So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel,
who had appeared to him twice, – 1 Kings 11:9
Question 151 of the Larger Catechism asks, “What are those aggravations that make some
sins more heinous than others?” The first part of the answer says, “Sins receive their
aggravations,
1. From the persons offending: if they be of riper age, greater experience or grace, eminent
for profession, gifts, place, office, guides to others, and whose example is likely to be
followed by others.” Last time we saw Scripture’s teaching that sin varies in its degrees of
wickedness. This morning we consider how the evil of a sin is increased or decreased
depending upon the particular person who commits it.
“To whom much is given much is required.” Jesus taught this principle in Luke 12:47-48
when contrasting two slaves who were both disobedient; but one of them knew his
master’s will, the other did not. The one who knew would be more severely punished. So it
is with all occurrences of transgression. The more we know the greater our guilt if we
disregard that knowledge. This is what the first part of the Catechism’s answer refers to
when it speaks of offenders who are of “riper age,” and “greater experience or grace.” I
remember on multiple occasions my father saying to me, “You know better than that,” or
“Act your age.” The older we get, the more experience we have, the more people expect us
to be responsible and do the right thing. When a small child takes something that he
should not have and naively hides it from view, it is cute and he is gently corrected
because we realize he has not learned that lesson yet. However, if a teenager does
something similar it is rightly condemned as theft and his punishment, for his own sake,
needs to be stern.
Likewise, when a famous man or woman does evil, especially if they have achieved great
things, been given a public trust, or are known for certain magnanimous acts or altruistic
endeavors the scandal is all the more severe. Thus, the alleged or in some cases admitted
sexual transgressions of Bill Cosby, Tiger Woods, or former president Bill Clinton are more
shocking and contemptible than those of our comparatively unknown neighbor. We
rightly expect more from those who have such advantages of talent, position, and
influence. I remember when former NBA star Charles Barkley tried to excuse some bad
behavior and escape his responsibility by saying, “I’m no role model.” If only saying it could
make it so! The fact is if you are a professional athlete, actor, musician, or public official, by
definition you are a role model. The gross sexual immorality of Bruce Jenner is all the more
shameful and tragic precisely because he was an Olympic hero, exemplifying American
excellence during the height of the Cold War.
This principle applies to Christians as well. As believers we have the name of Christ placed
upon us. We have been adopted by the Father of glory and righteousness. We claim and
profess to live for God. Therefore, when we sin it is more egregious than when an
unbeliever does the exact same thing. This is especially true of those who are well-known
or in positions of leadership in the church. The reputation of Christianity still bears the
scars of the televangelist scandals of the 80s and 90s, or the molesting priests of the 2000s.
People rightly expect professional “men of God” to be morally upright, to be examples to
the rest of us. So that when they fall their fall is all the more scandalous and devastating in
that their example affects so many more people than merely themselves, and it is a blight
on the witness of the church. The Scripture at the head of this article is a sober reminder
of this kind of aggravation to sin. Solomon was a member of the covenant community. He
was supernaturally appointed by God to be David’s successor: the divinely chosen and
gifted king over the people of God. God spoke to Solomon. And as our text noticeably
stresses, God appeared to Solomon twice. For the ordinary person to turn from God to
idols is a great evil. For Solomon to do it is altogether outrageous, precisely because of his
eminent profession, gifts, place, and office. May God grant that you and I, who have
received much, would ever more recoil in horror at the thought of the great evil we can
cause in the pursuit of sin, so that fearing God, we would turn from every false way.
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