RTW November 20
Make the Weak Strong
But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.
1 Corinthians 8:9
My Takeaways
Something Old
God is more impressed by love than knowledge. (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)
Something New
I’m free, be careful how I use my freedom.
Don’t use my freedom to keep someone else from having their freedom.
How to cause someone to stumble over our freedom?
- Criticize:
to find fault; judge unfavorably or harshly. - Condemn:
to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on; - Challenge:
to take exception to; call in question
Offending the weaker brother or sister is actually offense to Christ.
How to influence others to want your freedom?
- Love them: Help them stand rather than cause them to stumble.
“Many persons cover a spirit of envy and uncharitableness with the name of godly zeal and tender concern for the salvation of others; they find fault with all; their spirit is a spirit of universal censoriousness; none can please them; and every one suffers by them. These destroy more souls by tithing mint and cummin, than others do by neglecting the weightier matters of the law. Such persons have what is termed, and very properly too, sour godliness.” (Adam Clarke)
Something to Do
Be careful not be a stumbling block to someone else’s freedom.