Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 4 of 5

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-03-08

Synopsis: In this fourth message on avoiding conflicts between Christians, Pastor John Weaver focuses on the biblical meaning of 'offense' as taught in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8. He explains that biblical offense involves encouraging a weaker brother to exercise a liberty without having the same knowledge, not merely upsetting or angering someone. The lecture clarifies that Christian liberty pertains to things indifferent—matters not inherently sinful—and that only the weak are offended in this sense. Weaver emphasizes that the strong must not condemn the weak but patiently teach them, while the weak must not judge the strong. The message is cut short, with a promise to continue the topic next week.

[John Weaver] Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. We'll probably be looking more in 1 Corinthians 8 today, but I do want to begin by reviewing and also by reading a passage from Romans chapter 14. Remember, we have been dealing with this subject, how to avoid conflicts between Christians. And we have preached three messages. Today is going to be the fourth. I will bring the fifth and final message, Lord willing, next Sunday. But may I point out that the message today is actually going to be cut in half, simply because I cannot cover all of it in one session. So you're going to have to be here to hear the rest of it, but at least I'm going to answer one important question for you, because we're going to be dealing with biblical offense and what it means to offend someone. So look in Romans chapter 14, beginning with verse 1, God says, Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he made all things, another who is weak eateth herbs.

[John Weaver] Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him. Who art thou that judges another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth, yet he shall be holding up, for God is able to make him stand.

[John Weaver] Now look in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, and let's begin reading there. The Apostle Paul says, now as touching things offered unto idols, We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing, yet is he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning, therefore, the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, or as there be gods many and lords many, But to us, there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit, there is not in every man that knowledge, for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat as a thing offered unto an idol, and their conscience being weakest defile.

[John Weaver] But meat commendeth us not to God, for neither if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worse. But take heed, lest by any means, as liberty of yours, become a stumbling block to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols? And through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died. But when you sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

[John Weaver] Now you must remember in the very first message in Romans chapter 14, I pointed out a number of things. First of all, that practical Christian living is based upon doctrine. And one of the reasons there are so many loose levers and so many ungodly people today, that is among professing Christians, is because there is so little doctrine taught and therefore they simply do not know the truth nor know how to apply the truth. We also learned in the first message that there are degrees of faith. There's a little faith, there's a great faith, there's a weak faith, there's a strong faith, and all degrees in between. In fact, in 1 John 2, John distinguished between believers by calling some babes or little children, other young men and other fathers in the faith.

[John Weaver] So all that is teaching us is this, that not everyone is on the same level doctrinally. That is, not everyone understands the same doctrine and not everyone understands how to make application. Hence, there's going to be a number of conflicts that arise. It's also critical for you and I to understand that a weak believer is still a believer. God does not tell us that it's only a strong faith that saves. No, it is faith in Christ that saves. No matter how weak one is in the faith, he's still to be counted as a believer and we're to receive them, scripture tells us, into friendship and into fellowship for God's honor and God's glory. Yet when we receive them, we're not to be critical and condemning and suppressing them. As scripture says, we're to receive them, but not to doubtful disputations.

[John Weaver] In the second message, just by way of review, I pointed out how It is absolutely impossible to argue someone into the faith or to argue them into changing their positions. The scripture is teaching us that the weak believers cannot be helped by criticism and condemnation. It is true we are to teach the Word of God, we are to instruct them in the faith, and we are to do so patiently, willingly, and regularly and consistently Yet we have to understand it is God and God alone who gives illumination, who gives enlightenment, and who gives understanding.

[John Weaver] The point I really want to emphasize is this. I do not care how excellent a teacher someone is. I do not care how patient that individual is. I do not care how great his outline is. It is only God who gives understanding. It is not in our power to make someone understand. And when we get angry and upset and we use such languages, what's wrong with you, dummy?

[John Weaver] Can't you see plain truth? Does absolutely no good because no one, whether saved or unsaved, can see any truth unless God opens their eyes. That's why in Acts 16 we read how the Lord opened Lydia's heart. With the result that she attended to the things which were spoken by Paul. And then the third message I showed you how the conflicts were arising, not only in Romans 14, but in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, over meats, and over festival days, and meats that had been sacrificed to idols. In fact, the apostle tells us in Romans chapter 14, that the strong believers were condemning the weak believers because of their ignorance, and because of their foolishness, And yet the weak believers were turning around and judging the strong believers because they did not believe that someone could eat meat that had been sacrificed to an idol and yet be a real genuine Christian. Now you've got to also remember this, that I pointed out in Romans 14, first Corinthians chapter eight. And I will emphasize this again today that we are dealing with things which are indifferent.

[John Weaver] And when I say things which are indifferent, I mean by that things that are not sinful in and of themselves. Things that are not clear, distinct violations of the Word of God. Eating meat is not sinful. Meat is not sinful in and of itself. And anytime you begin to place sin in anything material, or anything that's made of matter, then you've gone into Greek paganism, Greek dualism. Sin, according to the Bible, resides in the human heart. It does not reside in anything that is material.

[John Weaver] So, we have to understand also, and we did this hopefully in the third message, that there are ramifications for everything that we do for scripture tells us that no man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself and what people observe us and see us do will always have ramifications and therefore he's telling us in Romans 14 1st Corinthians chapter 8 that we are always to consider the weaker brethren now let me begin today by asking this question, what does it mean to offend? Or I could go a little bit further, what does it mean to offend someone biblically? We could reverse that and ask it like this, how is it that we are not to offend someone? Each of us have heard statements like this, I'm offended at that. Or be careful that you do not offend him. Or if you offend him, He will probably leave. Well, we've not only heard those statements in all probability, we've made those statements ourselves. But what in the world does it mean to offend someone biblically?

[John Weaver] There are two Greek words that are used throughout the New Testament that are translated as offend. The first one is the Greek word skandalon. It is where we get our English word scandal from. And the second one is the word proskama. The Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, uses these words exactly as the New Testament does. The word that is used most often is the word skandalon, from which we get that English word scandal.

[John Weaver] How do you scandalize someone? Let me tell you what a scandalon was in Bible times and how it came to be used to mean an offense or a snare or a stumbling block. Do you realize when you were trapping animals, there was a stick that was put up on the trap that had the bait on it. when the animal hit that stick, and the stick fell, and the trap fell upon the animal, that stick that held the bait was called the skandalon. So, when the animal was entrapped or snared, he was scandalized. So actually the word came to mean then, to entrap someone or something deceitfully. It meant to put a stumbling block in some way, in someone's way, to be an offense to cause them to fall.

[John Weaver] Now, if you've been paying attention not only in the last three messages, but even in the review today, you understand that the problem that arose in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans chapter 14 were over meats and over festival days. In fact, they were upset because some Christians were eating meat that had been sold in the shambles. That's found in 1 Corinthians 10. You remember I told you the shambles was nothing more than a discount meat market and that meat that was not given to the idol in sacrifice, it was there put into the shambles and people were going there and buying that meat and eating it. Moreover, they were going into the idol's temple and eating meat as well. So here's this conflict then that arose between the strong and the weak.

[John Weaver] Now, let me begin by showing you what is involved. First of all, Christian liberty is involved and the issue surrounds things that are indifferent. Look in 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 9. Just showing you that Christian liberty is involved. And the issue surrounds things that are indifferent. 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 9, the apostle Paul says, but take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. So here he's talking about this liberty. And by the way, the word liberty here literally means power or right. It is exactly the same word that is used in John 1, 11, and 12. Let me just quote it.

[John Weaver] Referring to Christ, He came into His own, but His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him, to them He gave power, or authority, and right to become the sons of God. So here the word liberty means power or right. So when we're talking about meat, When we're talking about festival days, we're talking about things that are indifferent. Let me emphasize that we're not talking about things that are sinful. Things that are sinful in and of themselves are not things that are indifferent.

[John Weaver] In 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Bible says, Whosoever committed sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. So a violation of God's law is not something that is indifferent. A violation of God's law is sin and rebellion. So what are things that are indifferent? Things that are indifferent are things which are not condemned in the Word of God. And they are things in which the consciences of believers do not uniformly hold as identical.

[John Weaver] In other words, there is no uniform faith. The illustration of Mies. The illustration of festival days.

[John Weaver] Now, something that is indifferent is not sinful. Now listen carefully. It may not be wise. It may not be expedient. But it is not sinful. Okay?

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you an illustration. Here's what I'm trying to emphasize. I've told you before I've never had a beer in my entire life. And I have it. And I don't want one. And I don't need one. But suppose, let's suppose for some reason someone handed me a beer and I decided I would taste it. Now, Is the beer sinful in and of itself? No. No. Would I become a sinner if I drank the beer?

[John Weaver] And the answer is no. Alcohol is not sinful in and of itself. But let me ask you another question. Suppose I took that beer and drank it when five or six hundred people were watching me and many of them had real problems with that. Could a conflict arise? Oh yeah.

[John Weaver] Now, here's what the Apostle Paul is saying. You take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours will become a stumbling block to them that are weak.

[John Weaver] Now, the Scripture makes it clear that you and I have been freed from traditionalism, ceremonialism, pragmatism, subjectivism. Do you understand that our consciences are to be bound only to the Word of God? We have been freed from the practices, the traditions, and the inventions of men. So when someone comes along and says, You must observe this tradition and you must do this exercise and you must do it in the way that it is prescribed or else you will be a sinner and you will be under the judgment of God.

[John Weaver] That is not true, folks. That is not true. The only thing that can bind our consciences is the Word of God. Not the traditions of men, not the teachings of the Pharisees, not the teachings of the Sadducees, not the teaching of anyone or anything, but just simply the Word of God. That's why in Galatians 5 in verse 1, the Scripture says, listen carefully, stand fast! Therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Wow. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5 in verse 13 is equally clear when Paul writes, For brethren, you have been called unto liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion of the flesh, but by love serve one another.

[John Weaver] So the point I'm trying to make is this. Things that are indifferent are not sinful in and of themselves, They may become a source of conflict because some people do not have correct biblical knowledge and some people want to take their traditions and their inventions and bind them on the conscience of other people and make them do exactly as they do. So, when we're talking about Christian liberty, we're talking about things that are indifferent and things that are not sinful in and of themselves. Meat is not sinful. Not observing a certain day is not sinful. Observing a certain day is not necessarily sinful in and of itself. But when you begin to try to make that a practice and a pattern and a demand for everyone, then there's going to be real problems. Secondly, I want you to note this. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It's not the strong, it's the weak. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge, for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol. Now watch, and their conscience being weak is defile. Skip down to verse 9. But take heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. Look in verse 11. And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died. Now verse 12. But when you so sin against the brethren and whom their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. So it's only the weak then who stumble and fall. To stumble and to go contrary to one's conscience is a sign of weakness. The Bible says in Proverbs 24 and verse 10, If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

[John Weaver] If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Now, notice if you would, the Apostle Paul is talking about these individuals having a weak conscience. Do you know what a conscience is? How do you know whether you have a weak conscience or a strong conscience? The Greek word for conscience is the word sunēdēsis. Sunē is a preposition which means with. Edēsis means to know. So your conscience is that which you know with. You look at our English word conscience. Con is a preposition which means with, science means to know. Your conscience is that which you know with. So your conscience then is your mind, it is your understanding, it is that which you know with.

[John Weaver] So When you therefore go contrary to that which you know or to that which you believe to be true, it's a sign of weakness. You're giving up and you're giving in to that which you believe and that which you think to be true. Look back in your Bibles to Romans 14 and verse 5. Talking about certain days, look what he says. Romans 14, verse 5. He says, one man esteemeth one day above another. Another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Lord, you ought to know what you believe. You ought to know whether or not you believe a day is special or a day is not special. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Now skip down to verse 22, Romans 14. Look what he says now. Keep this in the context because we're talking about meets and days. He says in Romans 14 verse 22, Hast thou faith?

