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Distinguish Between Scruples and Ethics←⤒🔗

Every believer in our Lord Jesus Christ must bear a deep concern for the scruples of the weak brethren, as well as for the well being of all of his brethren, whether strong or weak. Perhaps it would be wise first to give some definitive statement as to what constitutes a scruple. A scruple in the sense we use it here is a doubt arising from difficulty in deciding what is right or wrong; what is proper or improper in behaviour, etc. It is a qualm. Indeed, there are many who struggle with these problems, and especially the young in the faith. Should I observe this day or that day religiously? Should I eat this food or drink that wine? (and we are not here referring to nutritional matters.) Should I rent that video or not? May I properly read this paper, book or article? What about watch­ing television? When? How long if at all?

Be well assured now that all of these struggles of the mind are carried on with utmost honesty and deepest concern in the lives of multitudes of Christian people in order to please Christ Jesus. Scruples are not a burden to the mind of one who has no doubt as to the clarity and sufficiency of the law of God in regard to any subject. Scruples are often the elements of struggle within the minds of those who have had a back­ground among people who casually add commandments to the law of God. Such a procedure may involve either or both prohibitions and/or positive requirements. This problem is compounded when these persons are those who hold with great sincerity to faith alone in the work of Christ for their salvation.

On the other hand there are those who come with a reck­less boast of being strong in the faith. Indeed, they may well be much stronger in the faith than those who are struggling with scruples. However such an attitude of self-pleasing indif­ference to the spiritual needs of weak brethren, is tragically contrary to the godly behaviour taught by our Lord Jesus Christ. Even those with a great knowledge of the truth at this juncture, but who are proud of their personal insight may surely be forgetting that the apostle Paul says, "we know nothing yet as we ought to know it." Both the Epistle to the Romans and that to the Ephesians (as well as many other portions of the Epistles) make this humbling fact abundantly clear.

Called to Be a Living Sacrifice←⤒🔗

Some of us have listened and watched in sadness as men bril­liantly defend their doctrinal stance while displaying what seems to be a nearly total lack of a gracious spirit. Romans 14:1-15:13 clearly commands us to bear with the infirmities of the weak. As soon as the apostle Paul has complet­ed that marvelous discourse relating to the doctrine of salvation in the first eleven chapters of the epistle to the Romans, he pleads for the presentation of our bodies as a living sacrifice. This living sacrifice is not an individualistic and optional matter, but as the immediate context shows, it is a communal relationship divinely commanded.

All who read, understand and respond to what the apostle Paul has here written are seen as together constituting that singular living Sacrifice. It is not that each one who believes is an individual sacrifice, but that united they constitute the sacrifice.

After this necessity is shown, the apostle follows with a careful explanation of the believer's personal relationships to his brethren. He is not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but he is to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

It is essential that we recognize that the applicatory section of Romans is as vital to our godly walk as that which we label as the doctrinal portion. The blessed truth of Scriptural authority in Romans sets forth the nature of our life style with the same finality with which it sets forth the doctrinal exposition. The presentation of our bodies as a living sacrifice beautifully sets the stage for Christ's mandates for our behaviour. We ought not to offend our gracious Teacher of sovereign grace by ignoring His instructions for our life style. Surely, "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven," is spoken with the same authority as His word regarding election, effec­tual calling, perseverance, or any other of these glorious truths. "All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out." Not one word of this even suggests that sound Reformed doctrine is anything less than the firm and certain basis for gracious ethical relationships. How desperately important it is that we not act and speak as though we had only one string on our fiddle and that unless we leave a trail of blood wherever we walk we have not faithfully maintained our theological doctrinal cause.

