Freedoms Can Stumble, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

"Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

"Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

"However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

"But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble."

     Verse 1 tells us that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up and edifies. Knowledge says, "I can eat this food sacrificed to an idol because I know that an idol is really nothing at all. The only thing that makes this food unclean is a man thinking that an idol is indeed something, and since I know it is nothing I am free to eat as I please." Knowledge can bring people to have an attitude that says, "It doesn't matter to me what others think, I know that this is alright to do and therefore I am going to do it". But love does not act this way. Love takes others into consideration, and love brings people to sacrifice their freedoms for another's sake. Love says, "Though I know I am not sinning by eating this, I will sacrifice my freedom because my brother of weak conscience feels that it is a sin and I don't want my freedoms to stumble him".
     In today's culture we don't have the same issue with food sacrificed to idols, but we still have the issue of our freedoms stumbling another believer. Some people may have been alcoholics before they came to Christ, and therefore have a very strong conviction about alcohol. They will not go near it, and they feel that Christians ought not drink because they know the power that alcohol can have over a person's life. Another believer may have never had a problem with alcohol in his life and actually enjoys a glass of wine or a bottle of beer here and there, drinking occasionally and socially. Neither of these believers are wrong in their convictions, and neither are "correct". It is simply the conviction they have that was given them by the Holy Spirit to help them walk with God in purity. Neither has the right to say the other is wrong, and neither should feel that they themselves are wrong, comparing themselves with another's convictions.
     But say these two people are good friends and are going out to a dinner party where they know there are unsaved people. They both want to make a good impression and show the love of Christ to these people. So the one who has the conviction about alcohol makes sure not to drink, and to let everyone know that he does not drink because he wants to be seen as different, as set apart for the Lord. But the other who has the freedom to drink decides that he will drink if it is offered to him so he can fit in and show that Christians are people too, and that Christianity is not rules and regulations but a loving relationship with our loving God.
     They both have pure motives, and neither are in sin. Yet if the brother with the conviction to abstain from alcohol sees the other drinking and is so stumbled, then it is the one with the freedom who has sinned. The one with the conviction not to drink may get the idea that since he is in Christ that now he can drink and it will be okay, and so he may take a drink and so violate his conscience and the convictions the Lord gave him. To disregard another's convictions to enjoy your freedoms and so violate the conscience of your brother is to sin against Christ, for it is Christ who gave them those convictions so that they may remain pure and holy, set apart for His purposes.

     We have to be careful not to judge another believer for their convictions. We all have different areas in our lives that cause us to stumble, and we are all weak in different areas. What is right for one person may be wrong to another. We should never allow our freedoms to cause those with convictions to stumble, for this is not the will of God. It is God's will that we put others above ourselves, and so sacrifice our right to enjoy certain things if it means that we will damage the conscience of another believer.
     If a woman feels she has the freedom to wear certain types of clothing that are not necessarily provocative, but not entirely conservative, and she is hanging around a brother who has, in the past, had problems with sexual temptations, it is not the brother's problem that he is being tempted to sin, but the woman's problem for she has abused that freedom.
     I believe that in regards to clothing, though we may feel free to dress a certain way and have no problem with it, we should dress as modestly as we can (within reason-- I'm not talking headdresses and covered ankles here) so that no matter who we come in contact with we will not be likely to stumble another believer. In regards to alcohol, though we are free to drink it, though it is lawful-- all things that are lawful are not necessarily beneficial to us. Alcohol provides little benefit as compared to many temptations and dozens of potential problems, so in my opinion it is best, whether you have freedom or not, not to mess with it because it has the potential to bring you under its control.
     It is a foolish thing to do to place yourself in any place where you could possibly be tempted, whether you feel you have the freedom to do something or not. You can't trust your own flesh to be strong enough to resist temptation, and it's not a good idea to test God. Jesus Himself said that it is written, "do not put the Lord to the test". If you are attracted to someone and are not married to them, it would be a foolish, foolish thing to put yourself in a position where you are alone with that person in a private place. It would be like puting a sign around your neck that says, "Hey, Satan, come and tempt me!". Paul told Timothy, "flee youthful lusts". This is not a passive avoidance of things if it's convenient for you, but an active avoidance of things at any cost-- as if your life depended on it. Desire purity and holiness at all costs; do not intentionally subject yourself to areas that the devil can tempt you in. Even if you've never had a problem with an area before, it is not beyond Satan to give you a problem in that area. Just be smart and avoid areas of controversey.

     The bottom line is-- pray, pray, pray about every issue and every matter that may be controversial. The Lord knows what to do in every circumstance!