[John Weaver] Have it to thyself before God. In other words, if you've got faith in a special day, fine. Keep it to yourself and have it before God. Watch. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he allows. Watch. And he that doubteth is damned or condemned if he eat, that is, those meats, because he eateth not of faith, for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. So, it is not necessarily a sin for some weak individual to think, well, this steak is not any good because it was offered to an idol. But it's a sin if he turns around and eats it knowing he believes that because he's not eating in faith. Whatever we do, we're to do in faith. So it's the weak believers who are offended. It's not the strong believers, it's the weak believers.

[John Weaver] So, let me put it to you like this. It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience Unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you what will happen. Here's the way that you have been raised. Here's the way that you have been taught all of your life. And all of a sudden you realize the way that you have been raised, and the way that you have been taught is wrong. And you're going to retrain your conscience in that which is right, and the very first time you go contrary to the way that you've been raised and the way that you've been taught, all of a sudden, your conscience will scream bloody murder.

[John Weaver] And you will have to say to it, shut up. I'm re-instructing you. You will listen to the Word of God. you will bow to the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now you see, you and I, having been raised in a quote-unquote Christian civilization, we would have some of these conflicts because not all of us were raised biblically. But can you imagine what it would be like for someone who had been raised in idolatry all of their lives? to all of a sudden now go contrary to the way they had been raised? Of course their conscience is going to scream. So it's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless of course you are restructuring your conscience and bringing it into greater obedience to the Word of God. So we've understood, we're talking about in the context of offending now, So when we're talking about offending, we understand Christian liberty is involved. We also understand that it involves things that are indifferent. We also now understand it is the weak who are offended. So when someone says as a believer, I'm offended at that, what they're saying is I'm a weak Christian. Literally. That's what they're admitting. That's what they're confessing.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, I want you to listen. Those who are weak, offended, and stumble do so because of ignorance. Those who are weak, offended, and stumble are so and do so because of ignorance.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 8. And look, if you would please, at verse 4. 1 Corinthians 8, verse 4. As concerning, therefore, the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other god but one. For though there be that that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there be gods many and lords many, But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge, for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Now, let me point out, and I did so in lesson number three, but I must do it again today, that the Apostle Paul is not speaking of the heathen in verse 7, when he says, how be it there is in not every man that knowledge, he is speaking of Christians.

[John Weaver] He is not saying that there are Christians that do not know that God is the only one true and living God. He's not saying that at all. What he is saying is there are, or at least there were Christians in the Corinthian church, who knew that an idol was nothing and that there was but one God, yet somehow they thought that that idol had such an influence over the meat that somehow that meat then was rendered unclean and therefore

[John Weaver] it was defiled and could not and should not be eaten. Which, of course, is clearly a lack of knowledge.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to verse 4. I want you to look what the Apostle Paul does, and by the way, he identifies himself with the strong believers. He says in verse 4, concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, watch, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. Look in verse 6, but to us, that is to we, who are strong, and to us who know, there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him." He says, we know that an idol is nothing. And to us, there is only one sovereign God, who has absolute control over everything. That's why in Romans 11, in verse 36, the Apostle Paul said, So everything is off God, through God, and ultimately to God's honor and God's glory. So what the Apostle Paul is saying, If someone stumbles and falls and is offended, it is because of ignorance.

[John Weaver] Do you not remember how our Lord spoke of this even in the Old Testament? Help me out. In Hosea 4 and verse 6, what did He say? My people are destroyed for what? Lack of knowledge. Lack of knowledge. So, it's the weak then who stumble, it's the weak who fall, it's the weak who are offended.

[John Weaver] Now, let me try to answer the question, what it is to offend someone. How do I offend you, biblically speaking? How do you offend me, biblically speaking? And by the way, I'll point this out more next week. But you can only offend a weak brother. You can only offend a weak brother.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go to verse 10. Look what the apostle says. I want to show you what it means to offend someone. For if any man see thee which has knowledge, that's a strong person. If any man see thee which has knowledge, sit it meet in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered unto idols.

[John Weaver] Now the word translated emboldened is the same word which is used elsewhere in the New Testament and it's translated as edified. What do you do when you edify someone? You build them up or you strengthen them. By the way this is about the only place in the New Testament where this word is used in a bad sense. The Greek word actually refers to the erection of a house or a building.

[John Weaver] So let's look at verse 10 again and then let me explain it like this. He says, For if any man see thee which hast knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened, edified, strengthened to do those things which are offered unto idols. So the Greek word then refers to the erection of a house or a building The weak brother sees the strong brother exercising his liberty and therefore he is emboldened, he is encouraged to lay a foundation there and to erect a building there without having the knowledge of the strong brother. Years ago, I helped a man who was a brick mason. He was an excellent brick mason. And I only helped him a couple of days.

[John Weaver] And I thought, you know, this is a piece of cake. I can do this. So I was going to build myself a barbecue pit. So I mixed the mortar. I already had a foundation. I mixed the mortar and I started and I had my first wall of bricks up. And I let the mortar set. And I called my friend the brick mason over to look and see what I had done.

[John Weaver] And by the way, man, I had the level on it. I had that wall plumbed. I mean, I had it just right. It was only, you know, three feet high, something like that. I never will forget what he did. He put his hand on his chin and he walked around and he looked. Finally, he said, hmm. And he took his foot and kicked. And the whole thing just crumbled.

[John Weaver] Because the mortar was not mixed properly. I found out it wasn't a piece of cake. So I had tried to erect a building, are you listening? Without having his knowledge. And mine crumbled and fell. That's exactly what the Apostle Paul is talking about. I want you to look at verse 10, and I want you to look at verse 7, and then let me explain it. Look in verse 10.

[John Weaver] He said, For if any man see thee which has knowledge sit at meat in an idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols? Now go back to verse 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge, for some with conscience of the idol under this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol, and their conscience being weak, is defiled." Now, the way to understand the first word, conscience, in verse 7, is to understand it as a custom, practice, or habit. For there is not in every man that knowledge, for some, with custom, practice or habit of the idol in this hour it is a thing offered to an idol and their conscience at which they know with being weak is defiled in other words here were people who were in the habit of worshipping this idol prior to their conversion and they were in the habit of eating that meat with religious significance that it was somehow given to this idol and therefore that idol had some type of influence on it.

[John Weaver] And now the Apostle Paul says, for some strong brother to come by and go to that feast in the idol's temple and enjoy a good steak. When that weak brother sees it, him doing that, he's emboldened, he's encouraged to go there and to set up his house and to do the same thing, but he does not have the knowledge that the strong brother had, and therefore, his building collapses.

[John Weaver] Now I don't know if you've put two and two together yet, but let me put it together for you. Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage someone, a weak brother, to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding. Let me say that again. Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage a weak brother to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding. One does not sin by exercising his liberty. He only sins when he encourages a weak brother to do what he's doing without having his knowledge. What I want to show you the rest of the time today is this, that we have perverted the biblical doctrine of offense and we've made it to mean something entirely different from what the Scripture teaches.

[John Weaver] Let me give you some illustrations. All of us have heard this. Many of us have said this. Don't say that, it offends me. Translated, that means this. Shut up, I don't want to hear it. They're not encouraging us to do the same thing that they're doing without having their knowledge. No, no, no, no. We just don't want to hear it. How about this one? In fact, I had, I laughed because I actually had a woman tell me this one time.

[John Weaver] She said, I find your beard offensive. I laughed in her face. I said, dear lady, my beard could not possibly offend you because you could not do what I'm doing even if you had my knowledge. But what did she mean when she said, I find your beard offensive? Here's what she meant. Shave it off. I don't like it. That's what she meant. Please me. How about this one? Be careful not to offend him. Be careful not to offend Him.

[John Weaver] Let me translate that for you. Don't make Him mad or He might cuss you out. That's what it means. How about this one? He's offended. He's not coming back to church. You know what that really means? He doesn't like the way things are being done. And if He can't have His way, He's not coming back. That's what it really means. You don't offend someone by upsetting them. You don't offend someone by making them mad or angry. You don't offend someone by doing something that they do not like. No, no, no.

[John Weaver] You see, the problem is we've lost our theology of rebuke because we have misunderstood and misinterpreted the word offense. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Luke 17 very quickly in verses 1 and 2. Luke 17, verses 1 and 2. Watch carefully. Luke 17, verses 1 and 2. Here we go. When we read a passage like this, I will tell you what we automatically do. Luke 17, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come, but warn to him through whom they come. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, that he should offend one of these little ones." When we read a passage like that, we automatically interpret the word offend to mean to upset, to make mad, or to make angry, or to do something that someone does not approve.

[John Weaver] It has no such meaning. Christ upset and angered the Pharisees many times, yet He did not offend them in the biblical sense of the word. The truth is, using the word in another sense, Christ is an offense to many. They stumble over His deity. They stumble over His resurrection. They stumble over His lordship and His sovereignty. I could say it like this. Jesus Christ is a divinely ordained offense to those who refuse to submit to the Father and rebel against the truth. God ordained that those who refuse to bow to Him through Jesus Christ will stumble and fall. Look in your Bibles.

[John Weaver] to the book of Isaiah chapter 8. Isaiah 8 and verse 14. Isaiah 8, verse 14. Then we'll go to Romans 9. Isaiah 8, look in verse 14. We're talking about Jesus Christ. In fact, we can read verse 13,"...sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself, and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the house of Israel, and for a djinn, and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."

[John Weaver] What is the truth of God to people who refuse to believe? It's a snare. It's a djinn. It's a stumbling block. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 9 and verse 33. Romans 9, verse 33. Romans 9, look in verse 33. Look what God says, as it is written, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

[John Weaver] What is Jesus Christ to this world? He's a stumbling stone. He's a rock of offense. Look in Galatians 5 and verse 11. Galatians 5 verse 11.

[John Weaver] Look what Paul writes, And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased. Did you hear that? Then is the offense of the cross ceased. Have you ever wondered why most people do not really want to hear the gospel? It offends them in that sense of the word. They stumble over it. It's a stumbling stone. Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. Look at verses 7 and 8. 1 Peter 2 verses 7 and 8.

[John Weaver] In fact, let's go back to verse 6 because there, is the quote from Isaiah 8. 1 Peter 2 verse 6, God says, Wherefore, also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, who believe, he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed." Christ is a stumbling block and an offense to the wicked.

[John Weaver] Yet He is not encouraging them to do that which He is doing without having His knowledge. There is the sense in the word that people just get mad and get angry at the preaching of the gospel. That is true. But when you look at the word offense in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans chapter 14, to biblically offend, you can only offend a weaker brother, and that is by emboldening him or encouraging him to do that which you're doing without having your knowledge. Now, please understand this. The word offend does not mean to make mad or to make angry or to upset. Do you remember in Galatians chapter 2, Paul confronted Peter, and here's what Paul said, I said unto him before them all, and I mean he dressed Peter up one side and down the other. Do you think Paul kind of upset Peter? Probably did.

[John Weaver] Might have hurt his feelings. Might have made him mad. But he did not offend him. Not in the biblical sense of the word. In the context of Romans 14, in the context of 1 Corinthians 8, you can only offend a weaker brother, and you only do that when you're encouraging him to do what you're doing without having your knowledge.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to make just a couple of applications, and I'm going to stop right there, but I please want you to remember that I'm not anywhere near through with this message. And I'm going to try to tie everything together so that you can see what it really means to offend. Therefore, you will not be able or willing or desirous to offend a weak brother hereafter. And you will understand that, of course, offending does not mean to make mad. Okay?

