Liberty and Stumbling Block

Romans 15:1-2

"We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

"Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.  Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.  However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble."

I once had a discussion with a pastor who was just beginning a church. He was explaining his philosophy on drinking alcohol and stated that he would feel comfortable having a beer with some men from his congregation. I remember being very off put by this, in my youth, because of two reasons: one, I had been raised to believe that those in leadership should abstain from alcohol, and two, because I have seen the destructive tole alcohol has on people. I remember something that he said during our discussion, after I asked him his thoughts on being a stumbling block for those that might struggle with alcoholism in his congregation. He said that those that are weak should be raised up to the standard of everyone else. That we in leadership should not give up our liberty in Christ and go down to the weaker, but that we should raise the weaker up to our standard. In some ways, what he said made sense, but this verse immediately jumped into my head. Does not this verse teach us otherwise? I believe that this verse can teach us a very important lesson on our liberty in Christ. 

Firstly, the context is quiet interesting, since in the previous chapter, Paul addressed that we as Christians should not judge one another for the liberty that we each have in Christ. Therefore, if this pastor friend of mine would like to drink, I am in no place to judge him. God calls us each to different things, and just because my conviction says not to drink alcohol does not mean that this is the rule. God has said that we are not to get drunk, and one beer is not going to make anyone drunk. Even so, I have always been intrigued by something Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:13 - "Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble." I have always substituted the meat sacrificed to idols in this passage (something that does not really apply to my life) with alcohol. Although I have the knowledge that drinking alcohol is not a sin (but rather becoming drunk), I refrain from it. I do this because of two reasons: one, I have dear friends who with great conviction are against drinking even a drop of the stuff, and two, I am in a place of influence with a group of young men that I disciple and some men who struggle with alcoholism. If one of them saw me drinking, and decided that it was ok, and then  was snatched up by the enemy in bondage, I would feel so much shame that my liberty is what caused it. But causing my brother to stumble does not only mean to fall into alcoholism, for judging one another is also a sin, and so my friends who are against drinking would be in grave danger of falling into the snares of the enemy also. Some people would say that it is not my reponsibility to worry about what my actions will do to those around me. Well, they don't say it like that, because that sounds selfish. They say things like, "I can't help that the things I do cause someone else to stumble. Why should I be responsible for others?" I would say, because Jesus said so. It is not about me. It is not about what is best for me. It has always been about others. I lay down my life for others. This does not just mean that I jump in front of bullets, but rather on a daily basis, I lay down my rights for the sake of others. I say rights, because sometimes we feel like it is our right to do this or have that. We think that these rights give us freedom to do whatever we wish with no thought of anyone else. My question would be, what about Jesus' rights? Didn't you say you wanted to be like Jesus? He never thought of Himself, but laid down His life for the sake of everyone else. And as a follower of Christ, I strive to do the same. As I have said previously, I do not judge others on their decision about whether to drink or not to drink, and this idea of laying down our liberty for the sake of those weaker members goes far beyond the topic of alcohol. I would ask that we all pray and ask God to reveal the selfishness in our lives, and that He would do the work to help us become more like Jesus.