Doctrine and Life Belong Together←⤒🔗

As mentioned above, the apostle Paul speaks to the Ephesians with the same parallel teachings of the doctrines of sovereign grace and manner of life in mind as he did in Romans. Ephesians contains three chapters of wonderful, indeed thrilling, exposition of sovereign grace and then immediately it shifts to the explanation of the course of life for the dear people of God. Chapter four of Ephesians right away makes clear the manner in which we are to walk. "Walk worthy of the calling with which you are called; with all lowliness and gentleness; with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." All of this is followed by the strong admonitions to walk as new men in Christ. To put off the behaviour of the flesh with all of its many evils! To put away speech that is a grief to the Spirit! If we treat these facts with indifference, then our holding of the powerful truths of sovereign grace will also reflect that same casual state of mind. To express strongly the truly correct doctrinal structure of sovereign grace as to all of the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ, while speaking with careless indifference to the ethical commands of the words of holy Scripture is an evil inconsistency. We may certainly say this demonstrates hypocrisy.

Don't Cause the Weak to Stumble←⤒🔗

Now how does all of this relate to the con­cern for our acquaintances and associates in general, as well as to the weak brethren? It relates in a very powerful manner. First remember the dangers of weakness among the brethren. A weak brother is that one who may be caused to stumble at the observance of your behavior. The weak brother spoken of as stumbling, is principally the one engaged in behavior that is against his conscience. He is emboldened to follow your course of life or behavior because he observes you, as a strong brother, thus engaged in that particular behavior. While that brother may reflect your conduct, please bear in mind the scripture, which declares that which is not of faith is sin. All good behavioral matters are rooted in sound knowledge of Scriptural truth. Note carefully that the apostle Paul in that great section in Romans 14 speaks of causing those who are weak in the faith to stumble.

We are to behave ourselves in a manner that will not cause one for whom Christ has died to stumble. The apostle Paul speaks in a genuinely amazing manner when he speaks of causing him for whom Christ died to perish. Because of the sin that yet dwells in us, even as children of God, there arises quickly in us either a tendency to despise the weak or to condemn the strong as they live in communion with one another and in contrast to one another simultaneously. Whether our conduct involves speech or physical activity matters little in regard to causing our brethren to stumble. So while our principle concern has to do with the weak, both extremes bring us to serious thought and need for correction.

In Romans 14:1-15:13 the apostle Paul makes clear that the weak tend to be judgmental of the strong, as though they were outside of genuine faith because of their allowance of certain elements in personal behavior. The strong, on the other hand, look upon the weak with a spirit of scorn because such weak ones live in fear and dread of making a sinful mistake in what they allow. (Remember that we are discussing behaviour, which is not clearly prescribed in Scripture.) Neither a scornful nor a judgmental attitude is right among believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Responsibility of the Strong←⤒🔗

The apostle lays upon the strong a particular responsibility. The strong brother is to seek to avoid causing the weak brother to stumble or fall into sinful behaviour. The strong in faith may not despise the weak, but rather seek to aid him into a more mature and clear awareness of godly behaviour. For the weak, a matter may indeed be sinful, (in his mind) since that which is not of faith is sin. For the strong, indeed, the same matter may not be sinful. Several times the apostle Paul speaks to this issue by saying, for example, "If meat makes my brother to offend, I will eat no meat while the world stands."

A very distinct principle must be strongly implanted in our mind and will. That principle is the willingness to deny ourselves for the sake of our weaker brother. Indeed, such self-denial may not be entered into with a prideful and vain spirit. It is not with an attitude that says in essence, what a good boy am I! Rather, with a sincere and genuine love for our brethren we will seek their growth and maturity in the faith. Self-denial that is genuine will be willing for the sake of our brother and for the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ to forsake personal pleasure. It will be willing to avoid an action that is not wrong by biblical standards, but because of the scruple of the weak brother it will seek, with true self-denial, to render godly aid.

Too often, those who are genuinely strong as to this matter, may take a prideful attitude. They will behave in a manner that tends to make a fool of the weak brother and even to scoff at his foolish ignorance as to the legitimacy of a certain action. During sixty years of Christian ministry this attitude has often come to our attention. The apostle illustrates this matter by referring to meats to be or not to be eaten; or special days to be or not to be observed. Most of us are not well acquainted with these issues and so the problem is not as vivid to us as it ought to be. In apostolic days some foods were dedicated to false gods at the public market. The apostle argues clearly that since there is but one God there was no sin in using that food dedicated to a false god. However, he makes it very clear that if such dedication takes place in our presence, we avoid the use of that food. This avoidance is not for our own sake but for the sake of the weak brother present. Our host tells us that the meal has been dedicated to Buddha or to a false deity or some other individual who is surely not truly God, but is given adoration by some sect of people. Now the food has not been affected, but we wish not to enter into an act of devotion to that individual false deity. Therefore we do not eat with them. If there has been no statement of such dedication we may eat with freedom.

