It Would Be Sin For Me


The Pursuit of Holiness
Yesterday in the high school Sunday School class, we had some good discussion I thought I'd share.  We are going through the book above and we in Chapter 9.  We opened with a discussion of convictions and how it is sin to go against your own convictions.  That means that if you honestly believed that drinking Coke or wearing shorts was indeed a sin (whether or not there is good reason in scriptures) to drink Coke or wear shorts would be a sin.  A young man found this hard to believe.  How can something be sin because you think it is sin?  I know that drinking Coke is not sin, how could it be for Bobby Joe Roberts sitting next to me?  (These are not exact quotes)

Great question.  Why would it be sin for a person who believes you can't eat pork when Paul was told that he could eat whatever he wants?  Paul repeats that very idea in I Corinthians 10:25-26.  So eating pork can not be a sin for anyone... can it?  It can and is.  Look at Romans 14, especially Romans 14:23 Romans 14:14.  Anybody who doubts that eating pork is not sin, sins because he does not eat in faith and anything not done in faith is sin.  We may say that it is obvious that you can eat pork, but then we must not have read all of Romans 14.  Romans 14:13.

So, if we believe that pork is okay, (or Coke, tatoos, wine, meat, TV, movies, beer, naps, shorts, football on Sunday, ect.) first we must remember that we will give an account of us to God. (Romans 14:12)  Second, we must not look down on those considered weaker.  The one who can not drink the Coke or eat the meat. (Romans 14:10 Romans 14:1 Romans 14:13)  Third, and very important, do not do anything that would cause your brother to stumble. (Romans 14:13)  If your brother does not drink Coke, do not offer him a Coke and do not drink a Coke in front of him lest he is tempted.  Tempted to think wrongly of you, tempted to drink the Coke.

Does that mean giving up Coke altogether?  Not necessarily.  But what about getting a tattoo?  You may be convinced that getting a tattoo is perfectly within the bounds of Scripture, but there are many who do not.  Why would you get a tattoo (which is not necessary) if there is a chance of offending your brother?  For it is better not to eat the pork, drink the Coke, get the tattoo than to cause a brother to stumble. (Romans 14:21)

We must be sure of our convictions.  The Pursuit of Holiness has a 'formula' for determining sins that are not specifically mentioned in Scripture that is great.  Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves! (Romans 14:22)

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