ourselves. It happened to them. And I don't want that to happen to me. And if it's not going to happen to me, then I need to be humble and I need to pay attention to myself.
But how?
Have a little self-doubt. Don't be so confident that you're immune to worldly influence. The Pharisees were blind to their own greed because they were so sure of their own righteousness.
Ask God to help you see the sins you don't see. Pray for Him to reveal the ways you might be embracing greed or selfish living without realizing it.
Take advantage of biblical preaching. Come to God's Word not as a critic but as someone who wants to be changed by it.
Memorize and meditate on Scripture. This is how we guard our hearts against worldly thinking.
Focus on actually obeying what you already know. Knowledge without application leads to self-deception.
But Jesus doesn't stop with individual vigilance. He continues: "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him" (Luke 17:3).
This tells us that spiritual safety is also a community project. We need to:
Develop relationships where spiritual matters can be discussed openly. Don't live in isolation.
When concerned about another believer's spiritual direction, talk to them directly rather than talking about them to others.
Be quick to forgive when someone repents. The goal isn't condemnation but restoration.
Imagine a church community where this kind of relationship is normal—where people care enough about each other's spiritual well-being to speak truth in love when they see someone drifting toward worldliness or greed.
A Different Kind of Relationship
The Pharisees didn't see themselves as the spiritually dangerous people Jesus said they were. We might not see it in ourselves either. That's why the Christian life is a community project. We need each other. We need relationships where confrontation, repentance, and forgiveness are normal experiences.
When we see another believer adopting worldly values or priorities—becoming greedy, selfish, or focused only on earthly success—we need to care enough to say something. And when someone confronts us, we need the humility to listen rather than becoming defensive.
This kind of relationship is radically different from what the world offers. It combines truth and love in a way that helps everyone grow:
Truth without love becomes harsh and judgmental
Love without truth becomes enabling and permissive
Truth with love creates genuine spiritual growth
The Gospel Alternative to Worldliness
What makes this approach possible is the gospel itself. God takes sin so seriously that it required Jesus' death on the cross. Yet God loves us so intensely that He was willing to send His Son to die so we could be forgiven.
When we understand this, we'll take spiritual dangers seriously—especially the dangers of greed and self-centered living that Jesus repeatedly warned about. And we'll develop relationships where truth and love work together to help each other stay spiritually safe.
Reflection Questions
Am I taking spiritual dangers as seriously as physical ones?
Have I been influenced by our culture's materialistic, comfort-seeking mentality?
Do I have relationships with believers who would tell me if they saw me drifting toward worldliness?
Am I willing to both speak truth and extend forgiveness to others?
What specific steps can I take to guard against greed and cultivate generosity in my life?
In a world full of spiritual stumbling blocks, Jesus calls us to recognize the reality, believe His warnings, and watch out for ourselves and each other. This is how we stay safe in a spiritually dangerous world.
