The Conviction of Sin
- Bishop Keith Butler
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. (Matthew 14:1-4)
When Jesus’ ministry started to take off, Herod didn’t ask, “Is this the Messiah?” or “Is this a great prophet?” Instead, he automatically assumed that Jesus was actually John the Baptist, risen from the dead to judge him. Herod felt guilty and convicted of the sin that John had called him out on—namely, taking his brother's wife as his own while his brother was still married to her. Talk about a messed-up family.
Herod, full of lust, ambition, and pride, decided that the laws of God didn’t apply to him as a king. It was a defiant and arrogant sin, displayed in front of his family and all of Israel. John, however, would have none of that. He approached the king and quoted God's Word to him from Leviticus 18 and 20. John wasn’t giving him options; he was presenting God's law. John preached holiness in a culture that promoted selfishness. He faced those in power with a message of purity. Herodias, Herod’s wife, hated John. She manipulated and schemed her way into convincing her husband to kill him. Herodias reveals the power of offense—she didn’t care about what God was doing or even about the kingdom; she only cared about her position and her throne.
Speaking God's Word may come with a cost, but John wasn’t preaching for safety; he was obedient to what God said. Herod may have ordered John’s death, but he could not stop the message John proclaimed.
Practical Application
When you speak the truth from God’s Word, don’t be surprised if you make enemies. Jesus promised us that trouble would come to those who follow Him. When culture normalizes sin, God calls us to stand firm for His Word.
Leviticus 18:16; Leviticus 20:21