Are you a stumbling block to someone?

[TEXBOW]

There has been some discussions on behavior that could or may be a stumbling block for another Christian, Church member or a lost soul (preventing them from coming to Christ). This issue was taught by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8.

Paul is specifically addressing the eating of food offered to idols. Paul makes it clear there is but one God and the idols are not gods and something this world has made. But he mentions that some do not have that knowledge or some with there conscience being weak is defiled.

Paul basically says eating this meat is a non issue but if our knowledge (our liberty) makes a weak brother stumble then you are sinning against the BRETHREN and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

Paul goes on to say if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

A few observations and questions.

Paul is writing to the Church that has both Jew and Gentile. He specifically uses a Jewish law as the example of causing an issue with a "brethren's" conscience. Should the stumbling block and the possible damage to a weak conscience be limited to situations between those who once were under the law (Jews) and those who were never under the law (Gentiles). For example is the brethren with the weak conscience had issues with Pauls new sandals is this still applicable? Would Paul go barefoot for the rest of his life?

Was Paul using hyperbole? Never eat meat again? Trying to stress a point?

What if their were two weak brethren's. One was damaged by the eating of meat sacrificed to idols and the other damaged by lack of confidence in his liberties to eat the meat? Eat meat, not eat meat? Paul would be in a pickle.

Can persons today because of different beliefs (Catholic vs. Protestants ) cause one or the other to stumble due to THEIR beliefs?

Can the stumble "card" be played much like the race card today? The woke stumble over everything.

Would we not have to live a perfect sinless life to insure we are not causing someone to stumble?

I hope to have some serious thoughts on this matter. None of us desire to make another brother stumble. Should we understand that Paul's teaching on this is more about the new Jewish and Gentile converts coming together in the body of Christ having very different religious backgrounds, attempting to have the now no distinction between Jew and Gentile coexist within the same Church? Or are we to believe that there is an unlimited number of things that could cause someone to claim a brother is causing them to stumble? Your new car, your beautiful wife etc. We might cause someone to stumble and not even know it. Do you think Paul would have accepted any issue of someones conscience or is it law vs. no law situations?

 

[Scott Downey]

I dont view what Paul writes as a stumbling block for an unbeliever, it is written of a 'brother' in Christ. I personally have never judged a brother over a food issue. I suppose some have.

Unbelievers stumble over Christ, a rock of offense to them, not so much other Christians. They have a big problem with Christ, who he says He is, and what He says about the world.

Romans 14:13
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

1 Corinthians 8:8-9
New King James Version
8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

 

[Stumpmaster]

I hope to have some serious thoughts on this matter. None of us desire to make another brother stumble. Should we understand that Paul's teaching on this is more about the new Jewish and Gentile converts coming together in the body of Christ having very different religious backgrounds, attempting to have the now no distinction between Jew and Gentile coexist within the same Church? Or are we to believe that there is an unlimited number of things that could cause someone to claim a brother is causing them to stumble? Your new car, your beautiful wife etc. We might cause someone to stumble and not even know it. Do you think Paul would have accepted any issue of someones conscience or is it law vs. no law situations?

Hi TEXBOW.

The Pharisees were known for making and observing rules by which they gauged righteousness. Some considered it a sin to eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath.
Some Jews today won't switch lights on or off in their house on the Sabbath but hire non-Jews to do this and other tasks.

I know of religious Christians bound up in the legalistic observance of rules and rituals in ways that polarise them against those less pious rather than promote the righteousness which is by faith in Christ.

Rom 14:22-23 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. (23) But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.