Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another, but instead decide not to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother's way. Romans 14:13
What exactly are these stumbling blocks and pitfalls that it talks about here? This is very important to understand, because by causing a brother to stumble, we are slandering the good we do. Many professing Christians that I know place these in front of people frequently, without caring or concern. What does it mean then, and how can you avoid it? Well here is the full passage in Romans that we will take a look at.
Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another, but instead decide not to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother's way. ( I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.) For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. By what you eat, do not destroy that one fore whom Christ died. Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves the Messiah in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men.
So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. Do not tear down God's work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats. It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble. Do you have faith? Keep it to yourself before God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:13-23
So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. Do not tear down God's work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats. It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble. Do you have faith? Keep it to yourself before God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:13-23
A similar message is found in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. We won't type it all down, but I do want to draw attention to the last verse.
Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won't cause my brother to fall.
Now I will deal with the first question that is always asked, before we can dig deeper into these passages. These passages are talking about food, more specifically meat. Yes, very observant. To the Israeli people of the time, this would be among the biggest concern they would face. From the time of Moses in Leviticus 11 until the time of Peter in Acts 10, there was a very specific list of animals, that you were not allowed to eat. These animals were considered unclean. (Animals that chewed their cud, but did not have divided hooves, animals that had divided hooves, but did not chew their cud.) When you ate any of an unclean animal, you were considered unclean, which was symbolic of being in sin. A very serious event. Now when Peter was told that all animals are once again free to eat, not all of the Jews would have heard this, or know about it. So Paul address the issue of putting a stumbling block using this very concern, a very justifiable concern for the time, to put emphasis on what he is saying, and in a way that everyone will understand. Under no circumstance, however, should we say that these two passages are meant only for food. Anything that causes a brother to stumble is wrong.
Now this passage is saying that, anything you do, that another brother believes is sin, even if it is not, you should stop doing. If you have a vegetarian friend, who is a Christian, and you eating meat is absolutely fine with them, then by all means, eat meat. If your vegetarian friend, does not like you eating meat, for no other reason then he does not like it, then yes, you can still eat meat. However, if your vegetarian friend, is honestly concerned that eating meat is a sin, then you stop eating meat completely. This is the stumbling block that it talks about in this passage. Walking out of love, will keep your brothers view of you right, and he won't slander your good. Now slander means- Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation.(thefreedictionary.com)- Yes his statement is false by saying that you are doing wrong, however to him they are not, and so by continuing eating meat you are placing a stumbling block before your brother.
Now, isn't it my right to do these things. Yes, you may have the right, and yes it may be God-given, however, 1 Corinthians 8:9 tells you to not let your rights become a stumbling block. A true Christian walk is built on the decision of giving up your rights. You must do it daily to fully serve Christ better. It is not something that should be new to us. However, in verse eight it does say that be doing so you are not made inferior. I was challenged that most things you say or do will offend somebody, so by taking this too literally you won't be able to do anything, which will offend other people. You have to draw the line somewhere don't you? Well no, you never draw the line are what the Bible says, and how far you will go. First it makes it very clear, that it is if a brother (or sister) in Christ thinks it is sin, and wrong for you to do it. Now I have met vegetarians and vegans, who have told me that I am in the wrong, more specifically that eating meat is morally wrong. First of all, they didn't have any idea what real morals are, as they were not believers, and second, it was their conscience I was going against, not their faith. Secondly, you must never stop doing something, that by doing so you would be disobeying God, or sin in another way. People will always be offended by what you say or do, and yes sometimes it will be fellow believers, but you should never let their beliefs interfere with God's work. Not eating meat will not cause you to sin or hinder your walk with God. Not speaking against a false teaching, will hinder not only your walk, but those others who would repent of the errors in their faith and turn towards God once again.
Perhaps the most challenged and abused area of the passage, is the thought, "Well, I won't eat meat around them, but when they're not around, I will eat whatever I please." Where is the love that Romans 14:15 talks about in that attitude. This is why I want to draw attention to 1 Corinthians 8:13. Paul says there that he will never again eat meat. He did NOT say he would not eat meat around them. It is very clear that he would sacrifice his right, for the sake of his brothers, even if they were not around. What if that friend hears of it, he will think you have sinned, and how will you keep a clean conscience towards him. God will bless you for what you do for the sake of your brother. Yes, you can show him in the Word, where it says that it is ok to eat meat, and if he comes to that understanding, then you have won your brother and you may eat, but if he still does not think it to be right, it is because he has a weak faith, but you must not eat it until his faith is strengthened. Now there are those out there, who think eating meat is a sin, but you have not met them, and they will have absolutely no knowledge of it, and will never be affected by you, then you are still able to eat it, because you are not causing them to stumble. So don't stop eating meat, just for the sake of that person out there somewhere, stop eating meat for the sake of those around you.
The last point that I want to show from this passage is the last verse in Romans 14. It says there that, if you eat meat, doubting that it is ok to eat it, then you you are eating it out of sin. "... everything that is not from faith is sin." So someone told you, it's ok to eat meat, and they show you Acts 10, but you aren't fully convinced and still think that it could be wrong, do not eat it.
