ROMANS 14:13
Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 both speak of not causing others to stumble. Paul discusses moral convictions and our obligation to other Christians in these chapters. He talked about a number of issues that divide believers, including food, drink, and sacred days. During Paul’s days, the conflicts mostly centered on the new freedom found in Christ versus the Jewish law. We might add items like body piercings, tattoos, clothing trends, movies, video games, novels, and alcohol/tobacco to the list of arguments we have today. All of these are topics for which the Bible does not offer particular guidance, despite the fact that many people are convinced/led to challenge them. Some of these things have the potential to cause worldliness, immorality, impurity, addiction or idolatry. On the other hand, adherence to rules and avoiding everything that the world has to offer can also turn into an idol.
Christians today, like believers in ancient Rome, occasionally create their own standards for others to follow and insist on adherence to particular behaviours that the Bible says little or nothing about. It is challenging for followers of Jesus to continue on the path of faith that He came to show us – that redemption is by grace, not by works – as a result of these “stumbling blocks” (Galatians 2:16).
Being a stumbling block to another Christian is a problem. We must be very careful not to endanger another person’s spiritual connection to Christ, either by the rules we make or the habits we indulge in because we feel the Bible does not have a definite stand against them.
Furthermore, no Christian should be so “free” and insensitive to the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all things (John 14:26), to the extent that his/her flesh pulls him/her away from God.
🙏🏼 Thank You Lord for sending the Holy Spirit to do the work of convincing and convicting. May we allow Him to help us do what leads to peace and edification.
