To wit, how do you read this verse:
"It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."
Is God exempt or are some little ones exempt? or...?
"It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."
Is God exempt or are some little ones exempt? or...?
The reference is to Luke 17:2, and I think it is first important to understand what "offend" means. From Strong's:
NT:4624 skandalizo (skan-dal-id'-zo) ("scandalize"); from NT:4625; to entrap, i.e. trip up (figuratively, stumble [transitively] or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure): KJV - (make to) offend.
It means to cause to sin. IOW, to "tempt". So, it is not a matter of God being "exempt", rather it is a matter of this being inapplicable to God, since the scriptures plainly tell us that God does not tempt us. While in the narrow sense this verse certainly applies to literal children who are believers (the companion verses Matt. 18:6 and Mark 9:42 leave no doubt that believers are only being referenced), in the general sense it can apply to all believers who have holy child-like faith. The message is that if any of us believers leads any other believer into sin, we are going to be subject to great punishment for it.