Dealing With Differences of Opinion, Part 3

20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:20-23

Stumbling Conscience

• Be Considerate of Another’s Conscience

The pervious section called for a Christian to pursue things which edified another. The opposite of this building up of others is seen in the term “destroy” (14:20a) meaning to tear down. God has been working to build up the soul and faith of a fellow-brother in Christ (Eph. 2:10; 4:11-15). The issue of what food to eat should never be allowed to tear down or demolish God’s construction.

Again, Paul points out that all food is clean or pure (14:14). Bacon is pure or unclean. However, “it is evil for the man who eats with offense” (14:20b). Even if eating bacon is not a sin in and of itself, the eating of it could be considered evil. However, for the brother whose conscience considers bacon unclean, so it is to him. When he eats it, he does so “with offense” to his own conscience and this “is evil” or sinful. Since this is the case, no one should encourage a brother to violate his conscience in regard to eating bacon.

Just how far should a Christian take this? “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak” (14:21). Note, “wine” is from the Greek oinos. The term refers to “grape juice” unless the context indicates a beverage of alcoholic content. This passage should never be so abused as to have Paul saying that all wine is pure and acceptable to drink so long as the drinking of it does not cause one to offend their conscience. In fact, everything that may induce another to sin by acting contrary to his convictions should be on this list and not just food and drink. Paul told the Corinthians, “therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor. 8:13).

• Be Convinced in Your Own Convictions

When Paul asks, “do you have faith?” (14:22a). He is not asking them if they believe in God or if they obeyed the Gospel. He is asking them if they have a personal conviction about a particular matter, such as, not eating bacon. If they do, he asks them to keep such a conviction between themselves and God. There is a lot be said for the freedom of exercising one’s one liberty to eat or not eat certain foods in the privacy of their own homes. This does not mean the weak brother cannot tell the host or hostess that they will not be eating anything with bacon when they are served a meal or go out to dinner.  Paul is in no way excluding personal convictions among Christians from their conversations with each other. In fact, how can one know what not to do in regard to a weak brother unless there is open dialogue on these matters?

This command from Paul will equally apply to the strong. They do not always need to share their convictions about eating bacon to those who are sensitive to the issue.
The end result of not having a guilty conscience which condemns a man for his failure to do what he believes is right or not participate in that which he is convinced is wrong, is happiness. A blessed state of being free of not only of the feelings of guilt but being free from the guilt of sinning against his conscience.

• Be Consistent With Your Convictions

Why is it a sin for a man to violate his conscience when the actual activity itself is not really a sin? If bacon is really pure or unclean, if it is a matter of indifference to God as to whether a man eats bacon of not, if it is in no way sinful to eat bacon, how is the weak man sinning when he eats bacon? Because, he has doubts based on his conscience. The conscience condemns him as a sinner when he eats the bacon. He did not eat out of faith or convictions as to right or wrong. This violation of his convictions is a sin.

Just as it is better for the strong who has no convictions against eating bacon to give it up for the sake of his love for a brother’s soul, so the weak brother must give up bacon for the sake of not violating his conscience.

– Daniel R. Vess