[John Weaver] The first application is this. It should be duly emphasized again that those who are strong in the faith, those who have the most knowledge, are the ones who enjoy the most of God's creation. Let me put this another way. Those who are strong in the faith understand how to use God's creation without abusing it. I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. I want to show you several passages in this application. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Every one of us stay so busy that sometimes we do not have the time to wake up and smell the roses or the coffee, whatever you want to use. And Alice can tell you that for a multitude of years, when we traveled, all we did was just simply go there, preach, come back, go there, preach, come back, just busy, busy, busy. Until I began to read some of these passages. And I decided while I was there, you know, this is God's world, this is God's creation, And I should enjoy it. God put it here for me.

[John Weaver] Just like He put it here for you. I want you to see what the Bible says. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. And let's begin reading there at verse 21. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas. Are you looking? Or the world or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and you're Christ's, and Christ is God's. How much has God given us in Jesus Christ? Everything. Everything. Look in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 31. I quoted it, but I want you to see it. 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 31. Look, if you would, at what he says, 1 Corinthians 7, verse 31. And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world pass of the way. Do you realize there is a proper way to use and to enjoy God's creation? Where do you use it without abusing it now? turn in your Bibles to 1st Timothy chapter 6. 1st Timothy chapter 6 and look if you would please at verse 17.

[John Weaver] The first part of this verse may not apply to most of us because we're not rich. But the last part does. We're rich in a lot of ways but not necessarily always in worldly goods. Look what he says, first Timothy chapter six, verse 17, charge them that are rich in the world, that they be not high minded nor trusted on certain riches, but in the living God, look, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. How much has God given us to enjoy all things? All things are ours. And we're to learn to use this world without abusing it. Since it is the strong believers who have the most knowledge, according to Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Since it is a strong believers that understand Christian liberty. It is a strong who enjoy most of God's creation. because they understand that God has given us richly all things to enjoy.

[John Weaver] However, I might also add, it is our responsibility to patiently consider and educate and teach the weaker brethren. We're not to despise them, belittle them, or browbeat them. We're to help them. as we enjoy God's liberty and God's creation.

[John Weaver] Now, very quickly, one second application, that is this. You have to understand it's the weaker brethren who do not understand. And it's the weaker brethren who judge. The tendency of the strong is to condemn. So we have to fight against the tendency to condemn those who are ignorant Yes, and I'm using that word biblically. They are ignorant of the truth of God, the Word of God, the doctrine of God, the application of God. We have to be sure that we don't condemn them, but we help them and teach them.

[John Weaver] Let me say it like this. It's easy to condemn and it's easy to judge. It is far more difficult to search out the truth and seek the truth and seek the Lord to give us understanding and illumination and enlightenment. One takes time and has a great deal of labor and work and the other is very easy to do. So we have to fight the tendency of the flesh to condemn and to judge. and learn to study and seek the Lord for wisdom and understanding.

[John Weaver] But let me impress you with this. Biblically speaking, according to Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8, you can only offend a weaker brother. And to offend him biblically means to encourage him, to embolden him to do exactly the same thing that you are doing without having your knowledge. And I will explain that further next week. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace, for your mercy, for your kindness to us. We pray, Father, that you would indeed teach us, that you'd build us up in the most holy faith, that you would make us strong in the faith as Abraham was, that you would enable us to enjoy your creation and everything that you've given us. For you've given us richly all things. to enjoy. All are ours. This world, things present and things to come, all are ours. And we belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. And we give Thee the praise and the honor and the glory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.

[John Weaver] Amen. Amen.

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 4 of 5

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	N047GIFMXkg
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 153: How to Avoid Conflicts — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	71

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review of Previous Messages

Weaver reviews the series on avoiding conflicts, noting that practical Christian living is based on doctrine, there are degrees of faith, and weak believers are still believers to be received without condemnation.

Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. We'll probably be looking more in 1 Corinthians 8 today, but I do want to begin by reviewing and also by reading a passage from Romans chapter 14. Remember, we have been dealing with this subject, how to avoid conflicts between Christians. And we have preached three messages. Today is going to be the fourth. I will bring the fifth and final message, Lord willing, next Sunday. But may I point out that the message today is actually going to be cut in half, simply because I cannot cover all of it in one session. So you're going to have to be here to hear the rest of it, but at least I'm going to answer one important question for you, because we're going to be dealing with biblical offense and what it means to offend someone. So look in Romans chapter 14, beginning with verse 1, God says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 14:1-4

"Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs."

"Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth, yea, he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand." Now look in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, and let's begin reading there. The Apostle Paul says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

"Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled."

"But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

Now you must remember in the very first message in Romans chapter 14, I pointed out a number of things. First of all, that practical Christian living is based upon doctrine. And one of the reasons there are so many loose livers and so many ungodly people today, that is among professing Christians, is because there is so little doctrine taught and therefore they simply do not know the truth nor know how to apply the truth. We also learned in the first message that there are degrees of faith. There's a little faith, there's a great faith, there's a weak faith, there's a strong faith, and all degrees in between. In fact, in 1 John 2, John distinguished between believers by calling some babes or little children, other young men and other fathers in the faith.

So all that is teaching us is this, that not everyone is on the same level doctrinally. That is, not everyone understands the same doctrine and not everyone understands how to make application. Hence, there's going to be a number of conflicts that arise. It's also critical for you and I to understand that a weak believer is still a believer. God does not tell us that it's only a strong faith that saves. No, it is faith in Christ that saves. No matter how weak one is in the faith, he's still to be counted as a believer and we're to receive them, Scripture tells us, into friendship and into fellowship for God's honor and God's glory. Yet when we receive them, we're not to be critical and condemning and suppressing them. As Scripture says, we're to receive them, but not to doubtful disputations.

In the second message, just by way of review, I pointed out how it is absolutely impossible to argue someone into the faith or to argue them into changing their positions. The Scripture is teaching us that the weak believers cannot be helped by criticism and condemnation. It is true we are to teach the Word of God, we are to instruct them in the faith, and we are to do so patiently, willingly, and regularly and consistently. Yet we have to understand it is God and God alone who gives illumination, who gives enlightenment, and who gives understanding.

The Nature of Things Indifferent

Weaver explains that the conflicts in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 are over things indifferent—matters not sinful in themselves, like eating meat or observing days—and that Christian liberty is involved.

And when I say things which are indifferent, I mean by that things that are not sinful in and of themselves. Things that are not clear, distinct violations of the Word of God. Eating meat is not sinful. Meat is not sinful in and of itself. And anytime you begin to place sin in anything material, or anything that's made of matter, then you've gone into Greek paganism, Greek dualism. Sin, according to the Bible, resides in the human heart. It does not reside in anything that is material.

So, we have to understand also, and we did this hopefully in the third message, that there are ramifications for everything that we do, for Scripture tells us that no man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself, and what people observe us and see us do will always have ramifications. And therefore he's telling us in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, that we are always to consider the weaker brethren. Now let me begin today by asking this question, what does it mean to offend? Or I could go a little bit further, what does it mean to offend someone biblically? We could reverse that and ask it like this, how is it that we are not to offend someone? Each of us have heard statements like this, "I'm offended at that." Or "Be careful that you do not offend him." Or "If you offend him, he will probably leave." Well, we've not only heard those statements in all probability, we've made those statements ourselves. But what in the world does it mean to offend someone biblically?

There are two Greek words that are used throughout the New Testament that are translated as offend. The first one is the Greek word skandalon. It is where we get our English word scandal from. And the second one is the word proskomma. The Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, uses these words exactly as the New Testament does. The word that is used most often is the word skandalon, from which we get that English word scandal. How do you scandalize someone? Let me tell you what a skandalon was in Bible times and how it came to be used to mean an offense or a snare or a stumbling block. Do you realize when you were trapping animals, there was a stick that was put up on the trap that had the bait on it. When the animal hit that stick, and the stick fell, and the trap fell upon the animal, that stick that held the bait was called the skandalon. So, when the animal was entrapped or snared, he was scandalized. So actually the word came to mean then, to entrap someone or something deceitfully. It meant to put a stumbling block in some way, in someone's way, to be an offense to cause them to fall.

Now, if you've been paying attention not only in the last three messages, but even in the review today, you understand that the problem that arose in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans chapter 14 were over meats and over festival days. In fact, they were upset because some Christians were eating meat that had been sold in the shambles. That's found in 1 Corinthians 10. You remember I told you the shambles was nothing more than a discount meat market and that meat that was not given to the idol in sacrifice, it was there put into the shambles and people were going there and buying that meat and eating it. Moreover, they were going into the idol's temple and eating meat as well. So here's this conflict then that arose between the strong and the weak.

Now, let me begin by showing you what is involved. First of all, Christian liberty is involved and the issue surrounds things that are indifferent. Look in 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 9. Just showing you that Christian liberty is involved. And the issue surrounds things that are indifferent. 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 9, the apostle Paul says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:9

"But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak."

So here he's talking about this liberty. And by the way, the word liberty here literally means power or right. It is exactly the same word that is used in John 1:11-12. Let me just quote it.

Referring to Christ, "He came unto his own, but his own received him not. But to as many as received him, to them he gave power, or authority, and right to become the sons of God." So here the word liberty means power or right. So when we're talking about meat, when we're talking about festival days, we're talking about things that are indifferent. Let me emphasize that we're not talking about things that are sinful. Things that are sinful in and of themselves are not things that are indifferent. In 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:4

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

So a violation of God's law is not something that is indifferent. A violation of God's law is sin and rebellion. So what are things that are indifferent? Things that are indifferent are things which are not condemned in the Word of God. And they are things in which the consciences of believers do not uniformly hold as identical.

In other words, there is no uniform faith. The illustration of meats. The illustration of festival days. Now, something that is indifferent is not sinful. Now listen carefully. It may not be wise. It may not be expedient. But it is not sinful. Okay?

Now, let me give you an illustration. Here's what I'm trying to emphasize. I've told you before I've never had a beer in my entire life. And I haven't. And I don't want one. And I don't need one. But suppose, let's suppose for some reason someone handed me a beer and I decided I would taste it. Now, is the beer sinful in and of itself? No. No. Would I become a sinner if I drank the beer?

Christian Liberty and Conscience

Believers' consciences are bound only to God's Word, not human traditions. Weaver illustrates with a hypothetical beer-drinking scenario to show that liberty can become a stumbling block if exercised carelessly.

And the answer is no. Alcohol is not sinful in and of itself. But let me ask you another question. Suppose I took that beer and drank it when five or six hundred people were watching me and many of them had real problems with that. Could a conflict arise? Oh yeah.

Now, here's what the Apostle Paul is saying. You take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours will become a stumbling block to them that are weak. Now, the Scripture makes it clear that you and I have been freed from traditionalism, ceremonialism, pragmatism, subjectivism. Do you understand that our consciences are to be bound only to the Word of God? We have been freed from the practices, the traditions, and the inventions of men. So when someone comes along and says, "You must observe this tradition and you must do this exercise and you must do it in the way that it is prescribed or else you will be a sinner and you will be under the judgment of God." That is not true, folks. That is not true. The only thing that can bind our consciences is the Word of God. Not the traditions of men, not the teachings of the Pharisees, not the teachings of the Sadducees, not the teaching of anyone or anything, but just simply the Word of God. That's why in Galatians 5 and verse 1, the Scripture says, listen carefully,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:1

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Wow. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5 and verse 13 is equally clear when Paul writes, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."

So the point I'm trying to make is this. Things that are indifferent are not sinful in and of themselves. They may become a source of conflict because some people do not have correct biblical knowledge and some people want to take their traditions and their inventions and bind them on the conscience of other people and make them do exactly as they do. So, when we're talking about Christian liberty, we're talking about things that are indifferent and things that are not sinful in and of themselves. Meat is not sinful. Not observing a certain day is not sinful. Observing a certain day is not necessarily sinful in and of itself. But when you begin to try to make that a practice and a pattern and a demand for everyone, then there's going to be real problems. Secondly, I want you to note this. Listen carefully.

The Weak Are the Ones Offended

Scripture shows that it is the weak Christians who are offended and stumble, not the strong. Their weak conscience is defiled when they act against their understanding.

