Christians
Don't Cause Anyone to Stumble
1 John 4:20 (NLT) If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen?
1 John 2:10 (NLT) Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble.
Someone says they love God (wholeheartedly). Therefore, they must also love their brother man (if they truly love God and obey His Spirit). Some believe it does not matter which day of the week they assemble to worship the Lord. But, even if it were true that we were free to desecrate the Sabbath (or if the Sabbath was already desecrated [not holy]), I am convinced that a true believer, with the love of God in their heart, would find themselves assembling on the Lord’s Holy Day (the seventh-day). (I am not suggesting that the seventh-day is not holy or necessary to observe, I am presenting an additional reason why “others” should find themselves in the house of God on His day).
Some believe they must observe the seventh-day, and believe it is a sin to do otherwise. Some others (further referred to as “first-day observers”) believe it does not matter which day the Lord is worshipped. I believe “first-day observers” should be convicted of violating Romans 14:20-22 and 1 Corinthians 8:8-10. They feel they have liberty to serve the Lord when ever they choose, but some how “first-day observers” don’t feel bound by the Law of Christ to remove the hedge separating the two “trains of thought”. If it were true that “first-day observers” were truly free to assemble when they choose, and totally disregard the seventh-day, they should know they are giving a perception of disobedience to weak brethren and therefore placing stumbling blocks in the path of those that they must love, if they (“first-day observers”) love the Lord.
Romans 14:20-22 (NLT) Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble. Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble. You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right.
1 Corinthians 8:8-10 (NLT) It's true that we can't win God's approval by what we eat. We don't miss out on anything if we don't eat it, and we don't gain anything if we do. But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble. You see, this is what can happen: Weak Christians who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there's nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been dedicated to the idol.
It is my belief that the problem is not two ideologies or interpretations, but rather “flesh” / “carnality” that refuses to obey the voice of God. If you don’t believe the Sabbath is holy, you should be observing it anyway to be a light to those bound in Judaism, et al. But, there will be no light the way things are going, because Christendom is “free”.
Revelation 2:14 (NLT) And yet I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you who are like Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to worship idols by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.
Many bound by Judaism (Law) are impaired from receiving Jesus due to stumbling blocks. Although it is ultimately the Lord that inclines each of us to serve Him, we are commissioned by God to be a catalyst in the process of saving the world.
John 15:16 (KJV) Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
It appears that the vast majority of those that call themselves the church have no true concern if those under law are saved or not. [I wonder if this complacency is due to the false doctrine of a “pre-tribulation rapture”, which it is said Israel will be saved in a seven year period after the church is removed. (Too bad I can not ever find anyone who can scripturally even come close to defending this false doctrine that so many “believe”.)]
Many have made Sunday “their Sabbath”. But if the persons that have willingly chosen “man’s self-appointed Sabbath” over the Lord’s Sabbath were to exercise even a little of God’s love in their hearts, they would exercise something to the effect of:
If those under Judaism can not find God because I have esteemed the first-day over the seventh-day, I will as soon as possible, regard the seventh-day, so they will find life instead of death. This is the Law of Christ, fulfillment of the Law (OT) and love for my neighbor (Jewish or not).
Ezekiel 3:19-21 (NLT) If you warn them and they keep on sinning and refuse to repent, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved your life because you did what you were told to do. If good people turn bad and don't listen to my warning, they will die. If you did not warn them of the consequences, then they will die in their sins. Their previous good deeds won't help them, and I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. But if you warn them and they repent, they will live, and you will have saved your own life, too."
Matthew 5:19 (KJV) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:19 (KJV) Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Romans 13:10 (KJV) Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Galatians 5:14 (KJV) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
James 2:8-9 (KJV) If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Desecrating the seventh-day to esteem the first-day? Who’s mind is this? It is not God’s mind. God is not bipolar. God is not the author of confusion. We are not called to place stumbling blocks in our neighbor’s path, but we are to remove them.Romans 15:2 (NLT) We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord.
Philippians 2:5-6 (NLT) Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God.
Those that curse who the Lord has
blessed will have to take issue with the Lord.
Romans 15:3 (NLT) For even Christ didn't please himself. As the Scriptures say, "Those who insult you are also insulting me."
revised: 04/15/06