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#4. How Will This Impact Others? “Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,” (1 Corinthians 10:32, ESV). The Greek text here says that we should become ἀπρόσκοπος [ap·ros·kop·os/] literally “not-before-view-ers” The word picture is of a non-Christian Jew or Greek or even a Christian brother or sister trying to look at God, but they can’t see God because you keep stepping in front of their line of sight so that it is blocked by your presence.
Notice other passages of a similar vein:
& 1 Corinthians 8:13 (ESV) 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
& Romans 14:13 (ESV) 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
& 2 Corinthians 6:3 (ESV) 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
In context, Jews should have been offended with idols. For a Christian to eat food offered to an idol would give them a wrong impression. For the Gentile, idols were part of life. For either Jew or Greek to come to Christ and witness a Christian in this context eating food that has been known to be part of idol worship would be a great offense to them. Now Paul would call these new Christians: a weaker brother (see Romans 14:2). In Romans 14 the weak had a very sensitive conscious regarding such things as how the meat was used; certain days being holier than other; and the consummation of alcohol. The assumption is that as they matured in the faith that they would have a better grasp on some of these issues. But for now the mature Christian needs to treat them with care so that they do not stumble in the walk with the Lord. As Matthew Henry comments: "Note: A Christian should be a man devoted to God, and of a public spirit."[1]
All of us encounter this. I recall a couple that had lived their non-Christian lives in bars and nightclubs. They were shocked that the church they entered had drums, lights, full bands etc.; and that the music was of a similar genre. Others we encounter have an acute sensitivity to the playing of cards, attending theatres, certain activities on Sundays, and so on. The list is almost endless.
The point is that in our freedom and enjoyment of God's provisions to us, we must be careful as to not allow "these things" to block another's view of who God really is and what the Gospel really is.
The bottom line, we got to respect where other people are coming from. A bit of meat, a movie, a card game is not important enough to cause them to stumble.
[1] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew
Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume
(1 Co 10:23–33). Peabody: Hendrickson.
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