What makes you fall

In the book of Revelation, the church of Pergamum is reproached for following the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to make the people of Israel sin, pushing them to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to live in fornication. This teaching fits into a context in which the absence of proper guidance leads to desires and behaviors that distance us from the will of God. In a youth without solid references to the truth of God, it is easy to give in to what seems attractive but that in reality makes us fall into sin. Balaam, despite appearing to be a figure of authority, contaminated the people of Israel, suggesting that they undertake relationships that would separate them from the purity of faith, such as marrying women who did not worship the God of Israel, but followed idolatries that corrupted the heart of man.

This error is similar to what happens when we are seduced by worldly desires and believe that an apparently innocent action can be a way for our good. However, the people of Israel did not understand that those bonds, although they seemed pleasant, would lead them to fall into sin and disobedience to God. The seriousness of this situation lies in the fact that, after having recognized the error, they continued to persevere in that way, voluntarily sinning against God.

Only when we do not recognize our sin for what it is, we cannot experience true repentance. Without a true revelation of our error, the Lord cannot lead us to authentic change. Jeremiah invites us to recognize our sin with humility: "Let us wrap ourselves in our shame, and let our confusion cover us, because we have sinned against the Lord our God...". Recognizing our mistakes is the first step to breaking the mental fortresses of rebellion and disobedience. We do not have to justify the sins of others, but sincerely admitting our own guilt is an act of liberation that breaks the grip of the evil forces that hold us captive.