It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It's not the strong, it's the weak. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 7.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:7

"Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol."

Now watch,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:7

"and their conscience being weak is defiled."

Skip down to verse 9. "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." Look in verse 11. "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" Now verse 12. "But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ." So it's only the weak then who stumble and fall. To stumble and to go contrary to one's conscience is a sign of weakness. The Bible says in Proverbs 24 and verse 10, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Now, notice if you would, the Apostle Paul is talking about these individuals having a weak conscience. Do you know what a conscience is? How do you know whether you have a weak conscience or a strong conscience? The Greek word for conscience is the word syneidēsis. Syn is a preposition which means with. Eidēsis means to know. So your conscience is that which you know with. You look at our English word conscience. Con is a preposition which means with, science means to know. Your conscience is that which you know with. So your conscience then is your mind, it is your understanding, it is that which you know with.

So when you therefore go contrary to that which you know or to that which you believe to be true, it's a sign of weakness. You're giving up and you're giving in to that which you believe and that which you think to be true. Look back in your Bibles to Romans 14 and verse 5. Talking about certain days, look what he says. Romans 14, verse 5. He says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 14:5

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."

Lord, you ought to know what you believe. You ought to know whether or not you believe a day is special or a day is not special. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Now skip down to verse 22, Romans 14. Look what he says now. Keep this in the context because we're talking about meats and days. He says in Romans 14 verse 22, "Hast thou faith?"

"Have it to thyself before God." In other words, if you've got faith in a special day, fine. Keep it to yourself and have it before God. Watch. "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." So, it is not necessarily a sin for some weak individual to think, well, this steak is not any good because it was offered to an idol. But it's a sin if he turns around and eats it knowing he believes that because he's not eating in faith. Whatever we do, we're to do in faith. So it's the weak believers who are offended. It's not the strong believers, it's the weak believers.

So, let me put it to you like this. It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.

Ignorance as the Cause of Stumbling

Those who are weak and offended stumble because of ignorance—a lack of knowledge. Paul identifies with the strong who know an idol is nothing, while the weak lack this understanding.

Thirdly, I want you to listen. Those who are weak, offended, and stumble do so because of ignorance. Those who are weak, offended, and stumble are so and do so because of ignorance. Now, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 8. And look, if you would please, at verse 4. 1 Corinthians 8, verse 4.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:4-6

"As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled."

Now, let me point out, and I did so in lesson number three, but I must do it again today, that the Apostle Paul is not speaking of the heathen in verse 7, when he says, "Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge," he is speaking of Christians.

He is not saying that there are Christians that do not know that God is the only one true and living God. He's not saying that at all. What he is saying is there are, or at least there were Christians in the Corinthian church, who knew that an idol was nothing and that there was but one God, yet somehow they thought that that idol had such an influence over the meat that somehow that meat then was rendered unclean and therefore it was defiled and could not and should not be eaten. Which, of course, is clearly a lack of knowledge.

Now, go back to verse 4. I want you to look what the Apostle Paul does, and by the way, he identifies himself with the strong believers. He says in verse 4, "As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols," watch, "we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one." Look in verse 6, "But to us," that is to we, who are strong, and to us who know, "there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." He says, "We know that an idol is nothing." And to us, there is only one sovereign God, who has absolute control over everything. That's why in Romans 11, in verse 36, the Apostle Paul said,

Scripture Reading — Romans 11:36

"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things."

So everything is of God, through God, and ultimately to God's honor and God's glory. So what the Apostle Paul is saying, if someone stumbles and falls and is offended, it is because of ignorance.

Do you not remember how our Lord spoke of this even in the Old Testament? Help me out. In Hosea 4 and verse 6, what did He say?

Scripture Reading — Hosea 4:6

"My people are destroyed for what? Lack of knowledge."

Lack of knowledge. So, it's the weak then who stumble, it's the weak who fall, it's the weak who are offended.

The Biblical Definition of Offense

Weaver defines biblical offense as encouraging a weak brother to exercise the same liberty without having the same knowledge, using the Greek word 'emboldened' and an illustration of building a barbecue pit.

Now, let me try to answer the question, what it is to offend someone. How do I offend you, biblically speaking? How do you offend me, biblically speaking? And by the way, I'll point this out more next week. But you can only offend a weak brother. You can only offend a weak brother.

Now, let's go to verse 10. Look what the apostle says. I want to show you what it means to offend someone. "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered unto idols."

Now the word translated emboldened is the same word which is used elsewhere in the New Testament and it's translated as edified. What do you do when you edify someone? You build them up or you strengthen them. By the way this is about the only place in the New Testament where this word is used in a bad sense. The Greek word actually refers to the erection of a house or a building.

So let's look at verse 10 again and then let me explain it like this. He says, "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened," edified, strengthened "to eat those things which are offered unto idols." So the Greek word then refers to the erection of a house or a building. The weak brother sees the strong brother exercising his liberty and therefore he is emboldened, he is encouraged to lay a foundation there and to erect a building there without having the knowledge of the strong brother. Years ago, I helped a man who was a brick mason. He was an excellent brick mason. And I only helped him a couple of days. And I thought, you know, this is a piece of cake. I can do this. So I was going to build myself a barbecue pit. So I mixed the mortar. I already had a foundation. I mixed the mortar and I started and I had my first wall of bricks up. And I let the mortar set. And I called my friend the brick mason over to look and see what I had done.

And by the way, man, I had the level on it. I had that wall plumbed. I mean, I had it just right. It was only, you know, three feet high, something like that. I never will forget what he did. He put his hand on his chin and he walked around and he looked. Finally, he said, "Hmm." And he took his foot and kicked. And the whole thing just crumbled.

Because the mortar was not mixed properly. I found out it wasn't a piece of cake. So I had tried to erect a building, are you listening? Without having his knowledge. And mine crumbled and fell. That's exactly what the Apostle Paul is talking about. I want you to look at verse 10, and I want you to look at verse 7, and then let me explain it. Look in verse 10.

He said, "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in an idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols?" Now go back to verse 7. "Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled." Now, the way to understand the first word, conscience, in verse 7, is to understand it as a custom, practice, or habit. For there is not in every man that knowledge, for some, with custom, practice or habit of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and their conscience, that which they know with, being weak is defiled. In other words, here were people who were in the habit of worshipping this idol prior to their conversion, and they were in the habit of eating that meat with religious significance that it was somehow given to this idol and therefore that idol had some type of influence on it.

And now the Apostle Paul says, for some strong brother to come by and go to that feast in the idol's temple and enjoy a good steak. When that weak brother sees it, him doing that, he's emboldened, he's encouraged to go there and to set up his house and to do the same thing, but he does not have the knowledge that the strong brother had, and therefore, his building collapses. Now I don't know if you've put two and two together yet, but let me put it together for you. Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage someone, a weak brother, to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding. Let me say that again. Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage a weak brother to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding. One does not sin by exercising his liberty. He only sins when he encourages a weak brother to do what he's doing without having his knowledge. What I want to show you the rest of the time today is this, that we have perverted the biblical doctrine of offense and we've made it to mean something entirely different from what the Scripture teaches.

Misinterpretations of Offense

Common modern uses of 'offense' (e.g., being upset, not liking something) are perversions of the biblical concept. Weaver gives examples and clarifies that Christ upset Pharisees but did not offend them biblically.

Let me give you some illustrations. All of us have heard this. Many of us have said this. "Don't say that, it offends me." Translated, that means this. "Shut up, I don't want to hear it." They're not encouraging us to do the same thing that they're doing without having their knowledge. No, no, no, no. We just don't want to hear it. How about this one? In fact, I had, I laughed because I actually had a woman tell me this one time.

She said, "I find your beard offensive." I laughed in her face. I said, "Dear lady, my beard could not possibly offend you because you could not do what I'm doing even if you had my knowledge." But what did she mean when she said, "I find your beard offensive"? Here's what she meant. "Shave it off. I don't like it." That's what she meant. "Please me." How about this one? "Be careful not to offend him. Be careful not to offend him."

Let me translate that for you. "Don't make him mad or he might cuss you out." That's what it means. How about this one? "He's offended. He's not coming back to church." You know what that really means? He doesn't like the way things are being done. And if he can't have his way, he's not coming back. That's what it really means. You don't offend someone by upsetting them. You don't offend someone by making them mad or angry. You don't offend someone by doing something that they do not like. No, no, no.

You see, the problem is we've lost our theology of rebuke because we have misunderstood and misinterpreted the word offense. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Luke 17 very quickly in verses 1 and 2. Luke 17, verses 1 and 2. Watch carefully. Luke 17, verses 1 and 2. Here we go. When we read a passage like this, I will tell you what we automatically do. Luke 17, verse 1.

"Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." When we read a passage like that, we automatically interpret the word offend to mean to upset, to make mad, or to make angry, or to do something that someone does not approve. It has no such meaning. Christ upset and angered the Pharisees many times, yet He did not offend them in the biblical sense of the word. The truth is, using the word in another sense, Christ is an offense to many. They stumble over His deity. They stumble over His resurrection. They stumble over His lordship and His sovereignty. I could say it like this. Jesus Christ is a divinely ordained offense to those who refuse to submit to the Father and rebel against the truth. God ordained that those who refuse to bow to Him through Jesus Christ will stumble and fall. Look in your Bibles.

to the book of Isaiah chapter 8. Isaiah 8 and verse 14. Isaiah 8, verse 14. Then we'll go to Romans 9. Isaiah 8, look in verse 14. We're talking about Jesus Christ. In fact, we can read verse 13,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 8:13-14

"Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."

What is the truth of God to people who refuse to believe? It's a snare. It's a gin. It's a stumbling block. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 9 and verse 33. Romans 9, verse 33. Romans 9, look in verse 33. Look what God says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 9:33

"As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

What is Jesus Christ to this world? He's a stumbling stone. He's a rock of offense. Look in Galatians 5 and verse 11. Galatians 5 verse 11.

Look what Paul writes, "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased." Did you hear that? "Then is the offence of the cross ceased." Have you ever wondered why most people do not really want to hear the gospel? It offends them in that sense of the word. They stumble over it. It's a stumbling stone. Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. Look at verses 7 and 8. 1 Peter 2 verses 7 and 8.

In fact, let's go back to verse 6 because there is the quote from Isaiah 8. 1 Peter 2 verse 6, God says, "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." Christ is a stumbling block and an offense to the wicked. Yet He is not encouraging them to do that which He is doing without having His knowledge. There is the sense in the word that people just get mad and get angry at the preaching of the gospel. That is true. But when you look at the word offense in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans chapter 14, to biblically offend, you can only offend a weaker brother, and that is by emboldening him or encouraging him to do that which you're doing without having your knowledge. Now, please understand this. The word offend does not mean to make mad or to make angry or to upset. Do you remember in Galatians chapter 2, Paul confronted Peter, and here's what Paul said, "I said unto him before them all," and I mean he dressed Peter up one side and down the other. Do you think Paul kind of upset Peter? Probably did.

Might have hurt his feelings. Might have made him mad. But he did not offend him. Not in the biblical sense of the word. In the context of Romans 14, in the context of 1 Corinthians 8, you can only offend a weaker brother, and you only do that when you're encouraging him to do what you're doing without having your knowledge.

Applications: Enjoying Creation and Teaching the Weak

Strong believers enjoy more of God's creation because they understand liberty, but they must patiently teach the weak rather than condemn them. The weak tend to judge, and the strong tend to condemn.

The first application is this. It should be duly emphasized again that those who are strong in the faith, those who have the most knowledge, are the ones who enjoy the most of God's creation. Let me put this another way. Those who are strong in the faith understand how to use God's creation without abusing it. I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. I want to show you several passages in this application. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Every one of us stay so busy that sometimes we do not have the time to wake up and smell the roses or the coffee, whatever you want to use. And Alice can tell you that for a multitude of years, when we traveled, all we did was just simply go there, preach, come back, go there, preach, come back, just busy, busy, busy. Until I began to read some of these passages. And I decided while I was there, you know, this is God's world, this is God's creation, and I should enjoy it. God put it here for me.

