“Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” (1 Cor. 8:13) For how long again? That is a very long time.
The heart of Paul for Christ was self-evident by his actions, we have a few letters from the Scriptures about that life, but his walk with Christ was for over twenty years, and in the entirety of that time he did not falter. I would ask you to think today though on the person that he was speaking about in that particular verse, what many today would consider the “weaker brother.” “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Tim. 1:12)
The individual in question can repeat this verse, can even offer a pretense of believing it, but one must ask, if it is necessary for us to abstain from certain practices in their presence, for how long. Well, Paul said basically forever. That would mean only one thing, this brother or sister in Christ is not going to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. (2 Peter 3:18) To others the word says, “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.” (1st Cor. 8:4), and to the ones he wrote to in the Book of Hebrews, he was what some would consider today downright rude, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” (Heb. 5:12)
To be all things to all men one must study men, the human being, and then with the wisdom that the Lord has imparted to a man, be able to discern not only where that saved individual is in their walk with Christ at this particular point in their lives, but to assist them in the areas where their faith is not strong. For that is what we are speaking of here, that brother in Christ, and I must emphasize that part, who for whatever reasons has no deep-seated faith in Christ in their life, they do not trust completely.
I bring this particular subject to the light for this is the world that we live in today, the never offend, every one is to be treated as a weaker brother world. And those who for whatever reason that have determined to stay weak, will call the ones that are determined to grow in that grace and knowledge, no matter the cost to themselves, too adamant, too contentious, as high-minded, as ones that are to see themselves with a continuous, life-long log in their eye. (Matt. 7:3) Is it a lack of trust, and therefore a lack of faith that keeps these individuals weak, or is it a desire to not submit fully to the will and Word of God, for I can at this point in my walk find no other reason, no other excuse.
For something to grow, a part of something must die, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24) And here is where those who will not step out in faith are considered the weaker brother. They have found a place on the path that has become comfortable to them, they can see that ahead is the valley of the shadow of death, or to continue upon it, to tread further, would mean that another part of them would have to die, would have to be given over in complete submission to the will of God, and they have refused to do so.
These, my friends, are those that will be ashamed at His coming, (1 John 2:28) these are those that are not willing to cast out their eye from them, (Matt. 18:9) and enter into the kingdom of the Most High bloodied and bruised, these are they whose faith is weak, and we must bear them, and there are many. A man must purpose in his heart what price he is willing to pay for the prize that is Christ, (Phil. 3:14) and it is sad to say, but very few see Him as worthy of all that they are.
7 thoughts on “The Weaker One”
Yet to read this post, but i have a…
Question:
First the verses….
(1). John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
(2). John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
(3). John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
If an unbeliever asks that he wants to see God and if you can show Him, then only he would believe.
Can we claim that if you have seen me you have seen God using the above verses?
Though we have His Holy Spirit we cannot claim the verse for ouselves that Jesus used for Himself. How to deal with such logic?
Is that not blasphemy?
I need to answer someone else…..
We are not God, we are not Jesus, we are ambassadors, messengers sent with the good news of salvation from God through Jesus Christ. “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.” John 15:20a. We are His friends, John 14:15 and 15:15, we are the sons of God, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” We can lead them to the cross with the truths of the Scriptures, but “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:” John 6:44. If they are truly seeking the Lord, He will reveal himself to them, but in us through our words and actions, they will see only a man, one who has, to the best that he is able to do, given his life to the Lord.
Thank you very much!
The question i asked was because a christian gave such an explanation on his channel that if some atheist/unbeliever asks such a question that “show me God”….we can say using John 14:20 “as you have seen me, you have seen God”..
It was really absurd! With such reasoning it is impossible to share the gospel. Why would any unbeliever will need further explanation that they need Jesus?
“Jesus said”
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
I have not yet answered him.
Hinduism teaches the same, i am god, you are god, we all are god.
My question was from a christian point of view.
I was not able to see your reply to my question yesterday. I visited multiple times yesterday and even today.
I have no idea if you wrote a word again in response to my second comment.
I have to go to the main web page and check them every so often, I am not getting notices at times either. Prepare yourself for further “inconvenience’s,” the enemy is moving swiftly. “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)
I deliberately posted the link on your blog “The Time To Glorify Him” to check if you had replied to this post.
Your reply on the 29th is visible now on 1st May.
Still i can’t figure out the reason but it can happen that the reply is not visible if i have cleared the cookies by clicking to clear the browsing data.
I do view your video on You tube regularly, and also go through the comments.
I apologize for the delays, I am checking everything I can on this end. Thank you for the ATM video.
Comments are closed.