Causing others to stumble is easy, whether by accident or intent, and Scripture treats it seriously. In Luke 17:1-2, Jesus warns that offenses will come, but woe to the one through whom they come, since "offenses" means stumbling blocks that lead someone off God's way of life. He pairs this with a path of rebuke, repentance, and forgiveness toward a restored relationship. Abraham twice caused Pharaoh and Abimelech to nearly sin by passing Sarah off as his sister, putting self-preservation ahead of others, and God intervened to keep them from sinning. Peter's well-meant words in Matthew 16 became a snare because they opposed God's will, showing that words alone can offend. Paul's handling of meat offered to idols in 1 Corinthians 8-10 is the central model: though the food is nothing, he would never eat meat again if it made a brother stumble, since wounding a weak conscience sins against Christ. Avoiding stumbling blocks calls for situational awareness, humility rather than "that's their problem," and concrete action, as Jesus showed in paying the temple tax to avoid offending. Proverbs 4 pictures a stumbling block as something that may make another person fall off the narrow path. The real challenge is to love one another as Christ loves us.

Causing a believer to stumble means leading a weak or newly converted "little one" into sin, not merely hurting feelings. Because Christ lives in His people, receiving or offending one of them is the same as receiving or offending Him, so Jesus warns that it would be better to have a huge millstone hung around one's neck and be drowned than to cause such a fall. The main way this happens is by example: a weak brother sees what another does and concludes that he could or should do it too, as in Romans 14. Since someone may be watching at any time, the safeguard is simply to obey God consistently and set the right example in every circumstance. Offenses from the world are unavoidable, but no Christian should ever be the source of one in the church. Jesus adds that the angels of these little ones always see the Father's face, so careless disregard for a brother will not go unanswered. Cutting off the hand or plucking out the eye is not literal. It means being willing to renounce the lust behind the act, which protects both oneself and the brother and preserves unity. Maturity is also expected of the one who might be offended, since Psalm 119:165 says those who love God's law have nothing to make them stumble. Someone who hinders unity is useless to the body and may be disfellowshipped, yet God has not abandoned him and still seeks his repentance.

Causing a weaker brother to stumble is presented as one of the good works that prove a willingness to give up everything for the Kingdom. Drawing on I Corinthians 8:10-13, a believer with knowledge who eats in an idol's temple may embolden someone with a weak conscience to do the same, so that the weak brother perishes, though Christ died for him. Wounding that conscience is sinning against the brethren and against Christ. Paul therefore declares he would never again eat meat if it made his brother stumble. A Christian need not give up food God has provided as clean, but should forbear from eating it in the presence of someone who lacks understanding and believes it to be sin. This is a call to be sensitive to newer brethren or those with shallower knowledge. Paul states the principle more broadly in Philippians 2:4: look out not only for one's own interests but also for the interests of others. Sometimes that means sacrificing personal rights and freedoms for another's benefit, which is the essence of godly love.

Causing a brother to stumble is treated as an act of unrighteousness even when nothing lawful is violated. Romans 14 and I Corinthians 8 show a strong Christian who knows an act is permissible, such as eating food once offered to idols, yet exercises that right in a way that wounds a weaker brother's conscience. Paul agrees the strong are theologically correct, since food neither commends nor condemns anyone before God. Still, he says they sin against Christ when their liberty emboldens the weak to act against conscience, for "knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." Pride, which insists on its rights regardless of the effect on others, is the root of the error and amounts to idolatry. Righteousness is broader than law and means doing things the way God would do them, in love. The truly free person can choose to forgo a lawful liberty when a brother's welfare demands it, and Paul declares, "If food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat." Drinking alcohol is a modern example: some who drank moderately without harm led weaker members into alcoholism by their attitude toward something lawful. The weak who follow others' example against their own doubts are also harmed, because conscience adjusts in the direction of conduct and can be gradually destroyed. This principle applies to matters lacking a "thus saith the LORD," not to commanded things like the Sabbath and holy days, which are non-negotiable.

God-given authority, power, and gifts must be used with wisdom from above so that they do not cause stumbling among brethren who lack the same authority, knowledge, or gifts. In I Corinthians 8, those with knowledge that idols are nothing risk making their liberty a stumbling block to the weak, whose conscience is defiled when emboldened to act against it. The word for "liberty" there is the same word translated "authority" in John 17:2, so those with deeper understanding bear responsibility for the fruit of how they use it. Sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience is sinning against Christ, and causing them to stumble damages one's own relationship with Him. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies, and Paul's concern is sensitivity to a brother's conscience rather than the food itself. Using Satan's pride as a pattern, the source warns that puffed-up attitudes lead people to attack one another through gossip, accusations, and lists of others' faults, which breeds division and withdrawal from fellowship, moving us toward self-indulgence rather than love. Greater understanding can thus become a stumbling block to others and even drive the one who has it away from God. The safeguard is the wisdom from above described in James 3:17, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, and without partiality or hypocrisy.

Causing others to stumble is treated here mainly as a matter of the tongue: words can wound, divide, and damage reputations and character in ways that linger far longer than a physical injury. Drawing on James 3, which says "we all stumble in many things" and that anyone who does not stumble in word is perfect, the source holds that everyone will sometimes say the wrong thing, and that such words cannot be taken back and may carry lifelong consequences. The ones most likely to cause a stumble are lying, sowing discord, tale bearing, and gossip, which Proverbs 6 lists among the things God finds abominable and Leviticus 19:16 forbids. Gossip is often motivated by making others look bad and oneself look good, and like a small fire it grows into a destructive blaze as a rumor is exaggerated while passed along. Careless words from adults to children can especially harm self-esteem for years. The last thing anyone should want is to be a stumbling block, so believers must guard their tongues, speak truth, and use words that edify, as Ephesians 4 and Colossians 4:6 instruct. Christ's example of speaking at the right time, in love, humility, and forgiveness, along with David's prayer for a guard over his lips, shows how to avoid harming others by speech. Since Christ says people will give account for every idle word, speech reveals the condition of the heart.

Immodest dress can make a person a stumblingblock who leads others into sin. Jesus warns in Matthew 18:3-10 that whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Him to stumble and sin, by enticing or hindering right conduct or thought, would be better off with a millstone hung around his neck and sunk in the sea. Woe comes to the one by whom the temptation comes. Because men are far more sexually stimulated by sight than women, clothing that reveals or draws attention to the body tempts men and boys to sin. This is why pornography targets men and why fashion designers cut women's clothing to expose certain areas. The most common complaint against women in the church, especially from men, is that their dress is too sexually stimulating. Parents should therefore ask whether they want their teenage daughters to be stumblingblocks. Tops should not be tight or expose the breasts, hemlines should fall below the knees, and skirts should not be slit high enough to draw attention to the thighs. Attire must not draw attention to the self in vain display but must match the childlike innocence Jesus taught. The manner of dress can reveal carelessness and a lack of love in the heart, since love for others means not leading them into temptation.

Causing others to stumble is a grave sin. Jesus warns in Mark 9:42 that whoever causes one of the little ones who believe in Him to stumble would be better off with a millstone hung around his neck and being thrown into the sea. Such sins damage character, create division between people, and upset the peace of the congregation.