Risks to human life to be minimized.
It is well known that "the roofs of the Israelitish houses were fiat, as they mostly are in the East;" the inhabitants often walked upon them. Hence it is easy to see that a danger might exist of one falling off a house, if there were no battlement, parapet, or guard of some kind around it. And against this Moses is taught of God to warn the people. In the structure of their habitations the safety of the indwellers is to be rigidly consulted; and any trifling with human life, by the erection of insecure buildings, would expose the builder to blood-guiltiness in the eye of God.
I. There is in the social world a mutual interdependence of man upon man. "We are members one of another."
II. This fact renders it possible for each man in his own department greatly to help or seriously to injure others. In no sphere is this more manifest than in house-building; in attention to the details, the health and comfort of multitudes are concerned.
III. God charges upon each one a due regard to the well-being of others, in distinction from a selfish absorption in his own imaginary interests.
IV. Wherever, through neglect in his own department, of another's good, the health, comfort, or life of men are threatened or injured, God holds the man accountable for any mischief which may accrue. Other men may or may not be able to bring the sin home to the defaulter. But "God shall bring every work into judgment; with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Evil associations to be avoided.
"The essence of the crime (Zephaniah 1:8) consisted, not in wearing a woolen and linen robe, but in having it in a particular form according to a favorite superstition of ancient idolatries" (Le Deuteronomy 19:19). So also as to sowing with divers seeds; it was a superstitious custom of the idolaters, and hence it is to be avoided. Note: Evil associations may make it wrong to follow or observe that which is in itself harmless. With the principle which underlies this passage thus stated, compare 1 Corinthians 10:23 to end.
I. God, having called his people out of the world, would have them distinct from the world.
II. In carrying out this distinction in practice, Christians are bound to regard the influence which their practice will have upon others, as well as the practice itself.
III. It is quite possible that (as in the case of eating meats offered to idols) there may be rites, customs, habits, in which this or that Christian could indulge without injury to himself, and yet which, owing to the force of public sentiment and opinion, would tell prejudicially upon him, and lower his influence for good.
IV. When such is the case, he is to take the higher ground, not shrinking from being deemed puritanical—and to abstain not only from that which is wrong in itself, but from much which, owing to evil associations, has about it a suspicious look of worldliness and self-indulgence.