Read Romans 14:1-15:7
Paul instructs us, instead of passing judgment and condemning one another we are to make it easy for other people to follow the Lord. If it is against another’s conviction to do any of those things that I talked about earlier, or whatever else it may be then I believe that we as believers, if we are aware that an action causes others condemnation if they were to do it, are to avoid doing what goes against another's conviction. We are to be wise in the actions that we take to not cause others to stumble, especially when the action is debatable.
Let me give you a really clear example. An area of differing conviction is people’s stance on drinking alcohol. There are some believers who do not believe that it is right to consume alcoholic beverages of any sort at all. There are some who have no restrictions about it and there is about every stance in between. However, because there are those who have conviction that it is sinful to drink then it may be wise and beneficial to others to not get an alcoholic beverage when you are out and about.
In the church in Rome it was not wise for those who were strong to cause those who were weak to stumble by eating meat sacrificed to idols. In the Church in the world today the idea is similar. Those who are strong in their faith are to not cause those around them to stumble. Are you living in such a way as to please yourself, not worrying about if you're putting a stumbling block and someone's path or are you thinking about your life and your actions so that you are not a stumbling block? Are you someone who builds up other people instead of causing them to stumble?
Take time to think about the way that you live your life and to see if there is anything that you do that creates a stumbling block in others' walk with God. Do not judge or condemn one another’s belief based on what you think is right or wrong compared to them, instead do what builds up God’s church. Choose to live your life holy and pleasing to the Lord, not causing your brothers and sisters in Christ and non-believers as well to stumble.
Is the way that you are living your lives to please ourselves or is it to build up God's Church? We are called to build up God’s church. It is a sacrifice to live this way but by presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice we offer true and proper worship to the Lord. (Romans 12:1)
Have a blessed week and may you become more like Him as you seek to live your life in such a way that is holy and pleasing to the Lord
