A stumbling block

“Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.” - Romans 14v13

Here, to me at least, is one of the great conundrums that I am having a hard time finding an answer to. The Lord has been revealing to me for years the importance of a Bible balance in our Christian walk. Here, Paul has just been talking about our liberty in our Christian walk. He has been telling us how important is not to judge others based on their choices that are not dealt with in the Bible. There is great freedom in what He is saying.

The, at then end, he says this, “But resolve not to put a stumbling block in our brother’s path. Don’t do anything that will cause him to fall.” I have always seen this as contradictory. “We have freedom, but our freedom is limited by not doing anything that is going to cause offence.”

I wonder if I have been seeing this wrongly. Looking at the context, I wonder, and I certainly don’t know if this is the answer, if the stumbling block, and the cause for falling, is a harsh, judgemental attitude towards others. How many have stumbled and turned away from church and God have done so because of the judgemental attitude toward non-Biblical issues that Paul has just talked about?

I am reading a book by Philip Yancey. He grew up in a church which was full of rules and conditions. It was impossible to meet all the rules. When you broke the rules you were shamed into compliance. He and his brother went two ways. Philip evaluated his walk with God and turned to Him, while not the way He was portrayed by that church. His brother ran from God and never returned. Both stumbled, one fell. Could this be the stumbling block Paul talks about?

An image comes to mind as a type this. I am also reading “Watership Down” again. I don’t remember the book well enough to know the result, but I am picturing a rabbit named Blackavar who did not fit in and tried to leave Woundwort’s warren. When caught he was beaten and attacked by the warren. His ears were nearly chewed off and then he was put on public display to warn others. He was now compliant, but defeated; compliant, but fallen.

Could this be the result of what Paul warns about in Romans 14v13?