Just like He put it here for you. I want you to see what the Bible says. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. And let's begin reading there at verse 21. "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas." Are you looking? "Or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." How much has God given us in Jesus Christ? Everything. Everything. Look in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 31. I quoted it, but I want you to see it. 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 31. Look, if you would, at what he says, 1 Corinthians 7, verse 31. "And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away." Do you realize there is a proper way to use and to enjoy God's creation? Where you use it without abusing it. Now turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and look if you would please at verse 17.

The first part of this verse may not apply to most of us because we're not rich. But the last part does. We're rich in a lot of ways but not necessarily always in worldly goods. Look what he says, 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 17, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God," look, "who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." How much has God given us to enjoy? All things. All things are ours. And we're to learn to use this world without abusing it. Since it is the strong believers who have the most knowledge, according to Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Since it is the strong believers that understand Christian liberty. It is the strong who enjoy most of God's creation, because they understand that God has given us richly all things to enjoy.

However, I might also add, it is our responsibility to patiently consider and educate and teach the weaker brethren. We're not to despise them, belittle them, or browbeat them. We're to help them, as we enjoy God's liberty and God's creation. Now, very quickly, one second application, that is this. You have to understand it's the weaker brethren who do not understand. And it's the weaker brethren who judge. The tendency of the strong is to condemn. So we have to fight against the tendency to condemn those who are ignorant. Yes, and I'm using that word biblically. They are ignorant of the truth of God, the Word of God, the doctrine of God, the application of God. We have to be sure that we don't condemn them, but we help them and teach them.

Let me say it like this. It's easy to condemn and it's easy to judge. It is far more difficult to search out the truth and seek the truth and seek the Lord to give us understanding and illumination and enlightenment. One takes time and has a great deal of labor and work and the other is very easy to do. So we have to fight the tendency of the flesh to condemn and to judge, and learn to study and seek the Lord for wisdom and understanding.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Biblical Definition of Offense

Summary: Offense in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 means encouraging a weak brother to do something without having the same knowledge, not merely upsetting someone.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage a weak brother to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding.'

Christian Liberty and Things Indifferent

Summary: Conflicts arise over matters not inherently sinful (meats, days), where believers have liberty but must consider the weak.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'Things that are indifferent are things which are not condemned in the Word of God... Eating meat is not sinful.'

Weak vs. Strong Believers

Summary: Only weak believers are offended in the biblical sense; they lack knowledge and have weak consciences, while the strong have knowledge and liberty.

Evidence: Weaver notes: 'It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble... their conscience being weak is defiled.'

Ignorance Leads to Stumbling

Summary: Stumbling and offense result from ignorance—lack of knowledge about God and His Word.

Evidence: Weaver explains: 'Those who are weak, offended, and stumble do so because of ignorance... My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'

Conscience Bound to God's Word

Summary: Believers' consciences are free from human traditions and bound only to Scripture; acting against conscience without retraining it is sin.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'The only thing that can bind our consciences is the Word of God... whatsoever is not of faith is sin.'

Misuse of 'Offense' in Modern Language

Summary: People often use 'offense' to mean being upset or not liking something, which is a perversion of the biblical term.

Evidence: Weaver gives examples: 'Don't say that, it offends me' means 'Shut up, I don't want to hear it.'

Responsibility of the Strong to Teach the Weak

Summary: Strong believers must patiently instruct the weak rather than condemn them, helping them grow in knowledge.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'It is our responsibility to patiently consider and educate and teach the weaker brethren. We're not to despise them, belittle them, or browbeat them.'

Key Arguments

Offense is not about hurt feelings

Summary: Biblical offense does not mean making someone mad or upset; it specifically involves causing a weak brother to stumble by emboldening him to act without knowledge.

Evidence: Weaver argues: 'The word offend does not mean to make mad or to make angry or to upset... you can only offend a weaker brother, and that is by emboldening him or encouraging him to do that which you're doing without having your knowledge.'

Only the weak can be offended biblically

Summary: The strong are not offended in the biblical sense; only those with weak consciences and lack of knowledge stumble.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It's not the strong, it's the weak.'

Liberty must be exercised with care for the weak

Summary: Christian liberty in indifferent matters is real, but it must not become a stumbling block to those with weaker consciences.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Corinthians 8:9: 'But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.'

Ignorance is the root of stumbling

Summary: The weak stumble because they lack knowledge; the strong have knowledge that an idol is nothing, but the weak do not.

Evidence: Weaver explains: 'If someone stumbles and falls and is offended, it is because of ignorance... My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'

Conscience must be retrained by Scripture

Summary: It is not safe to go against conscience unless one is retraining it according to God's Word; otherwise, acting without faith is sin.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.'

Modern 'offense' language is a perversion

Summary: Common phrases like 'I'm offended' often mean 'I don't like it' or 'please me,' not the biblical concept of causing a brother to stumble.

Evidence: Weaver translates: 'Be careful not to offend him' means 'Don't make him mad or he might cuss you out.'

Scripture References

Romans 14:1-4

Context: Weaver reads this passage to introduce the topic of receiving weak believers without disputing over doubtful things.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Context: Weaver reads the entire chapter to show the conflict over meat offered to idols and the principle of not causing a weak brother to stumble.

1 John 2:12-14

Context: Weaver references John's distinction between little children, young men, and fathers to illustrate degrees of faith.

Acts 16:14

Context: Weaver cites the Lord opening Lydia's heart to show that only God gives understanding.

1 Corinthians 10:25

Context: Weaver mentions the shambles (meat market) to explain where meat offered to idols was sold.

1 Corinthians 8:9

Context: Weaver quotes this verse to show that Christian liberty can become a stumbling block to the weak.

John 1:11-12

Context: Weaver references the word 'power' or 'right' to explain the meaning of 'liberty' in 1 Corinthians 8:9.

1 John 3:4

Context: Weaver quotes this to define sin as transgression of the law, distinguishing it from things indifferent.

Galatians 5:1

Context: Weaver quotes this to emphasize standing fast in Christian liberty and not being entangled in bondage.

Galatians 5:13

Context: Weaver quotes this to show that liberty should not be used for the flesh but to serve one another in love.

1 Corinthians 8:7

Context: Weaver reads this to show that not all have knowledge and that the weak conscience is defiled.

Proverbs 24:10

Context: Weaver quotes this to illustrate that fainting in adversity is a sign of small strength, linking to weak faith.

Romans 14:5

Context: Weaver reads this to show that each person must be fully persuaded in his own mind regarding days.

Romans 14:22-23

Context: Weaver reads this to emphasize that whatever is not of faith is sin, and one must not condemn himself in what he allows.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6

Context: Weaver reads this to show that the strong know an idol is nothing and there is one God.

Romans 11:36

Context: Weaver quotes this to affirm that all things are of, through, and to God.

Hosea 4:6

Context: Weaver quotes this to show that God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Luke 17:1-2

Context: Weaver reads this to address the common misinterpretation of 'offense' as merely upsetting someone.

Isaiah 8:13-14

Context: Weaver reads this to show that Christ is a stone of stumbling and rock of offense to the disobedient.

Romans 9:33

Context: Weaver quotes this to show that God laid a stumbling stone in Zion.

Historical References

Greek word 'skandalon'

Context: Weaver explains that 'skandalon' originally referred to the stick holding bait in a trap, which when triggered, entrapped the animal. This became a metaphor for causing someone to stumble or be ensnared.

Greek word 'proskomma'

Context: Weaver mentions this as another Greek word translated 'offense' in the New Testament, used similarly in the Septuagint.

Greek word 'syneidēsis' (conscience)

Context: Weaver breaks down the Greek word for conscience, meaning 'to know with,' to explain its function.

The shambles (meat market)

Context: Weaver describes the shambles as a discount meat market in Corinth where meat offered to idols was sold, referenced in 1 Corinthians 10.

Idol temples in Corinth

Context: Weaver refers to the practice of eating meat in idol temples, which was a point of conflict for weak believers who associated the meat with idol worship.

Septuagint usage of 'skandalon' and 'proskomma'

Context: Weaver notes that the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) uses these words exactly as the New Testament does.

Important Quotes

Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage a weak brother to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding.

Significance: This is the central definition of the entire message, clarifying the biblical meaning of offense.

The word offend does not mean to make mad or to make angry or to upset.

Significance: Weaver directly counters the common misunderstanding of offense as mere emotional upset.

It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It's not the strong, it's the weak.

Significance: Emphasizes that only those with weak faith and knowledge are susceptible to biblical offense.

Things that are indifferent are things which are not condemned in the Word of God. And they are things in which the consciences of believers do not uniformly hold as identical.

Significance: Defines the category of indifferent matters over which conflicts arise.

The only thing that can bind our consciences is the Word of God. Not the traditions of men, not the teachings of the Pharisees, not the teachings of the Sadducees, not the teaching of anyone or anything, but just simply the Word of God.

Significance: Affirms the Reformation principle of sola scriptura in matters of conscience.

It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.

Significance: Provides guidance on how to handle conscience when it conflicts with newfound biblical truth.

You can only offend a weaker brother, and you only do that when you're encouraging him to do what you're doing without having your knowledge.

Significance: Reiterates the precise biblical definition of offense, limiting it to a specific scenario.

Discussion Questions

How does the biblical definition of 'offense' differ from the way we commonly use the word today?

Context: Weaver spends significant time contrasting the biblical concept with modern usage, such as 'I'm offended' meaning 'I don't like it.'

What are some examples of 'things indifferent' in our contemporary church context, and how can we avoid causing a weaker brother to stumble over them?

Context: Weaver explains that indifferent matters are not sinful in themselves but can become stumbling blocks, using meat and days as examples.

Why is it important to recognize that only the weak are offended in the biblical sense, and how should that affect our interactions with fellow believers?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that the strong are not offended; this understanding should lead to patience and teaching rather than condemnation.

How can we retrain our consciences according to Scripture without violating them in the process?

Context: Weaver discusses the difficulty of going against lifelong training and the need to instruct one's conscience with God's Word.

In what ways might we be guilty of 'condemning' the weak rather than 'teaching' them, and how can we change that tendency?

Context: Weaver notes that the strong tend to condemn the ignorant, but the biblical response is patient instruction.

How does the truth that 'all things are yours' (1 Corinthians 3:21-23) change the way we enjoy God's creation without abusing it?

Context: Weaver applies the doctrine of Christian liberty to the enjoyment of creation, urging believers to use the world without abusing it.

Applications

Examine your use of 'offense' language

Summary: Believers should stop using 'offense' to mean mere dislike or anger and instead understand it biblically as causing a weak brother to stumble.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'We have perverted the biblical doctrine of offense and we've made it to mean something entirely different from what the Scripture teaches.'

Patiently teach the weak rather than condemn them

Summary: Strong believers must resist the fleshly tendency to condemn those with less knowledge and instead instruct them with patience.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'It is our responsibility to patiently consider and educate and teach the weaker brethren. We're not to despise them, belittle them, or browbeat them.'

Enjoy God's creation without abusing it

Summary: Because all things are given by God for our enjoyment, believers should learn to use the world properly, not ascetically or licentiously.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'Those who are strong in the faith understand how to use God's creation without abusing it.'

Bind your conscience only to Scripture

Summary: Believers must reject man-made traditions and rules that bind the conscience, standing fast in the liberty of Christ.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'The only thing that can bind our consciences is the Word of God.'

Do not encourage weak believers to act without knowledge

Summary: Before exercising a liberty in front of a weaker brother, consider whether it might embolden him to act against his conscience.

