Responsibility

“If it feels good – do it.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

Phrases like these seem to be the mottos of the day. There is a growing attitude that looks only at the physical impacts of actions. To borrow a phrase from basketball – No harm, no foul.

1 Corinthians 8
¹³If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live--for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.

In this letter to the church at Corinth, Paul finds himself in the position of having to point out issues in the church that are having a negative impact on the furtherance of the Kingdom. As immature Christians, they have failed to understand the effect on their ministry of divisions in the body. After pointing out several other areas where instruction was needed, Paul turns to the subject of food; specifically, food that had been offered to idols. Paul knew that many in the church had come from a pagan background where idol worship was part of their religion. Consequently, they struggled with anything relating to the worship of idols.

Many Christians today bring experiences into their relationship with Christ that creates a struggle of conscience. These things may not have any scriptural basis, but the associations the new Christian makes cause issues. Paul says that if what he is doing causes someone else to stumble, he’s going to stop it. He says nothing about researching it, trying to understand it, or talking it over with the new Christian – he’s just going to stop it.

I wonder what kind of difference it would make in Firewheel if we all decided to just stop those things that bring a single brother or sister to struggle? Could that just possibly be the way to throw open the front door of our fellowship? Maybe if people felt the compassion that comes from putting God first, others second and ourselves last, they would not be coming to Firewheel, they would be coming to Jesus.

We serve an awesome God!!!!!!