Have a Nice Trip? Being Stumbling Blocks
Example: 2 youth ministers giving out Bibles at a porn retailers convention
Example: my buying booze or fishing on Sunday
What is a stumbling block?
LEV 19:14 - " `Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.
MT 16:23 - Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Literally: scandalon, the metal bar that catches something in a trap
2CO 6:3 - We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
RO 14:1-23
1CO 8:1-13
1CO 10:14-2:1
Each time the NT mentions one brother causing another to stumble, the issue is food (except 2 Cor.6:3, where no particular issue is mentioned.) The gospel is mentioned as a stumbling block, and so is Christ, but these are not of us. The issue of eating food sacrificed to idols was obviously a hotbed of contention. Now, it isn’t even a concern. I wonder how many other hotbed issues today won’t matter 100 years from now…
Some thoughts about stumblong-block issues…
- some issues are not black and white
- we are all on different stages of our journeys; some are weak – Rom.14:2, 1 Cor.8-12
- so we will come to different conclusions
So what do we do about it?
- refrain from passing judgement on the weaker ones – Romans 14:1
- sort things out for yourself – Romans 14:5
- it should all be done in love – Rom.14:15
- sometimes keep your convictions to yourself – Romans 14:22
- just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should – 1 Cor.10:23
- freedom doesn’t mean you can do what you want, but rather serving others – Gal.5:13-14
don’t be a stumbling block for 3 reasons:
1) because sinning against others is sinning against Christ – 1 Cor.8:12
2) for others’ preservation – 1 Cor.8:11
3) for others’ salvation – 1 Cor.10:33
