THE STUMBLING BLOCK PRINCIPLE

"As Christians we may be free to do many things but it is not loving to do these things if they make others stumble and fall in thier faith."

See this article from Nelson's Bible Dictionary...

ABSTINENCE

The apostle Paul taught that the Christian lives by the laws of love and freedom-- and that he should voluntarily abstain from food sacrificed to idols, lest it cause a weaker brother or sister in Christ to stumble . The believer's body, said Paul, is the "temple of the Holy Spirit" <1 Cor. 6:19> and should not be polluted by unclean things.

Paul also exhorted the church of the Thessalonians to "abstain from sexual immorality" <1 Thes.

4:3>; indeed, they were to "abstain from every form of evil" <1 Thes. 5:22>.

The Christian is called to live a life of unselfish and sacrificial love. Abstinence should always seek to glorify God and to build up fellow believers in the faith.

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)