1 Corinthian 8:7-13 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 8:7-13, which read,
v.7 - However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
Yesterday Paul gave us the knowledge part of the discussion about "things sacrificed to idols" in verse 1. The knowledge is that there is only one God and all those other things are just things. Now Paul gives us and the Christians in the Corinthian church the love part of the discussion. As a reminder, knowledge without love leads to us being arrogant but knowledge with love leads us to edification.
Paul is telling the Christians that not all have the knowledge that God is the only god. They are new converts who are going from worshiping many gods to the worship of the one and only God. The effects of the world are still strong upon their lives. They were being transformed by God but it is in progress and those idols and false gods and the practices of following them is still in their minds and affecting their thoughts.
v.8 - But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
Food does not get us closer to God. Food is not the subject here to focus on. Because I eat this and you don't doesn't make one of us better than the other person in the eyes of the Lord with things concerning salvation.
v.9-11 - But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
Paul is telling the Christians who have the knowledge that God is the only god and all those other things are just things, to be aware of those brothers and sisters in Christ who are still affected by being around those other false gods and practices. Paul is telling the Christians with the knowledge to display love to their brother and sister in Christ.
Our thought would be that we show them that by eating this food sacrificed to idols that it would strengthen their faith but at this time it does just the opposite. Those type of actions are going against their growth, a brother or sister that Jesus died on the cross for.
v.12, 13 - And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
Paul calls the unloving action not just an offense to them but a sin. A sin is something that needs to be avoided and if committed then something to repent or turn from and confessed to God for forgiveness. When I knowingly cause my brother or sister to stumble in their walk with the Lord over an issue that I know is not an issue but it still is to them, then I have sinned. I have knowledge of the truth of the situation but I am not applying love to that knowledge.
Paul is telling us that he loves his brothers and sisters in Christ that he would set aside the liberties and freedoms that he has in Christ so that they would not stumble over the knowledge that they don't have yet. His love for them is more important than the exercising of his knowledge of the situation.
v.7 - However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
Yesterday Paul gave us the knowledge part of the discussion about "things sacrificed to idols" in verse 1. The knowledge is that there is only one God and all those other things are just things. Now Paul gives us and the Christians in the Corinthian church the love part of the discussion. As a reminder, knowledge without love leads to us being arrogant but knowledge with love leads us to edification.
Paul is telling the Christians that not all have the knowledge that God is the only god. They are new converts who are going from worshiping many gods to the worship of the one and only God. The effects of the world are still strong upon their lives. They were being transformed by God but it is in progress and those idols and false gods and the practices of following them is still in their minds and affecting their thoughts.
v.8 - But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
Food does not get us closer to God. Food is not the subject here to focus on. Because I eat this and you don't doesn't make one of us better than the other person in the eyes of the Lord with things concerning salvation.
v.9-11 - But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
Paul is telling the Christians who have the knowledge that God is the only god and all those other things are just things, to be aware of those brothers and sisters in Christ who are still affected by being around those other false gods and practices. Paul is telling the Christians with the knowledge to display love to their brother and sister in Christ.
Our thought would be that we show them that by eating this food sacrificed to idols that it would strengthen their faith but at this time it does just the opposite. Those type of actions are going against their growth, a brother or sister that Jesus died on the cross for.
v.12, 13 - And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
Paul calls the unloving action not just an offense to them but a sin. A sin is something that needs to be avoided and if committed then something to repent or turn from and confessed to God for forgiveness. When I knowingly cause my brother or sister to stumble in their walk with the Lord over an issue that I know is not an issue but it still is to them, then I have sinned. I have knowledge of the truth of the situation but I am not applying love to that knowledge.
Paul is telling us that he loves his brothers and sisters in Christ that he would set aside the liberties and freedoms that he has in Christ so that they would not stumble over the knowledge that they don't have yet. His love for them is more important than the exercising of his knowledge of the situation.
What
does this look like for us? I think we need to be conscience of those
things in our world that cause people to stumble in their walk with the
Lord. In some parts of the world it might still be food sacrificed to
idols but for us it might be those things that people have been
delivered from or walked away from to follow Christ. How do we love our
young brother or sister in Christ to growth and not to relapse into
their old life? These are the things that fuel our actions and words to
love with the knowledge that we have.
"Lord,
I pray that You would point out to me today the ways that I might cause
others to stumble in their faith. I want to be a servant of You that
helps others to grow in their walk with You. May I do the appropriate
action when sin is pointed out in my life, even the sin of responding
with knowledge but no love to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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