Stumbling Blocks

Causing others to sin
I can cause a brother to sin. I wouldn’t mean to. But, here’s what I mean. If my brother sees me do something that’s not sinful but he believes in his mind it is sinful, and he does the same thing I’m doing, then for him he has sinned. Why? Because he hurt his conscience. It’s sinful when we do something that goes against our conscience. Romans 14:23, NLT, has this, “But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.” Paul uses the example that it is fine to eat meat when you’re invited to a meal. One may feel, though, that would have been sinful back in those days. He is afraid that meat might have been used in idol worship. To that one, eating that meat would be sinful. However, he sees me doing it and he then eats market meat, all the while feeling bad because in his mind, he thinks it is bad. That’s a sin. Paul said so.

Then there are folks who purposefully do things to upset you, hoping you will sin.
I know this is strange, but there are people who take delight in causing sects, factions, setting folks at odd with one another. This is spoken against In Galatians 5:20. Prayer is called for in this case along with Bible teaching.

Then again, there are folks who love to have the say-so. Power is their thing.
Third John verse 9, speaks of Diotrephes. He prohibits others from fulfilling the law of Christ to love one another, even putting those who do, out of the church. Sometimes there are wolves in sheep’s-clothing in churches. The church needs to stand up for the cause of Christ, yet, doing so in a godly way. See Matthew 18:15-20. The parable following that passage shows an example of how to stand up to those practicing such sinful behavior.

Here’s what Paul said.
He was determined not to put a stumbling block in a brother’s way, Romans 14:13. He gives best practice in Colossians 3:12-14, NLT. “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”

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Matthews St. church of Christ

Garland Van Dyke

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Email ID: garland.churchofchrist@gmail.com

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Bay City, TX 77414

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