The Wrong Question

We've discussed in the recent past what the proper dress for church is. We didn't agree. Should we dress "appropriately" with a sense of "the holy" and the presence of God, or does God not care and we can do what we want? It is abundantly clear that God did not prescribe the proper clothing for church. Doesn't that mean it falls under the "Christian Liberty" concept where, if it's not in God's Word, we're under our own consciences? Or not? I'm not rehashing that debate. But I'm looking at the principle.

Romans 14 is the "go to" for the doctrine of Christian Liberty. There are other places, but there it's neatly packaged and pretty well rounded. Paul talks about food as an example (like me and my "church clothes" example). He writes, "Who are you to judge the servant of another?" (Rom 14:4). Christian Liberty ... but ... that was only part of Paul's concern. Here's the crux of it. "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this — not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way" (Rom 14:13). That is, "Yes, we if it's not in the Word, we don't get to judge one another ... so don't trip up your brothers." We never discussed that on the church clothes dialog. We rarely discuss that in the whole discussion about what is or isn't allowed. Paul says we're asking the wrong questions. It's not "What is or isn't allowed?" but "Am I causing my brother to stumble?" In a similar passage, Paul writes, "So, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble" (1 Cor 8:12-13). That's ... extreme ... which makes the point.

We've gotten used to thinking about us ... ourselves. "Is it okay for me to ... or not?" "What's best for me?" It's human nature. Scripture asks us to "present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Rom 12:2). We are to have the mind of Christ who didn't regard being "self" as God as something to be grabbed onto (Php 2:5-8). We are to be "crucified with Christ" so that "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Gal 2:20). Maybe, the question of clothes and church is asked in the wrong direction. Does it cause my brother to stumble? For obvious reasons, it's not the normal question ... but it should be.