Contemporary Situations←⤒🔗

Rightly handling this truth in contemporary circumstances sometimes becomes a bit tricky. Let me mention one example that may be helpful to our understanding.

Certain days called Christian holidays sometimes create strong tension among the people of God. Christmas, Easter, and perhaps other special days as well, come to mind here. Some Reformed Federations have carried the observance of these holidays to their broadest levels to seek to make their use satisfactory to all their people. Because there is not clear biblical mandate for the observance of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and because there is not even universal agreement as to the date of His birth, there are some who think that to observe it as a formal matter is going beyond the mandate of Scripture. There are others who believe fervently that to fail to observe it is an offense to the Lord and to their fellow Christians. Others are greatly disturbed because by the exchange of gifts the day is commercialized to such a massive degree. Still others say with casual attitude, I enjoy Christmas very much, but who dragged religion into it? On and on it goes until many become offended with one another! This offense is not that of weak believers being stumbled, but in the nature of strong disagreement between genuine believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the midst of this aggravated argument however, the weak are sometimes brought into behaviour that may be sinful! You will say, how so? The answer is, very simply. At such a time a weak Christian may be brought to act in a way that is contrary to his personal belief as to what is right. He is influenced to act in such a manner because of those about him, for whom he has a godly respect. He observes that they do or do not observe the Day as he believes is correct. Out of his respect for them he con­forms to their activity and engages in their activity against his own conscience. It is exactly at this point that the apostle Paul gives the instruction contained in Romans 14:1-15:13. It is therefore at this very point that great grace is essential in the behaviour of God's people. It is so clear that either the strong brethren will tend to think of the weak ones as silly or the weak will tend to think of the strong as probably not Christian. This is exactly the manner in which the apostle Paul describes the attitudes in the above listed Roman passage. Obviously both are wrong! Thus we see the great importance of seeking to carry for­ward, with biblical love, true growth in the faith. The apos­tle Paul immediately speaks of this in Romans 15:14. He writes, "Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able to admonish one another."

A Matter of Growth in Grace←⤒🔗

Every congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ must seek to grow in grace in order to be able to live together with great latitude in regard to matters of indifference. Those who are weak in the faith are to be encouraged and lovingly taught in order that they may become strong in the faith. Those who are strong in the faith must learn the beauty of a gentle spirit and the use of such gentleness for the building up of the others in the body of Christ. All must be aware that what is right and moral on January 1^st is also right and moral on December 25^th in personal behaviour. If it is morally right and agreeable in a familial setting to exchange gifts with one another for what­ever reason on August 4^th or 23^rd, then it is equally right to do so on December 25^th. We must beware of the judgment of motives, as the apostle points out again in Romans 14. Who are you to judge another man's servant? To his own Master he stands or falls. God is able to make him stand. If you personally do not see Christmas Day as a day required in Scripture for the gathering of the congre­gation, yet you do see the need for a sweet spirit of obedience to those over you in Jesus Christ, then with joyful spirit gather and worship the Lord our Saviour! This kind of mind set will bring a great reality of unity within the congregations of our Lord Jesus. The purpose then in this article is to encourage within the scope of The Trumpet's (in our case The Messenger's, C.P.) circulation a great growth in the grace and knowledge of godly conduct among us. It is to encourage a growing spirit of gentleness in the lives of those who are strong in the faith. It is to encourage a growth in strength in the lives of those new or young in the faith. Let us by all means learn the length and breadth of the commands of Holy Scripture, lest we add to or take from His holy commandments. Let us learn the true nature of discernment rather than avoiding such in the fear that we are guilty of rendering judgments. Sound doctrine is the basis of godly behaviour. Sovereign grace does not produce careless and unloving behaviour.