Now, I am lucky and there hasn't been a single believer I know who thinks eating meat is wrong. I do know a woman who doesn't eat pork out of her own choosing, but thinks it is fine for me to do so.
But I have had to give up other things, and honestly I am not doing any worse off because of it. So in summary.
If your brother thinks that eating meat is sinful, stop eating meat.
If your brother thinks speeding is sinful, stop speeding.
Knowing drunkedness is sinful, if you brother think that having a single glass of wine is a sin, then stop drinking.
If your brother thinks that dancing is sinful, then stop dancing.
And remember, even if they may not find out about it, if your brother expresses a concern about something they think is sin, then do not do it ever again. The Lord will see what you do for your brother and bless you because of it.
As Christians, we are called to a higher calling. We must daily take up our cross and lay down our lives. Yes, for Christ Jesus our Lord, but also for you fellow man. Bless those around you and even those who persecute you. God knows all that you do in secret, and will reward you in the life to come.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
-KL
Now this passage is saying that, anything you do, that another brother believes is sin, even if it is not, you should stop doing. If you have a vegetarian friend, who is a Christian, and you eating meat is absolutely fine with them, then by all means, eat meat. If your vegetarian friend, does not like you eating meat, for no other reason then he does not like it, then yes, you can still eat meat. However, if your vegetarian friend, is honestly concerned that eating meat is a sin, then you stop eating meat completely. This is the stumbling block that it talks about in this passage. Walking out of love, will keep your brothers view of you right, and he won't slander your good. Now slander means- Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation.(thefreedictionary.com)- Yes his statement is false by saying that you are doing wrong, however to him they are not, and so by continuing eating meat you are placing a stumbling block before your brother.
Now, isn't it my right to do these things. Yes, you may have the right, and yes it may be God-given, however, 1 Corinthians 8:9 tells you to not let your rights become a stumbling block. A true Christian walk is built on the decision of giving up your rights. You must do it daily to fully serve Christ better. It is not something that should be new to us. However, in verse eight it does say that be doing so you are not made inferior. I was challenged that most things you say or do will offend somebody, so by taking this too literally you won't be able to do anything, which will offend other people. You have to draw the line somewhere don't you? Well no, you never draw the line are what the Bible says, and how far you will go. First it makes it very clear, that it is if a brother (or sister) in Christ thinks it is sin, and wrong for you to do it. Now I have met vegetarians and vegans, who have told me that I am in the wrong, more specifically that eating meat is morally wrong. First of all, they didn't have any idea what real morals are, as they were not believers, and second, it was their conscience I was going against, not their faith. Secondly, you must never stop doing something, that by doing so you would be disobeying God, or sin in another way. People will always be offended by what you say or do, and yes sometimes it will be fellow believers, but you should never let their beliefs interfere with God's work. Not eating meat will not cause you to sin or hinder your walk with God. Not speaking against a false teaching, will hinder not only your walk, but those others who would repent of the errors in their faith and turn towards God once again.
Perhaps the most challenged and abused area of the passage, is the thought, "Well, I won't eat meat around them, but when they're not around, I will eat whatever I please." Where is the love that Romans 14:15 talks about in that attitude. This is why I want to draw attention to 1 Corinthians 8:13. Paul says there that he will never again eat meat. He did NOT say he would not eat meat around them. It is very clear that he would sacrifice his right, for the sake of his brothers, even if they were not around. What if that friend hears of it, he will think you have sinned, and how will you keep a clean conscience towards him. God will bless you for what you do for the sake of your brother. Yes, you can show him in the Word, where it says that it is ok to eat meat, and if he comes to that understanding, then you have won your brother and you may eat, but if he still does not think it to be right, it is because he has a weak faith, but you must not eat it until his faith is strengthened. Now there are those out there, who think eating meat is a sin, but you have not met them, and they will have absolutely no knowledge of it, and will never be affected by you, then you are still able to eat it, because you are not causing them to stumble. So don't stop eating meat, just for the sake of that person out there somewhere, stop eating meat for the sake of those around you.
The last point that I want to show from this passage is the last verse in Romans 14. It says there that, if you eat meat, doubting that it is ok to eat it, then you you are eating it out of sin. "... everything that is not from faith is sin." So someone told you, it's ok to eat meat, and they show you Acts 10, but you aren't fully convinced and still think that it could be wrong, do not eat it.
Now, I am lucky and there hasn't been a single believer I know who thinks eating meat is wrong. I do know a woman who doesn't eat pork out of her own choosing, but thinks it is fine for me to do so.
But I have had to give up other things, and honestly I am not doing any worse off because of it. So in summary.
If your brother thinks that eating meat is sinful, stop eating meat.
If your brother thinks speeding is sinful, stop speeding.
Knowing drunkedness is sinful, if you brother think that having a single glass of wine is a sin, then stop drinking.
If your brother thinks that dancing is sinful, then stop dancing.
And remember, even if they may not find out about it, if your brother expresses a concern about something they think is sin, then do not do it ever again. The Lord will see what you do for your brother and bless you because of it.
As Christians, we are called to a higher calling. We must daily take up our cross and lay down our lives. Yes, for Christ Jesus our Lord, but also for you fellow man. Bless those around you and even those who persecute you. God knows all that you do in secret, and will reward you in the life to come.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
-KL
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