I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Leviticus 5-7.

In the New Testament, Paul writes that if you think it is sinful to some specific thing, than you commit a sin when you do that particular thing.  This has led some people to the conclusion that if you do not think a particular act is a sin, for you that act is not a sin.  Today’s passage makes very clear that you can sin without realizing that you are doing so.  A careful reading of what Paul writes on the subject reveals that there are things which are not sinful to do in and of themselves.  However, they may be sinful to do if we think of them as sinful.  Or, if we them in front of someone who thinks of them as sinful, who then does them because they saw us do them.  That latter sin does not require that we know the person thinks that the action is a sin.

As an example of how this works.  I have some friends who often tell self-deprecating jokes about themselves in order to make people laugh, and often intentionally set themselves up as the straight man for a joke told by others.  If someone took advantage of one of these set ups in order to make them look bad, it would fail because the butt of the joke, and those around them, knew the whole thing was just to get a laugh.  However, the person who tried to make them look bad would still be guilty of trying to bring harm to them by besmirching their reputation.  On the other hand, if someone set themselves up to be the butt of a joke, I took advantage of that opportunity, and that person felt denigrated by what I said, I would be guilty of hurting their feelings, even if I only meant to make them laugh.  or, to put it another way.  If I intend to do harm, I am guilty of doing wrong even if I fail to do harm, but I am also wrong if I do harm, but did not intend to do so.