A Stumbling Block; Give and Take⤒🔗

Is it possible and is it allowed that within the Christian community there can be such differences of opinion about a Christian lifestyle in personal and social interactions? Is that not a matter of just existing quietly alongside each other, without too much contact? Or avoiding each other so that you do not collide with each other? Do the lives of “the strong” and “the weak” in one congregation not become impossible because of harsh words and easily offended, by evading glances and aggressive people?

In this connection, we often say: do not be a stumbling block. But how difficult that proves to be in practice! There just are people who very quickly stumble over something. So,  when someone is stumbling over something, should we then always stop being a stumbling block?

But then life in the congregation becomes somewhat cramped when everyone must watch carefully if there is irritation or a stumbling block somewhere.

But does Paul mean with “stumbling block” the same as what we mean with “irritation”? The apostle uses the following words (Rom. 14:13-15):

1. a stumbling block; someone is travelling and stumbles on the way. He can no longer remain standing.
2. a hindrance; someone is ambushed, and therefore falls.
3. to be grieved; someone has a painful experience, so that it grieves his conscience
   (see 2 Cor. 2:2; Eph. 4:30).
4. destruction; someone’s salvation is in jeopardy, and that even through food! The one bears no relation to the other.

From the above it becomes clear that the concept of “stumbling block” contains much more than irritation. Paul says e.g., in Romans 9:32-33 about the Jews also that they have stumbled over the stumbling stone and have taken offense. Namely about the gospel of Christ. They are not just irritated; they lost track, they have fallen.

And then he now points to the danger that the weak, out of disappointment, with pain in their hearts, turn their backs on the church. For then it becomes for him even more dangerous; there is destruction and disaster ahead.

Also in this “the weak” are weak, that they do not organize themselves or adopt a demonstrative stance (“if you do that, I’ll walk out of church”)—but they can find themselves pushed into a corner. But then such a person would stumble over you, says Paul, and over your eating or living habits. The strong person can with his power very easily overpower the weak person (literally and figuratively).

But then exactly he can be asked to hold on to the weak person and not push him away.

That means that the freedom in Christ has a border, namely the border of love. See Romans 13:10 — Love does no wrong to a neigbour.

And also in 1 Corinthians 13 (about the love within the congregation): “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Now two dangers threaten us. The first one is that the weak person will use this as a means of coercion. I take offense at this, I ask you to leave that because of me. However,. the one who eats, eats in honour to the Lord, while the one who abstains, abstains in honour to the Lord (Rom. 14:6).

The second danger primarily affects the strong person. He may not demonstrably go his own way, under the motto: it would be ridiculous if someone would leave the church because of this. Then it is no longer being persuaded in the Lord Jesus (Rom. 14:14) but being provocative. Make sure that the weak do not lose you, and that you do not lose them!

Work In Progress←⤒🔗

All of this is summarized in Paul’s word about what makes for mutual upbuilding (Rom. 14:19) and his warning in verse 20: do not destroy the work of God.

The concept of “upbuilding” also plays a large role in the first letter to the Corinthians (see 1 Cor. 3:9; 8:1; 14:3, 5, 12, 26). The congregation is a house, of which God is the builder. That is his work; carefully he stacks up the stones. But then we ought not to work against that great work with which God is busy. Where God adds people to the building, we ought not to pry them loose again. Then you are destroying and not building up. This also applies to all differences between the strong and the weak. We must weigh our viewpoint, our words, and our actions on the weight scales of love. Then much will be found too light, and not suitable to build with.

Now this comparison of a building and bricks is inadequate at one point. The image is perhaps too static, too unwavering for us. But the bricks are people. People can grow, can adapt, can change. And is there not a key for how we should deal with one another? God’s work is in a phase of building up. It is a long-term work, which requires much patience. And so, there is also a process in the congregation, a process of being built up and growing in faith (Eph. 4:15-16).

Do we not commit ourselves too quickly? Do we not dig ourselves in too deeply, in positions already taken? But then you miss the flexibility needed, also toward your brothers and sisters. Give them the time to come along. If God draws all of us along, then we cannot let go of one another prematurely. For God does not build two projects at the same time, so that a strong building arises besides a weak building. It is and stays one building.

And the work is still in progress. Only when the work is completely finished, then we are strong together, in Christ.