Suppose your congregation has been blessed with a huge supply of bacon, and has decided to hold a special bacon breakfast for the whole church to enjoy. This is wonderful! Everyone loves bacon! What a great time to encourage fellowship and enjoy some good food at the same time. However, one couple is troubled. These poor souls have had a rough time of it growing up in an abusive cult funded by legalism, and are only now beginning to understand the grace of God. They have read in the mosaic law that we should not eat bacon, and the cult they were in used pigs for their ceremonies. They feel eating the bacon, and even being around it, is morally wrong. Well, everyone else has no qualms whatsoever with the bacon having read and understood Acts 10:13: “And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.” The elders patiently explain that passage to the troubled couple and also assure them that they will not be asked to eat the meat or even to attend the breakfast if it offends them. The couple is not satisfied, to them this pig flesh is representation of evil, and they cannot understand how their church could allow it in the building. They want it gone, and that is the end of it. What should be done here? If the church enjoys the bacon these dear souls may be deeply hurt. Wouldn’t it be better than just to get rid of the bacon?
The Tyranny of the Weaker Brother
Paul addresses this exact issue in Romans 14. In this chapter, the Apostle Paul carefully draws out a balanced approach with two important observations. Firstly, such concerns are easily overlooked as they simply don’t occur to stronger saints: or to careless ones. Second, as Paul rightly points out in Romans 14:3 and 13: contempt and judgementalism lead us to dismiss such concerns and demand the conscience of these souls be subject to our own rather than to Christ. See verses:
- Romans 14:3: “Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.”
- Romans 14:13: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
Even Paul, an apostle, though convinced all things are clean to eat (see verse 14), still requires consideration of the weaker position: “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” If we fail here, it is said that we destroy a soul for whom Christ died. See verse 15: “But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.”
In these verses, Paul deals explicitly with food offered to idols and in a broader sense the Mosaic laws and sabbath days, but the principle applies in any arena of temptation. Beloved, do not discount a possible temptation as having no cause for concern. Recall in the story of David and Bathsheba the first fault appears quite minor, but it leads down a path of spectacular ruination. Dear brothers and sisters, Christ has done this much for each of us, and so we should do no less for each other. See Romans 15:1-2: “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”
So, then in matters where the Bible allows different views, let us each keep our own conscience and withhold condemnation.
In the end, all must be subject to Christ and allowed whatever freedom is theirs in Christ. So, in our example, we cannot disallow the eating of bacon because Christ has allowed it. We disallow open veneration of a pig as such idolatry is expressly forbidden throughout Scripture. We do not want to offend our brother or sister, but there is only so much we can do for them before we begin to make idols of their consciences.
We might cancel the meal as an official fellowship, and either open the facility for the private use of members who wish to come and have bacon, or simply give the bacon away for families in the congregation to use as they see fit.
Ultimately, we want this couple to grow strong enough to accept bacon in fellowships with the rest of their brethren. We want our entire faith family to be conformed to the Scriptures. We want everyone to enjoy the full range of freedom in Christ.
Our example is a bit silly, and also a bit simplistic. When it comes to bacon the Bible has spoken clearly. There are many other issues that are not so cut and dry as this one. We might go immediately to the classic color of the carpet scenario, or we could consider proper church attire, or whether the church should have a Christmas tree, the list of possible issues contains everything we could have an opinion on.
It is very important to note that opinions, be they ever so strong, are not divine decrees. We may build up the wearing of suits to Sunday services to be a moral conviction, but that does not make jeans and t-shirts a sin. Perhaps for us, it is, but that is our own position. We are not the lawgiver, God alone is. Therefore, whether our position is more closed, or more open when we try to make it a universal law we are overstepping, and no good can come from that.
The strong work overtly, it is easy to see a muscular bully abusing his power to get his way. We naturally look for that kind of abuse. The weak on the other hand are not so readily suspected. The Christian faith is tinder towards the weak, and rightly so. We are called to uplift and protect the abused and neglected. When we do we follow in Christ’s steps. Here is where the danger presents itself. See Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
Beloved, sheep are weak, and the weaker the sheep the less threatening. It follows that the most effective disguise for any wolf is that of the weaker brother. From the guarded position of the victim, all sorts of accusations, rumors, and lies can spread with near impunity. If a wolf is caught in a lie, they simply plead their bruised heart, their lack of understanding, or their weaker conviction. Anyone who opposes them runs the risk of being seen as an uncaring bully. If the presented weakness aligns with the moral inclination of the congregation, a single weak soul can dominate.
If the weaker brother wolf is resisted, they can play the victim on their way out in order to hurt those who did not bow to them. They will go on to another place where they will use this latest defeat as part of their disguise. It is very sad to see someone playing upon the goodwill of God’s people for the sake of their own comfort in having their way.
There are a number of wolves out there parading as injured sheep, but that does not mean that every weaker brother is out to get us. Our Lord tells us in Matthew 7:16 that we can recognize the wolves by their fruits: “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”
A brother who is truly weak will seek to recover and be strengthened again. A wolf will not want to grow strong; they want to be weak. A wolf uses the position of weakness to sow discord and division. A truly weak brother or sister will not want to divide the church. Wolves destroy, true sheep do not.
We love everyone, even our enemies. See Matthew 5:43-48: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
We love the weak by helping them to recover, and we love the flock by protecting them. We love the wolves by opposing them, confronting them in their attacks, and correcting them in their errors with patience and kindness. There are a few practical measures that need to be in place to catch the weak and the wolves: lessons I learned too late.
- Never conduct any visit, or meeting with anyone without two or three witnesses from different families. If you are visiting with a woman, have at least a trusted woman with you: it would be best to have two or three women from different families.
- Have a prescribed method of resolving conflicts. This method should clearly elevate the Word of God as the Will of God and should emphasize unity under God.
- Be clear at all times, and with all people that the local church is not about pleasing man, but pleasing God. That sounds pretty obvious, but it is surprising how easily the message can be muddled.
- Remember that Christ suffered without crying out, and follow His example. It is very likely that you will come under some kind of attack, and while you can defend yourself you cannot counter-attack. If you are defeated at least, you will have a clear conscience before God.
Beloved, the Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and He will not crush a bruised reed or snuff out smoking flax. In an age where people will not endure sound doctrine, it is very difficult to keep the wolves at bay, while still reaching out to help those who are truly in need.
We may all be victims at some point, but we do not have to remain as such. Remember in Christ there is healing, growth, and improvement. Let us pray to improve in wisdom that we might rightly handle our weaker brothers and the wolves who mask themselves as such. Whatever we do let us do it for the right reason. That is a sure sign that we are His sheep and not ravenous wolves. See 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
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