The concept of being a “stumbling block” to someone else comes from several verses in the Bible that warn against causing others to stumble in their faith. A stumbling block is anything that causes another person to fall into sin or weakens their faith. This is a serious issue that Christians are called to be aware of and avoid. At the heart of this principle is loving concern for others and not being a hindrance to their spiritual growth and relationship with God.
Old Testament Background
In the Old Testament, the word “stumbling block” is used to translate the Hebrew word mikshol, which refers to an obstacle that causes one to stumble or fall (Leviticus 19:14, Isaiah 57:14). God instructed the Israelites to avoid putting “a stumbling block before the blind” (Leviticus 19:14), which included not cursing the deaf or putting an obstacle in front of the blind. This verse conveys the idea that those who are vulnerable should be treated with care, not taken advantage of.
The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel use the metaphor of a stumbling block to refer to things that lead the people astray and cause them to fall into idolatry and wickedness (Isaiah 8:14, Ezekiel 3:20). Anything that turned the people away from God was considered a spiritual stumbling block.
New Testament Teaching
In the New Testament, the Greek word for “stumbling block” is skandalon. One key passage is Romans 14, where Paul addresses potential conflicts between Christians regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols and observing special days. After urging acceptance and restraint on disputable matters, Paul warns:
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. (Romans 14:20-21)
Here Paul teaches that even things that are not sinful in themselves can become a stumbling block to others. Our freedom in Christ should not cause problems for weaker believers or lead others to violate their conscience. Love should motivate us to limit our freedom for the sake of not putting an obstacle in a brother or sister’s way.
Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 8:9, “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” The “right” here again concerns eating meat sacrificed to idols. While permissible, it had the potential to make a weaker believer stumble, so Paul urged the Corinthian Christians to avoid it.
Causing Others to Stumble
Jesus himself warned sternly against causing “little ones” (believers) to stumble. In Mark 9:42 He says, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Causing others to stumble by tempting them to sin is eternally serious. Jesus said it would be better to drown than to persist in this sin!
There are several ways believers can cause others to stumble:
- Directly tempting or inducing others into sin
- Setting a sinful example that others follow
- Encouraging sin by approval or consent
- Leading others toward sinful choices or actions
- Influencing others to act against their conscience
- Promoting teachings and actions that weaken faith
- Divisive behavior that disrupts the church and community
All such stumbling blocks oppose the work of God and must be avoided. As 1 John 2:10 says, “Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.” Love is the solution to preventing stumbling blocks.
Examining Ourselves
Since causing others to stumble is so seriously wrong, we need to examine our own lives and ask some probing questions:
- Are my choices making it more difficult for other believers to follow Jesus?
- Does my behavior encourage weakness or faithfulness in others?
- Do I eagerly limit my freedom in order to prevent spiritual harm to others?
- Does my conduct give validity to the gospel I profess?
- Do I model godliness in all my relationships and interactions?
If certain behaviors in our lives are tripping people up spiritually, we need to change. God calls us to self-sacrifice for the good of others.
Being a Stepping Stone, Not a Stumbling Block
Rather than putting stumbling blocks in people’s way, God wants us to be stepping stones. Through wisdom, care, and Christlike love we can help others grow in faith and godly living. Romans 14:19 says “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Here are some ways to be a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block:
- Set a godly example – be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2)
- Build others up through encouragement and wisdom
- Bear with the failings of the weak (Romans 15:1)
- Admonish others gently and patiently (Colossians 3:16)
- Pursue unity, avoid needless disputes (1 Corinthians 1:10)
- Season speech with grace to build up listeners (Ephesians 4:29)
- Limit freedoms that could confuse or divide
- Strengthen others through loving service and counsel
As Ephesians 4:29 says, our words should “give grace to those who hear.” Others should be closer to Christ after interacting with us, not further away. This honors God.
Removing Stumbling Blocks
If we have been a source of stumbling to others, urgent change is needed. We must turn from that sin, humbly make amends, and seek restoration. God is gracious and will forgive as we repent (Acts 3:19). We should pray for wisdom and accountability from mature Christians to stay on the right path.
We also need to remove stumbling blocks that others have put in our way, through rooting our faith firmly in Christ. Peter says Lot was distressed by the depravity around him, “for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard” (2 Peter 2:8). Don’t let the sin drag you down, but stand firm!
Key Principles
Here are some key principles for avoiding stumbling blocks:
- Love others by not causing them to sin
- Avoid even lawful things that could cause confusion
- Be willing to limit freedom for the sake of the gospel
- Watch your conduct; be an example of godliness
- Build others up through your words and behavior
- Promote unity, peace, patience and grace in relationships
- Repent if you have caused others to stumble
The Bible reminds us that we are family – brothers and sisters in Christ. We should be “devoted to one another in brotherly love” and careful to do nothing that causes stumbling (Romans 12:10). Our guiding principle should be to glorify God by building others up in the faith.