2 Chronicles 28:22-25 And in the time of his distress did he transgress yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. And Ahaz…shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.
Ahaz responded to the time of distress by transgressing even more. Instead of learning his lesson, he turned away from the Lord and worshipped foreign gods. And adding transgression to transgression, he shut down worship in the temple and promoted the worship of false gods. It was bad enough that he forgot the Lord, shut the temple, and served false gods, but it was even worse that he promoted idolatry and led the people into sin.
Jesus calls woe upon those who cause one of my believers to sin; it would be better for a millstone…. Leading, promoting, encouraging, and tempting others to sin is regarded as even more evil than the original transgression. It is bad enough to follow the ways of the world, but then to become the world and lure others from God is even worse.
Sinning without repentance leads to shutting the door to God and bringing rival gods into our life. Confession of sin and receiving forgiveness opens the door to God and shuts out false religions and philosophies.