Knowing What to Do
It’s been said that although some things are permissible, not all things are profitable. Each day we are confronted with countless choices and make decisions that collectively determine the course for our lives. Sometimes our decisions result in unintended consequences. Consider food for a moment. Food is necessary to nourish our bodies and help our bodies grow strong. Over time, our food choices affect our health and life expectancy. Although food is a spiritually neutral subject, how we interact with food has spiritual consequences. At the two extremes, we have the anorexic who eats too little, and the glutton who eats too much. Now, at over 225 pounds, I’m not going to throw stones at anyone who likes to eat, however, I must recognize that late evening snacks and love affairs with chocolate are unhealthy both physically and spiritually. It is our aim as Christians to make healthy decisions for our souls and bodies. Even spiritually neutral things like money, dancing, food, entertainment, dress, and work ethic can cause us to sin. That’s why we should consider applying biblical principles to our decisions making process.
Mature Christians consciously evaluate their decisions and conduct. They are also aware that their conduct in seemingly benign activities can affect the spirituality of others. Today’s epistle from St. Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 8:8 - 9:2) reminds us that other people observe our conduct and we must behave in such a way that we do not cause our Christian brethren to sin.
Our actions may have negative consequences for our Christian brethren and St. Paul reinforces this point with an example from his era. At the time, the Roman Empire was predominately pagan. Pagan temples were decorated with idols and statues of false gods. Early Christians knew that the pagan idols were not real gods, but false gods made out of wood and stone. St. Paul makes the point that a mature Christian at the time would not see anything initially wrong with eating meat at a pagan temple that was offered to idols. Christians firm in their beliefs were not tempted to deny their faith and to return to accepting the pagan customs back into their daily lives. These mature Christians could associate with pagans because they were spiritually strong and their association posed no threat to their Christian beliefs.
St. Paul cautions that although mature Christians know that eating food does not affect their relationship with God, they should be cautious to eat meat offered to idols because it could affect the faith of others weaker in the faith. Weaker Christians lack the discernment of their more mature brethren and be drawn into renouncing their Christian beliefs and return to their pagan past. St. Paul is advising that although each of us has certain rights, we must be careful how we use our freedoms. St. Paul points out that if weaker Christians see their more mature Christians eating at the pagan temple, they may misinterpret the situation and conclude that it is also permissible for them to participate in eating idol meat. Unfortunately, the weaker brethren are susceptible to spiritual dangers associated with pagan ritual and the weaker Christians lack the discernment and spiritual foundation to resist sin. St. Paul advises that we must exercise our freedom carefully because it can have unintended consequences and becoming a stumbling block to other Christians. The Greek word used for stumbling block is “proskomma.” A stumbling block is something that is in one’s direct path; it’s an obstacle that might cause the unwary traveler to trip, stumble, or fall. St. Paul is advising us that we don’t want our behavior to be an obstacle where others imitate our behavior and stumble in the faith because they lack our spiritual discernment and maturity. In order to avoid being a stumbling block in other Christian’s lives, here are four suggestions that apply today’s epistle to our modern world.
Other People Watch What We Do
One thing we must consider when we act is that other people observe our actions. Our society consistently places Christians under the microscope and attempts to humiliate our faith by poking fun at our conduct and beliefs. Our coworkers, neighbors, friends, and even family also evaluate our behavior and scrutinize whether we are living a life consistent with the Gospel. Foul language, gluttony, drinking too much alcohol, inappropriate clothing, and our overall demeanor must reflect biblical values because our conduct may lead others to incorrectly conclude that our faith is a sham. Even though we occasionally fall short of God’s standards, our Lord’s love, grace, and mercy can transform us into to a living witness for His Kingdom. Before we act, we must remember to be conscious of our conduct because other people are watching us and forming judgment. Let us live in such a way that edifies and brings glory to our Master.
