Suppose two believers can come to polar opposite conclusions on issues of conscience, and both are right. How can they interact with one another in unity? Many of these gray areas carry heavy emotional baggage that can result in explosive conflict. How can two walk together unless they agree? Paul reveals in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 that the answer lies in our priorities. We must value our fellow believer’s conscience more than our opinion. To help us understand the reasoning behind this statement, Paul presents the argument through three principles that build on the previous principle.

First, Paul informs Christians of the stumbling block principle. In Romans 14:13 and 1 Corinthians 8:9, Paul encourages Christians to determine not to place a stumbling block in the way of their fellow believer. The picture is of an impediment placed before a person on a path they seek to walk, which causes a challenge to move forward or to turn back. In Romans 14:13, Paul also adds the word “hindrance.” This word refers to the stick in a trap that would fall when the animal touched it, resulting in the animal’s ensnarement. When we insist that others agree with us on the issues of conscience instead of considering their conscience, we risk trapping them in sin.

The principle then informs us that we ought to be careful that our actions do not cause our fellow believers to sin. We should seek to help our fellow believer grow in their Christian walk instead of presenting a challenge to their Christian walk. When we knowingly flaunt engagement in an action that other believers consider sin, we hinder their walk with God. Flaunting this “freedom” contrasts with the sign of discipleship: love for one another (John 13:35).

The principle that flaunting freedom results in our fellow believer’s sin builds on the previous principle. As Paul pictures the results of a believer flaunting their disagreements with one another, he identifies two bitter results. The believers begin to engage in judgment against one another. Because each believer is convinced that they stand in truth, they naturally assume their fellow believer stands in error. In arrogance, they begin to judge the state of the other believer’s Christian walk and look at them with pity and disdain. They fail to recognize the possibility that both believers stand in faithful communion with God. So Paul reminds the church that God alone stands as our Judge. He holds our eternal fate in His hands. So then let us be fully persuaded in our own minds of our beliefs and leave other’s conclusions to God.

Unfortunately, Paul also foresees a second result. As those believers who might be viewed as more mature and faithful flaunt their freedom, those more immature (perhaps newer) believers may begin to question their judgment. Although their conscience plagues them when they participate in the action, they conclude they must join to be faithful Christians. Yet, Paul reveals that the act of violating our conscience is sin. This is the meaning of Romans 14:23. When we violate our conscience and do something we feel is wrong, we sin. Paul goes so far as to say that the stronger Christian destroys the weaker Christian through uncaring actions, leading the weaker Christian to sin by violating their conscience (Rom. 14:15; 1 Cor. 8:11).

The final principle is the principle of sin leading to sin. Two believers sin when one believer leads another to violate their conscience. The second believer sins by violating their conscience. However, the first believer does not stand innocent. Although he rightly concludes that he may participate in the given action without sin, the first believer wrongly concludes that he can lead the other believer to violate their conscience without sin. Paul informs us that causing others to sin is sin (1 Cor 8:12). We might conclude that we are not responsible for other Christian’s weak conscience. However, the principle of love argues otherwise. Our actions fail to value our fellow believers in the same way Christ values them. Christ died to redeem, justify, sanctify, and glorify that believer. When we selfishly ignore or arrogantly oppress our fellow believer’s conscience, we reveal a love for self over love for Christ. And, in so doing, we sin against Christ.