3. The scriptural doctrine of offence.
The seduction to sin is also called "giving offence" σκάνδαλον ποιεϊν, Rom. 16:17. We can define: "To give offence is to teach or do something by which we give occasion to other men to unbelief, false faith, or ungodly living, and, as much as is in us, to corrupt them eternally.
1631) Rom. 16:17-18: Those who do not abide by the apostolic doctrine, εξαπατώσιν τάς καρδίας των άκάκων, of the guileless. — 2 Tim. 2:17: Their word (the denial of the bodily resurrection) ώς γάγγραινα νομήν εξει.
1632) 1 Cor. 15:33: φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρησθ᾽ ὁμιλίαι κακαί. It is truly a pity that the writings of the most popular writers are for the most part godless and immoral in content. Thus, as we saw, already Cicero laments the evil influence of the poets on popular morality, Tuscul. III, 2, 3.
1633) 2 Sam. 11:2. After the Fall, clothing is a divine order, Gen. 3:21.
1634) p. 595 ff.: "The Divine Providence and Sin" and "The Divine Admission of Sin"; on "hardening" see vol. II, 32 f.
1635) Is. 45:7: "Who giveth peace, and abolisheth evil. I am the Lord who does all these things."
1636) On Ps. 51:8. opp. ex., Erl. XIX, 106. St. L. V, 570.
673 ><w:t xml:space="preserve"> Actual Sin. [English ed. 561-2]
Hence the powerful warnings of Scripture against giving offense.1637) Scripture also teaches that we can give offence not only by doing evil (false doctrine and ungodly living), but also by careless use of permissible things (e.g., eating meat and drinking wine, Rom. 14), causing Christians weak in knowledge by our example to do what they in their erring consciences think is sin. By doing so we would endanger their faith; for (v. 20): "All things indeed are pure, but it is not good for him that eateth it with a stumbling of his conscience"; v. 23: "He that doubteth thereon, and eateth, is condemned" (κατακέκριται); v. 15: "Corrupt not him (άπόλλυε) with thy meat, for whose sake Christ died." We note: The apostle gives Rom. 14 theological right to those who do not make conscience in regard to food, drink, and days, v. 14, 22. But this right theological knowledge is limited in practical application by love, namely, when by the use of right knowledge the brethren who are still weak in knowledge could be induced to act against his erring conscience. As a general rule, therefore, we must hold: The use of Christian liberty is to be renounced except where the truth of the gospel would be denied. The latter is the case when one who is weak in knowledge wants to have his error recognized as right doctrine, which he reveals by judging the one who has right knowledge, that is, by declaring him to be one who acts contrary to God's command. In this case the weak man becomes a false teacher, and then Col. 2:16: Μή τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ἐν βρώσει etc., and Gal. 5:1: "Stand therefore in liberty, that Christ may set you free!" It may happen that in the due use of Christian liberty weak persons may be vexed, that is, induced to act contrary to their conscience; but then those are responsible for the offence who by their κρίνειν have compelled us to make use of our liberty.1638)
1637) Matt. 18:6 ff; Mark. 9:42 ff; Luke 17:1-2 etc.
1638) According to this we understand the different actions of the apostle Paul. According to Acts 16:3 he allows Timothy to be circumcised, but according to Gal. 2:4. 5 he refuses to have Titus circumcised. Acts 16 he takes into account the weakness of those who were not yet sufficiently instructed; in Gal. 2 it was
674 ><w:t xml:space="preserve">Actual Sin. [English ed. 562-3]
The offence given is to be distinguished from the offence taken. By offence taken we understand an occasion to sin, which one takes from the words or actions of another without his fault, because he himself is spiritually blind and evil. The Scriptures deal abundantly with the offence taken. Christ crucified becomes the λίϑος προσκόμματος και πέτρα σκανδάλου προσκόμματος πέτρα1639) to the wisdom-asking heathen,1640) in that both assert and establish their perverse opinion of the way to salvation contrary to Christ's way of leading men to salvation. This offence against Christ and His Church continues until the Last Day.1641) Christians will then be angry with Christ when they fall away from him because they do not want to go the way of suffering here on earth. "Then shall many be vexed." 1642) Hence Christ's word: "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me." 1643)