Evidence: Weaver defines offense as 'encouraging him to do what you're doing without having your knowledge.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:32:52Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T00:43:44Z

Clean Transcript

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 4 of 5

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. We'll probably be looking more in 1 Corinthians 8 today, but I do want to begin by reviewing and also by reading a passage from Romans chapter 14. Remember, we have been dealing with this subject, how to avoid conflicts between Christians. And we have preached three messages. Today is going to be the fourth. I will bring the fifth and final message, Lord willing, next Sunday. But may I point out that the message today is actually going to be cut in half, simply because I cannot cover all of it in one session. So you're going to have to be here to hear the rest of it, but at least I'm going to answer one important question for you, because we're going to be dealing with biblical offense and what it means to offend someone. So look in Romans chapter 14, beginning with verse 1, God says, "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs."
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"Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth, yea, he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand."
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Now look in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, and let's begin reading there. The Apostle Paul says, "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled."
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"But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."
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Now you must remember in the very first message in Romans chapter 14, I pointed out a number of things. First of all, that practical Christian living is based upon doctrine. And one of the reasons there are so many loose livers and so many ungodly people today, that is among professing Christians, is because there is so little doctrine taught and therefore they simply do not know the truth nor know how to apply the truth. We also learned in the first message that there are degrees of faith. There's a little faith, there's a great faith, there's a weak faith, there's a strong faith, and all degrees in between. In fact, in 1 John 2, John distinguished between believers by calling some babes or little children, other young men and other fathers in the faith.
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So all that is teaching us is this, that not everyone is on the same level doctrinally. That is, not everyone understands the same doctrine and not everyone understands how to make application. Hence, there's going to be a number of conflicts that arise. It's also critical for you and I to understand that a weak believer is still a believer. God does not tell us that it's only a strong faith that saves. No, it is faith in Christ that saves. No matter how weak one is in the faith, he's still to be counted as a believer and we're to receive them, Scripture tells us, into friendship and into fellowship for God's honor and God's glory. Yet when we receive them, we're not to be critical and condemning and suppressing them. As Scripture says, we're to receive them, but not to doubtful disputations.
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In the second message, just by way of review, I pointed out how it is absolutely impossible to argue someone into the faith or to argue them into changing their positions. The Scripture is teaching us that the weak believers cannot be helped by criticism and condemnation. It is true we are to teach the Word of God, we are to instruct them in the faith, and we are to do so patiently, willingly, and regularly and consistently. Yet we have to understand it is God and God alone who gives illumination, who gives enlightenment, and who gives understanding.
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The point I really want to emphasize is this. I do not care how excellent a teacher someone is. I do not care how patient that individual is. I do not care how great his outline is. It is only God who gives understanding. It is not in our power to make someone understand. And when we get angry and upset and we use such language as, "What's wrong with you, dummy?"
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"Can't you see plain truth?" does absolutely no good because no one, whether saved or unsaved, can see any truth unless God opens their eyes. That's why in Acts 16 we read how the Lord opened Lydia's heart, with the result that she attended to the things which were spoken by Paul. And then the third message I showed you how the conflicts were arising, not only in Romans 14, but in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, over meats, and over festival days, and meats that had been sacrificed to idols. In fact, the apostle tells us in Romans chapter 14, that the strong believers were condemning the weak believers because of their ignorance, and because of their foolishness, and yet the weak believers were turning around and judging the strong believers because they did not believe that someone could eat meat that had been sacrificed to an idol and yet be a real genuine Christian. Now you've got to also remember this, that I pointed out in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, and I will emphasize this again today, that we are dealing with things which are indifferent.
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And when I say things which are indifferent, I mean by that things that are not sinful in and of themselves. Things that are not clear, distinct violations of the Word of God. Eating meat is not sinful. Meat is not sinful in and of itself. And anytime you begin to place sin in anything material, or anything that's made of matter, then you've gone into Greek paganism, Greek dualism. Sin, according to the Bible, resides in the human heart. It does not reside in anything that is material.
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So, we have to understand also, and we did this hopefully in the third message, that there are ramifications for everything that we do, for Scripture tells us that no man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself, and what people observe us and see us do will always have ramifications. And therefore he's telling us in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, that we are always to consider the weaker brethren. Now let me begin today by asking this question, what does it mean to offend? Or I could go a little bit further, what does it mean to offend someone biblically? We could reverse that and ask it like this, how is it that we are not to offend someone? Each of us have heard statements like this, "I'm offended at that." Or "Be careful that you do not offend him." Or "If you offend him, he will probably leave." Well, we've not only heard those statements in all probability, we've made those statements ourselves. But what in the world does it mean to offend someone biblically?
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There are two Greek words that are used throughout the New Testament that are translated as offend. The first one is the Greek word skandalon. It is where we get our English word scandal from. And the second one is the word proskomma. The Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, uses these words exactly as the New Testament does. The word that is used most often is the word skandalon, from which we get that English word scandal.
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How do you scandalize someone? Let me tell you what a skandalon was in Bible times and how it came to be used to mean an offense or a snare or a stumbling block. Do you realize when you were trapping animals, there was a stick that was put up on the trap that had the bait on it. When the animal hit that stick, and the stick fell, and the trap fell upon the animal, that stick that held the bait was called the skandalon. So, when the animal was entrapped or snared, he was scandalized. So actually the word came to mean then, to entrap someone or something deceitfully. It meant to put a stumbling block in some way, in someone's way, to be an offense to cause them to fall.
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Now, if you've been paying attention not only in the last three messages, but even in the review today, you understand that the problem that arose in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans chapter 14 were over meats and over festival days. In fact, they were upset because some Christians were eating meat that had been sold in the shambles. That's found in 1 Corinthians 10. You remember I told you the shambles was nothing more than a discount meat market and that meat that was not given to the idol in sacrifice, it was there put into the shambles and people were going there and buying that meat and eating it. Moreover, they were going into the idol's temple and eating meat as well. So here's this conflict then that arose between the strong and the weak.
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Now, let me begin by showing you what is involved. First of all, Christian liberty is involved and the issue surrounds things that are indifferent. Look in 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 9. Just showing you that Christian liberty is involved. And the issue surrounds things that are indifferent. 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 9, the apostle Paul says, "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak." So here he's talking about this liberty. And by the way, the word liberty here literally means power or right. It is exactly the same word that is used in John 1:11-12. Let me just quote it.
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Referring to Christ, "He came unto his own, but his own received him not. But to as many as received him, to them he gave power, or authority, and right to become the sons of God." So here the word liberty means power or right. So when we're talking about meat, when we're talking about festival days, we're talking about things that are indifferent. Let me emphasize that we're not talking about things that are sinful. Things that are sinful in and of themselves are not things that are indifferent.
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In 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Bible says, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." So a violation of God's law is not something that is indifferent. A violation of God's law is sin and rebellion. So what are things that are indifferent? Things that are indifferent are things which are not condemned in the Word of God. And they are things in which the consciences of believers do not uniformly hold as identical.
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In other words, there is no uniform faith. The illustration of meats. The illustration of festival days.
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Now, something that is indifferent is not sinful. Now listen carefully. It may not be wise. It may not be expedient. But it is not sinful. Okay?
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Now, let me give you an illustration. Here's what I'm trying to emphasize. I've told you before I've never had a beer in my entire life. And I haven't. And I don't want one. And I don't need one. But suppose, let's suppose for some reason someone handed me a beer and I decided I would taste it. Now, is the beer sinful in and of itself? No. No. Would I become a sinner if I drank the beer?
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And the answer is no. Alcohol is not sinful in and of itself. But let me ask you another question. Suppose I took that beer and drank it when five or six hundred people were watching me and many of them had real problems with that. Could a conflict arise? Oh yeah.
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Now, here's what the Apostle Paul is saying. You take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours will become a stumbling block to them that are weak.
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Now, the Scripture makes it clear that you and I have been freed from traditionalism, ceremonialism, pragmatism, subjectivism. Do you understand that our consciences are to be bound only to the Word of God? We have been freed from the practices, the traditions, and the inventions of men. So when someone comes along and says, "You must observe this tradition and you must do this exercise and you must do it in the way that it is prescribed or else you will be a sinner and you will be under the judgment of God."
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That is not true, folks. That is not true. The only thing that can bind our consciences is the Word of God. Not the traditions of men, not the teachings of the Pharisees, not the teachings of the Sadducees, not the teaching of anyone or anything, but just simply the Word of God. That's why in Galatians 5 and verse 1, the Scripture says, listen carefully, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Wow. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5 and verse 13 is equally clear when Paul writes, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
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So the point I'm trying to make is this. Things that are indifferent are not sinful in and of themselves. They may become a source of conflict because some people do not have correct biblical knowledge and some people want to take their traditions and their inventions and bind them on the conscience of other people and make them do exactly as they do. So, when we're talking about Christian liberty, we're talking about things that are indifferent and things that are not sinful in and of themselves. Meat is not sinful. Not observing a certain day is not sinful. Observing a certain day is not necessarily sinful in and of itself. But when you begin to try to make that a practice and a pattern and a demand for everyone, then there's going to be real problems. Secondly, I want you to note this. Listen carefully.
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It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It's not the strong, it's the weak. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 7. "Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol." Now watch, "and their conscience being weak is defiled." Skip down to verse 9. "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." Look in verse 11. "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" Now verse 12. "But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ." So it's only the weak then who stumble and fall. To stumble and to go contrary to one's conscience is a sign of weakness. The Bible says in Proverbs 24 and verse 10, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."
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If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Now, notice if you would, the Apostle Paul is talking about these individuals having a weak conscience. Do you know what a conscience is? How do you know whether you have a weak conscience or a strong conscience? The Greek word for conscience is the word syneidēsis. Syn is a preposition which means with. Eidēsis means to know. So your conscience is that which you know with. You look at our English word conscience. Con is a preposition which means with, science means to know. Your conscience is that which you know with. So your conscience then is your mind, it is your understanding, it is that which you know with.
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So when you therefore go contrary to that which you know or to that which you believe to be true, it's a sign of weakness. You're giving up and you're giving in to that which you believe and that which you think to be true. Look back in your Bibles to Romans 14 and verse 5. Talking about certain days, look what he says. Romans 14, verse 5. He says, "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Lord, you ought to know what you believe. You ought to know whether or not you believe a day is special or a day is not special. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Now skip down to verse 22, Romans 14. Look what he says now. Keep this in the context because we're talking about meats and days. He says in Romans 14 verse 22, "Hast thou faith?"
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"Have it to thyself before God." In other words, if you've got faith in a special day, fine. Keep it to yourself and have it before God. Watch. "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." So, it is not necessarily a sin for some weak individual to think, well, this steak is not any good because it was offered to an idol. But it's a sin if he turns around and eats it knowing he believes that because he's not eating in faith. Whatever we do, we're to do in faith. So it's the weak believers who are offended. It's not the strong believers, it's the weak believers.
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So, let me put it to you like this. It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.
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Now let me tell you what will happen. Here's the way that you have been raised. Here's the way that you have been taught all of your life. And all of a sudden you realize the way that you have been raised, and the way that you have been taught is wrong. And you're going to retrain your conscience in that which is right, and the very first time you go contrary to the way that you've been raised and the way that you've been taught, all of a sudden, your conscience will scream bloody murder.
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And you will have to say to it, "Shut up. I'm re-instructing you. You will listen to the Word of God. You will bow to the Word of God."
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Now you see, you and I, having been raised in a quote-unquote Christian civilization, we would have some of these conflicts because not all of us were raised biblically. But can you imagine what it would be like for someone who had been raised in idolatry all of their lives, to all of a sudden now go contrary to the way they had been raised? Of course their conscience is going to scream. So it's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless of course you are restructuring your conscience and bringing it into greater obedience to the Word of God. So we've understood, we're talking about in the context of offending now. So when we're talking about offending, we understand Christian liberty is involved. We also understand that it involves things that are indifferent. We also now understand it is the weak who are offended. So when someone says as a believer, "I'm offended at that," what they're saying is "I'm a weak Christian." Literally. That's what they're admitting. That's what they're confessing.
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Thirdly, I want you to listen. Those who are weak, offended, and stumble do so because of ignorance. Those who are weak, offended, and stumble are so and do so because of ignorance.
