Matters of Conscience – Part 3
December 9, 2001
Dear Friends,
Over the past two weeks, we have looked at the principles of Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 in regards to matters of conscience. The general principles can be summarized as follows: 1) Biblical love (concern for another’s salvation) is the overriding guide 2) doing something your conscience does not allow you to do is sinful 3) “weak” brethren are not weak in everything, just this one issue nor are “strong” brethren always strong 4) these chapters have no application to true moral issues nor first principles of the faith 5) these chapters have no application to doing good or matters of duty and responsibility 6) in matters of liberty, we should seek the action which gives the greatest glory to God.
If these principles are true, we should seek for examples in the lives of righteous men in the Scripture and most especially in the life of Christ.
There are many times in the life of Christ where he, seemingly deliberately offends the Jews. Probably his greatest offense was his continuing to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus tells us one reason why he healed on Sabbath and why it was not a matter of conscience. “And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.” (Mark 3:4) In other words, what Jesus was doing was good and right and the conscience of the Pharisees would not keep him from his task. Jesus exercised this same principle in eating with the publicans and sinners. It is important to note that he did not eat with these men to indulge the flesh, but to give the greatest glory to his Father by preaching the Gospel.
In another instance, Jesus chooses not to offend the Jews. Remember, offend (Greek skandalizo meaning to trip up or entice to sin) means to cause someone to sin, not offend as in insult or annoy. In Matthew 17, Peter is asked by the tribute collectors if Jesus pays the temple tax. Jesus teaches Peter that, as the Son of God, he is not obligated to pay the tax. Jesus then tells Peter, “Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” Here is a clear case of Romans 14 with a twist! Jesus had no obligation to pay the tax. There was no first principle or moral precept on the line. However, there was a possibility that some might follow Jesus and sin if Jesus did not pay the tax. How would Jesus cause others to sin? As the Son of God, Jesus was not obligated to pay the tax but the Jews were for at least a little while longer. (See Ex. 30:13, 2 Chr. 24:9, Ne. 10:32). As an aside, those accounted as “sons of God” (1 John 3:2), which included the apostles, were therefore freed from the tax also.
Probably one of the most vivid examples of Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 in action was the Apostle Paul himself. Paul was a fierce opponent when a first principle or moral obligation was on the line as evidenced in his writings. However, in matters of conscience, he was as flexible as a Romanian gymnast. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 9 “…to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”
May we all follow Jesus and Paul in matters of conscience and “do all things for the sake of the gospel.”
Have a great week!
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