might be Lord both of the dead and living.  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.175  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.  Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more:  but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling- block, or occasion to fall, in his brother’s way.  I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing common of itself:  but to him that esteemeth anything to be common, to him it is common.  But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.  Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.  Let not then our good be evil spoken of.  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  For he who in this serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things whereby one may edify another.  For meat destroys not the work of God.  All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense.  It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God.  Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.  And he that distinguishes is damned if he eats, because he eateth not of faith:  for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.  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 neighbor for his good to edification.  For even Christ pleased not Himself."176 33.  Is it not clear that what the apostle required was, that the stronger should not eat flesh nor drink wine, because they gave offense to the weak by not going along with them, and made them think that those who in faith judged all things to be pure, did homage to idols in not abstaining from that kind of food and drink?  This is also set forth in the following passage of the Epistle to the Corinthians:  "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.  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge:  for some, with conscience of the idol unto this hour, eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.  But meat commendeth us not to God:  for neither, if we eat, shall we abound; neither, if we eat not, shall we suffer want.  But take heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak.  For if any man see one who has knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not his conscience being weak be emboldened to eat those 175 Isa. xlv. 23, 24. 176 Rom. xiv. and xv. 1-3. 134 Three Good Reasons for Abstaining from Certain Kinds of Food.