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Now, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 8. And look, if you would please, at verse 4. 1 Corinthians 8, verse 4. "As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled." Now, let me point out, and I did so in lesson number three, but I must do it again today, that the Apostle Paul is not speaking of the heathen in verse 7, when he says, "Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge," he is speaking of Christians.
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He is not saying that there are Christians that do not know that God is the only one true and living God. He's not saying that at all. What he is saying is there are, or at least there were Christians in the Corinthian church, who knew that an idol was nothing and that there was but one God, yet somehow they thought that that idol had such an influence over the meat that somehow that meat then was rendered unclean and therefore
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it was defiled and could not and should not be eaten. Which, of course, is clearly a lack of knowledge.
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Now, go back to verse 4. I want you to look what the Apostle Paul does, and by the way, he identifies himself with the strong believers. He says in verse 4, "As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols," watch, "we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one." Look in verse 6, "But to us," that is to we, who are strong, and to us who know, "there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." He says, "We know that an idol is nothing." And to us, there is only one sovereign God, who has absolute control over everything. That's why in Romans 11, in verse 36, the Apostle Paul said, "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things." So everything is of God, through God, and ultimately to God's honor and God's glory. So what the Apostle Paul is saying, if someone stumbles and falls and is offended, it is because of ignorance.
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Do you not remember how our Lord spoke of this even in the Old Testament? Help me out. In Hosea 4 and verse 6, what did He say? "My people are destroyed for what? Lack of knowledge." Lack of knowledge. So, it's the weak then who stumble, it's the weak who fall, it's the weak who are offended.
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Now, let me try to answer the question, what it is to offend someone. How do I offend you, biblically speaking? How do you offend me, biblically speaking? And by the way, I'll point this out more next week. But you can only offend a weak brother. You can only offend a weak brother.
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Now, let's go to verse 10. Look what the apostle says. I want to show you what it means to offend someone. "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered unto idols."
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Now the word translated emboldened is the same word which is used elsewhere in the New Testament and it's translated as edified. What do you do when you edify someone? You build them up or you strengthen them. By the way this is about the only place in the New Testament where this word is used in a bad sense. The Greek word actually refers to the erection of a house or a building.
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So let's look at verse 10 again and then let me explain it like this. He says, "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened," edified, strengthened "to eat those things which are offered unto idols." So the Greek word then refers to the erection of a house or a building. The weak brother sees the strong brother exercising his liberty and therefore he is emboldened, he is encouraged to lay a foundation there and to erect a building there without having the knowledge of the strong brother. Years ago, I helped a man who was a brick mason. He was an excellent brick mason. And I only helped him a couple of days.
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And I thought, you know, this is a piece of cake. I can do this. So I was going to build myself a barbecue pit. So I mixed the mortar. I already had a foundation. I mixed the mortar and I started and I had my first wall of bricks up. And I let the mortar set. And I called my friend the brick mason over to look and see what I had done.
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And by the way, man, I had the level on it. I had that wall plumbed. I mean, I had it just right. It was only, you know, three feet high, something like that. I never will forget what he did. He put his hand on his chin and he walked around and he looked. Finally, he said, "Hmm." And he took his foot and kicked. And the whole thing just crumbled.
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Because the mortar was not mixed properly. I found out it wasn't a piece of cake. So I had tried to erect a building, are you listening? Without having his knowledge. And mine crumbled and fell. That's exactly what the Apostle Paul is talking about. I want you to look at verse 10, and I want you to look at verse 7, and then let me explain it. Look in verse 10.
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He said, "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in an idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols?" Now go back to verse 7. "Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled." Now, the way to understand the first word, conscience, in verse 7, is to understand it as a custom, practice, or habit. For there is not in every man that knowledge, for some, with custom, practice or habit of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and their conscience, that which they know with, being weak is defiled. In other words, here were people who were in the habit of worshipping this idol prior to their conversion, and they were in the habit of eating that meat with religious significance that it was somehow given to this idol and therefore that idol had some type of influence on it.
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And now the Apostle Paul says, for some strong brother to come by and go to that feast in the idol's temple and enjoy a good steak. When that weak brother sees it, him doing that, he's emboldened, he's encouraged to go there and to set up his house and to do the same thing, but he does not have the knowledge that the strong brother had, and therefore, his building collapses.
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Now I don't know if you've put two and two together yet, but let me put it together for you. Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage someone, a weak brother, to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding. Let me say that again. Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage a weak brother to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding. One does not sin by exercising his liberty. He only sins when he encourages a weak brother to do what he's doing without having his knowledge. What I want to show you the rest of the time today is this, that we have perverted the biblical doctrine of offense and we've made it to mean something entirely different from what the Scripture teaches.
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Let me give you some illustrations. All of us have heard this. Many of us have said this. "Don't say that, it offends me." Translated, that means this. "Shut up, I don't want to hear it." They're not encouraging us to do the same thing that they're doing without having their knowledge. No, no, no, no. We just don't want to hear it. How about this one? In fact, I had, I laughed because I actually had a woman tell me this one time.
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She said, "I find your beard offensive." I laughed in her face. I said, "Dear lady, my beard could not possibly offend you because you could not do what I'm doing even if you had my knowledge." But what did she mean when she said, "I find your beard offensive"? Here's what she meant. "Shave it off. I don't like it." That's what she meant. "Please me." How about this one? "Be careful not to offend him. Be careful not to offend him."
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Let me translate that for you. "Don't make him mad or he might cuss you out." That's what it means. How about this one? "He's offended. He's not coming back to church." You know what that really means? He doesn't like the way things are being done. And if he can't have his way, he's not coming back. That's what it really means. You don't offend someone by upsetting them. You don't offend someone by making them mad or angry. You don't offend someone by doing something that they do not like. No, no, no.
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You see, the problem is we've lost our theology of rebuke because we have misunderstood and misinterpreted the word offense. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Luke 17 very quickly in verses 1 and 2. Luke 17, verses 1 and 2. Watch carefully. Luke 17, verses 1 and 2. Here we go. When we read a passage like this, I will tell you what we automatically do. Luke 17, verse 1.
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"Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." When we read a passage like that, we automatically interpret the word offend to mean to upset, to make mad, or to make angry, or to do something that someone does not approve.
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It has no such meaning. Christ upset and angered the Pharisees many times, yet He did not offend them in the biblical sense of the word. The truth is, using the word in another sense, Christ is an offense to many. They stumble over His deity. They stumble over His resurrection. They stumble over His lordship and His sovereignty. I could say it like this. Jesus Christ is a divinely ordained offense to those who refuse to submit to the Father and rebel against the truth. God ordained that those who refuse to bow to Him through Jesus Christ will stumble and fall. Look in your Bibles.
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to the book of Isaiah chapter 8. Isaiah 8 and verse 14. Isaiah 8, verse 14. Then we'll go to Romans 9. Isaiah 8, look in verse 14. We're talking about Jesus Christ. In fact, we can read verse 13, "Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."
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What is the truth of God to people who refuse to believe? It's a snare. It's a gin. It's a stumbling block. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 9 and verse 33. Romans 9, verse 33. Romans 9, look in verse 33. Look what God says, "As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
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What is Jesus Christ to this world? He's a stumbling stone. He's a rock of offense. Look in Galatians 5 and verse 11. Galatians 5 verse 11.
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Look what Paul writes, "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased." Did you hear that? "Then is the offence of the cross ceased." Have you ever wondered why most people do not really want to hear the gospel? It offends them in that sense of the word. They stumble over it. It's a stumbling stone. Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. Look at verses 7 and 8. 1 Peter 2 verses 7 and 8.
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In fact, let's go back to verse 6 because there is the quote from Isaiah 8. 1 Peter 2 verse 6, God says, "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." Christ is a stumbling block and an offense to the wicked.
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Yet He is not encouraging them to do that which He is doing without having His knowledge. There is the sense in the word that people just get mad and get angry at the preaching of the gospel. That is true. But when you look at the word offense in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans chapter 14, to biblically offend, you can only offend a weaker brother, and that is by emboldening him or encouraging him to do that which you're doing without having your knowledge. Now, please understand this. The word offend does not mean to make mad or to make angry or to upset. Do you remember in Galatians chapter 2, Paul confronted Peter, and here's what Paul said, "I said unto him before them all," and I mean he dressed Peter up one side and down the other. Do you think Paul kind of upset Peter? Probably did.
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Might have hurt his feelings. Might have made him mad. But he did not offend him. Not in the biblical sense of the word. In the context of Romans 14, in the context of 1 Corinthians 8, you can only offend a weaker brother, and you only do that when you're encouraging him to do what you're doing without having your knowledge.
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Now, I want to make just a couple of applications, and I'm going to stop right there, but I please want you to remember that I'm not anywhere near through with this message. And I'm going to try to tie everything together so that you can see what it really means to offend. Therefore, you will not be able or willing or desirous to offend a weak brother hereafter. And you will understand that, of course, offending does not mean to make mad. Okay?
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The first application is this. It should be duly emphasized again that those who are strong in the faith, those who have the most knowledge, are the ones who enjoy the most of God's creation. Let me put this another way. Those who are strong in the faith understand how to use God's creation without abusing it. I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. I want to show you several passages in this application. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Every one of us stay so busy that sometimes we do not have the time to wake up and smell the roses or the coffee, whatever you want to use. And Alice can tell you that for a multitude of years, when we traveled, all we did was just simply go there, preach, come back, go there, preach, come back, just busy, busy, busy. Until I began to read some of these passages. And I decided while I was there, you know, this is God's world, this is God's creation, and I should enjoy it. God put it here for me.
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Just like He put it here for you. I want you to see what the Bible says. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. And let's begin reading there at verse 21. "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas." Are you looking? "Or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." How much has God given us in Jesus Christ? Everything. Everything. Look in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 31. I quoted it, but I want you to see it. 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 31. Look, if you would, at what he says, 1 Corinthians 7, verse 31. "And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away." Do you realize there is a proper way to use and to enjoy God's creation? Where you use it without abusing it. Now turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and look if you would please at verse 17.
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The first part of this verse may not apply to most of us because we're not rich. But the last part does. We're rich in a lot of ways but not necessarily always in worldly goods. Look what he says, 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 17, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God," look, "who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." How much has God given us to enjoy? All things. All things are ours. And we're to learn to use this world without abusing it. Since it is the strong believers who have the most knowledge, according to Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians chapter 8. Since it is the strong believers that understand Christian liberty. It is the strong who enjoy most of God's creation, because they understand that God has given us richly all things to enjoy.
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However, I might also add, it is our responsibility to patiently consider and educate and teach the weaker brethren. We're not to despise them, belittle them, or browbeat them. We're to help them, as we enjoy God's liberty and God's creation.
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Now, very quickly, one second application, that is this. You have to understand it's the weaker brethren who do not understand. And it's the weaker brethren who judge. The tendency of the strong is to condemn. So we have to fight against the tendency to condemn those who are ignorant. Yes, and I'm using that word biblically. They are ignorant of the truth of God, the Word of God, the doctrine of God, the application of God. We have to be sure that we don't condemn them, but we help them and teach them.
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Let me say it like this. It's easy to condemn and it's easy to judge. It is far more difficult to search out the truth and seek the truth and seek the Lord to give us understanding and illumination and enlightenment. One takes time and has a great deal of labor and work and the other is very easy to do. So we have to fight the tendency of the flesh to condemn and to judge, and learn to study and seek the Lord for wisdom and understanding.
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But let me impress you with this. Biblically speaking, according to Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8, you can only offend a weaker brother. And to offend him biblically means to encourage him, to embolden him to do exactly the same thing that you are doing without having your knowledge. And I will explain that further next week. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace, for your mercy, for your kindness to us. We pray, Father, that you would indeed teach us, that you'd build us up in the most holy faith, that you would make us strong in the faith as Abraham was, that you would enable us to enjoy your creation and everything that you've given us. For you've given us richly all things to enjoy. All are ours. This world, things present and things to come, all are ours. And we belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. And we give Thee the praise and the honor and the glory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:32:52Z

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 4 of 5

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this fourth message on avoiding conflicts between Christians, Pastor John Weaver focuses on the biblical meaning of 'offense' as taught in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8. He explains that biblical offense involves encouraging a weaker brother to exercise a liberty without having the same knowledge, not merely upsetting or angering someone. The lecture clarifies that Christian liberty pertains to things indifferent—matters not inherently sinful—and that only the weak are offended in this sense. Weaver emphasizes that the strong must not condemn the weak but patiently teach them, while the weak must not judge the strong. The message is cut short, with a promise to continue the topic next week.