Care for the Welfare of Others
The main point of today’s epistle is caring about the spiritual welfare of others. Mature Christians understand that they must encourage others and avoid placing fellow Christians in tempting situations. St. Paul went so far as to say that we are guilty of sin if we place our less experienced Christians in situations where their conscience is wounded. Our conscience is our first line of defense against sin and it is God’s way of keeping us out of danger. We can damage the conscience of an immature believer when they see us doing something that bothers their conscience. This causes them to change their behavior because they conclude that what is permissible for us is permissible for them. By imitating our behavior and by going against their conscience, the weaker Christian leaves herself open to potential temptations beyond her defenses to the degree that her spiritual life can be harmed. Therefore, we must closely consider our actions so they are not misinterpreted by others and cause them to sin. We must successfully divert them from danger and consider the effect on their salvation before we exercise our freedom in Christ.
Duty of the Whole Church to Nurture Young Believers and Keep them from Harm
The Church’s responsibility is to preach to Gospel to all people and to nurture the faithful. Just as a mother protects a young child from harm, the Church is called to protect, nurture, and develop young Christians so that they can live virtuous lives, proclaims the “Good News,” and serve God. The Church understands that if we were to wound a weak brother so that he sins, our conduct is a sin against the whole Christian community because we are all interconnected. If our behavior causes weaker brethren to renounce their Christian beliefs, our sins are sins directly against our Lord because they rob Him of a soul for which He died. Churches are obligated to monitor the conduct of their faithful and keep their less mature believers from falling into harmful situations.
St. Paul serves as our perfect example of Christian conduct because his actions are routed in love. St. Paul recognizes that he would never bear the burden of causing someone to stumble because of his actions. Fellow brothers in Christ, strangers, and even enemies are to be treated especially well because we are all created by God and are made in His image. Collectively, as God’s community we are to teach and encourage our fellow believers to use judgment when exercising freedom. In the end, we are really not free to do what we want because we bear the responsibility of our actions. It’s no accident that monastic communities place behavioral restrictions on their membership to minimize temptation and eliminate situations that derail the development of their monks. Our challenge is to become more involved in each other’s spiritual lives to that we can collectively build up the body of Christ, correct dysfunctional behavior, and serve God in a common spirit of love.
How We Should Act So We Don’t Cause Others to Sin
Helping fellow Christians avoid sinful temptations requires a sober evaluation of our world and spiritual discernment. Not only must we strive to become holy people, but act in such a way that we further God’s Kingdom. Living Spirit-filled lives involves self-restraint in all things. Modesty curbs our desire to overindulge and gives others the impression that we should live within our means. Modest living also keeps us humble and cognizant that we are dependent on God’s blessings and mercy. Humility should be the pursuit of all Christians because our purpose is to point others to Christ rather than seek personal attention. Humble Christians are grounded in the faith and they are a positive example for those new to the faith. Our spiritual development is also routed in humility. Our salvation and the attainment of virtue can only be accomplished through God’s grace. These graces become available to us when we humbly submit our entire being to serving the almighty God. The best way to help others mature in the faith is to become an example of holiness and virtue. Holiness should be the aim of every believer. Holy people understand God’s will for their lives along with His plan to transform His creation. Holy people are also sensitive people and they comprehend the spiritual ramifications of their actions. True saints, true holy men, and women of God are consistent in their conduct. They can only act in one manner – They live their lives like St. Paul by proclaiming the Gospel, bringing people to Christ, nurturing the faithful, and modify their behavior so that they keep fellow brethren from falling. The best way to nurture young people in the faith is to become holy people, living sacrifices to God, and a witness to the world.
As I conclude, I want summarize that we should become more conscious of our actions. The acid test of our behavior is whether we bring people closer to Christ, or whether we are a stumbling block for those coming to the faith. More specific, this is a great time for us to examine overlooked aspects of our lives where we may give the wrong impressions. For example, do we wear modest clothing, or is our dress flamboyant, revealing, and provocative? Do we treat office workers with respect, or do we use foul language, order subordinates around, and pass on our work to others? Do we drink too much at social gatherings so that co-workers, friends, and neighbors question our Christian roots? Are we too competitive on the tennis or basketball court? Are we good winners or losers? Do we cuss, throw our racquets, and blame the officials?
My friends, living a Christ-centered life is not easy. We all become distracted by the world’s many temptations and diversions. Perhaps, if we each pay closer attention to our own behavior we can help each other reach our common goal of God’s Kingdom. I pray that our lives are constant pursuit of holiness. Amen.