Introduction and Review of Previous Messages

Scripture Reading — Romans 14:1-4

"Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs."

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

"Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled."

The Nature of Things Indifferent

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:9

"But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak."

So here he's talking about this liberty. And by the way, the word liberty here literally means power or right. It is exactly the same word that is used in John 1:11-12. Let me just quote it.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:4

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

Christian Liberty and Conscience

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:1

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

The Weak Are the Ones Offended

Scripture shows that it is the weak Christians who are offended and stumble, not the strong. Their weak conscience is defiled when they act against their understanding.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:7

"Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol."

Now watch,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:7

"and their conscience being weak is defiled."

Scripture Reading — Romans 14:5

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."

So, let me put it to you like this. It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.

Ignorance as the Cause of Stumbling

Those who are weak and offended stumble because of ignorance—a lack of knowledge. Paul identifies with the strong who know an idol is nothing, while the weak lack this understanding.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 8:4-6

"As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled."

Scripture Reading — Romans 11:36

"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things."

So everything is of God, through God, and ultimately to God's honor and God's glory. So what the Apostle Paul is saying, if someone stumbles and falls and is offended, it is because of ignorance.

Do you not remember how our Lord spoke of this even in the Old Testament? Help me out. In Hosea 4 and verse 6, what did He say?

Scripture Reading — Hosea 4:6

"My people are destroyed for what? Lack of knowledge."

Lack of knowledge. So, it's the weak then who stumble, it's the weak who fall, it's the weak who are offended.

The Biblical Definition of Offense

Misinterpretations of Offense

to the book of Isaiah chapter 8. Isaiah 8 and verse 14. Isaiah 8, verse 14. Then we'll go to Romans 9. Isaiah 8, look in verse 14. We're talking about Jesus Christ. In fact, we can read verse 13,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 8:13-14

"Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."

Scripture Reading — Romans 9:33

"As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

What is Jesus Christ to this world? He's a stumbling stone. He's a rock of offense. Look in Galatians 5 and verse 11. Galatians 5 verse 11.

Applications: Enjoying Creation and Teaching the Weak

Strong believers enjoy more of God's creation because they understand liberty, but they must patiently teach the weak rather than condemn them. The weak tend to judge, and the strong tend to condemn.

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 4 of 5

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	N047GIFMXkg
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 153: How to Avoid Conflicts — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	71

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review of Previous Messages: Weaver reviews the series on avoiding conflicts, noting that practical Christian living is based on doctrine, there are degrees of faith, and weak believers are still believers to be received without condemnation.
The Nature of Things Indifferent: Weaver explains that the conflicts in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 are over things indifferent—matters not sinful in themselves, like eating meat or observing days—and that Christian liberty is involved.
Christian Liberty and Conscience: Believers' consciences are bound only to God's Word, not human traditions. Weaver illustrates with a hypothetical beer-drinking scenario to show that liberty can become a stumbling block if exercised carelessly.
The Weak Are the Ones Offended: Scripture shows that it is the weak Christians who are offended and stumble, not the strong. Their weak conscience is defiled when they act against their understanding.
Ignorance as the Cause of Stumbling: Those who are weak and offended stumble because of ignorance—a lack of knowledge. Paul identifies with the strong who know an idol is nothing, while the weak lack this understanding.
The Biblical Definition of Offense: Weaver defines biblical offense as encouraging a weak brother to exercise the same liberty without having the same knowledge, using the Greek word 'emboldened' and an illustration of building a barbecue pit.
Misinterpretations of Offense: Common modern uses of 'offense' (e.g., being upset, not liking something) are perversions of the biblical concept. Weaver gives examples and clarifies that Christ upset Pharisees but did not offend them biblically.
Applications: Enjoying Creation and Teaching the Weak: Strong believers enjoy more of God's creation because they understand liberty, but they must patiently teach the weak rather than condemn them. The weak tend to judge, and the strong tend to condemn.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Offense is not about hurt feelings

Biblical offense does not mean making someone mad or upset; it specifically involves causing a weak brother to stumble by emboldening him to act without knowledge.

Weaver argues: 'The word offend does not mean to make mad or to make angry or to upset... you can only offend a weaker brother, and that is by emboldening him or encouraging him to do that which you're doing without having your knowledge.'

Only the weak can be offended biblically

The strong are not offended in the biblical sense; only those with weak consciences and lack of knowledge stumble.

Weaver states: 'It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It's not the strong, it's the weak.'

Liberty must be exercised with care for the weak

Christian liberty in indifferent matters is real, but it must not become a stumbling block to those with weaker consciences.

Weaver cites 1 Corinthians 8:9: 'But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.'

Ignorance is the root of stumbling

The weak stumble because they lack knowledge; the strong have knowledge that an idol is nothing, but the weak do not.

Weaver explains: 'If someone stumbles and falls and is offended, it is because of ignorance... My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'

Conscience must be retrained by Scripture

It is not safe to go against conscience unless one is retraining it according to God's Word; otherwise, acting without faith is sin.

Weaver says: 'It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.'

Modern 'offense' language is a perversion

Common phrases like 'I'm offended' often mean 'I don't like it' or 'please me,' not the biblical concept of causing a brother to stumble.

Weaver translates: 'Be careful not to offend him' means 'Don't make him mad or he might cuss you out.'

Scripture References

Romans 14:1-4: Weaver reads this passage to introduce the topic of receiving weak believers without disputing over doubtful things.
1 Corinthians 8:1-13: Weaver reads the entire chapter to show the conflict over meat offered to idols and the principle of not causing a weak brother to stumble.
1 John 2:12-14: Weaver references John's distinction between little children, young men, and fathers to illustrate degrees of faith.
Acts 16:14: Weaver cites the Lord opening Lydia's heart to show that only God gives understanding.
1 Corinthians 10:25: Weaver mentions the shambles (meat market) to explain where meat offered to idols was sold.
1 Corinthians 8:9: Weaver quotes this verse to show that Christian liberty can become a stumbling block to the weak.
John 1:11-12: Weaver references the word 'power' or 'right' to explain the meaning of 'liberty' in 1 Corinthians 8:9.
1 John 3:4: Weaver quotes this to define sin as transgression of the law, distinguishing it from things indifferent.
Galatians 5:1: Weaver quotes this to emphasize standing fast in Christian liberty and not being entangled in bondage.
Galatians 5:13: Weaver quotes this to show that liberty should not be used for the flesh but to serve one another in love.
1 Corinthians 8:7: Weaver reads this to show that not all have knowledge and that the weak conscience is defiled.
Proverbs 24:10: Weaver quotes this to illustrate that fainting in adversity is a sign of small strength, linking to weak faith.
Romans 14:5: Weaver reads this to show that each person must be fully persuaded in his own mind regarding days.
Romans 14:22-23: Weaver reads this to emphasize that whatever is not of faith is sin, and one must not condemn himself in what he allows.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6: Weaver reads this to show that the strong know an idol is nothing and there is one God.
Romans 11:36: Weaver quotes this to affirm that all things are of, through, and to God.
Hosea 4:6: Weaver quotes this to show that God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Luke 17:1-2: Weaver reads this to address the common misinterpretation of 'offense' as merely upsetting someone.
Isaiah 8:13-14: Weaver reads this to show that Christ is a stone of stumbling and rock of offense to the disobedient.
Romans 9:33: Weaver quotes this to show that God laid a stumbling stone in Zion.

Historical References

Greek word 'skandalon': Weaver explains that 'skandalon' originally referred to the stick holding bait in a trap, which when triggered, entrapped the animal. This became a metaphor for causing someone to stumble or be ensnared.
Greek word 'proskomma': Weaver mentions this as another Greek word translated 'offense' in the New Testament, used similarly in the Septuagint.
Greek word 'syneidēsis' (conscience): Weaver breaks down the Greek word for conscience, meaning 'to know with,' to explain its function.
The shambles (meat market): Weaver describes the shambles as a discount meat market in Corinth where meat offered to idols was sold, referenced in 1 Corinthians 10.
Idol temples in Corinth: Weaver refers to the practice of eating meat in idol temples, which was a point of conflict for weak believers who associated the meat with idol worship.
Septuagint usage of 'skandalon' and 'proskomma': Weaver notes that the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) uses these words exactly as the New Testament does.

Important Quotes

Biblical offense only occurs when you encourage a weak brother to exercise the same liberty that you are exercising without having your knowledge and your understanding.

This is the central definition of the entire message, clarifying the biblical meaning of offense.

The word offend does not mean to make mad or to make angry or to upset.

Weaver directly counters the common misunderstanding of offense as mere emotional upset.

It is the weak Christians that are offended and that stumble. It's not the strong, it's the weak.

Emphasizes that only those with weak faith and knowledge are susceptible to biblical offense.

Things that are indifferent are things which are not condemned in the Word of God. And they are things in which the consciences of believers do not uniformly hold as identical.

Defines the category of indifferent matters over which conflicts arise.

The only thing that can bind our consciences is the Word of God. Not the traditions of men, not the teachings of the Pharisees, not the teachings of the Sadducees, not the teaching of anyone or anything, but just simply the Word of God.

Affirms the Reformation principle of sola scriptura in matters of conscience.

It's neither safe nor right to go against your conscience unless you are re-instructing and retraining your conscience in a more biblical understanding.

Provides guidance on how to handle conscience when it conflicts with newfound biblical truth.

You can only offend a weaker brother, and you only do that when you're encouraging him to do what you're doing without having your knowledge.

Reiterates the precise biblical definition of offense, limiting it to a specific scenario.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the biblical definition of 'offense' differ from the way we commonly use the word today?

[Context]

Weaver spends significant time contrasting the biblical concept with modern usage, such as 'I'm offended' meaning 'I don't like it.'

[Question]

What are some examples of 'things indifferent' in our contemporary church context, and how can we avoid causing a weaker brother to stumble over them?

[Context]

Weaver explains that indifferent matters are not sinful in themselves but can become stumbling blocks, using meat and days as examples.

[Question]

Why is it important to recognize that only the weak are offended in the biblical sense, and how should that affect our interactions with fellow believers?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that the strong are not offended; this understanding should lead to patience and teaching rather than condemnation.

[Question]

How can we retrain our consciences according to Scripture without violating them in the process?

[Context]

Weaver discusses the difficulty of going against lifelong training and the need to instruct one's conscience with God's Word.

[Question]

In what ways might we be guilty of 'condemning' the weak rather than 'teaching' them, and how can we change that tendency?

[Context]

Weaver notes that the strong tend to condemn the ignorant, but the biblical response is patient instruction.

[Question]

How does the truth that 'all things are yours' (1 Corinthians 3:21-23) change the way we enjoy God's creation without abusing it?

[Context]

Weaver applies the doctrine of Christian liberty to the enjoyment of creation, urging believers to use the world without abusing it.

Applications

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