1 Corinthians 8:1-6

1: Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
2: If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;
3: but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

4: Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5: For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
6: yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

*** 

Paul moved on to their next question, about eating food sacrificed to idols. Food offered to idols was often sold in the markets, so it was commonly available to them. The question arose, as we saw in Romans 14, of whether or not it was okay for Christians to eat it. It was forbidden in the Old Testament (Exodus 34:15, Numbers 25:2) and the apostles in Jerusalem forbid it to the converted Gentiles (Acts 15:1-29, 21:25). However, Paul did not follow that line of thinking.

Paul explained that an idol has no power. It's not a living thing. It's not a “real god.” There is only one true God, so eating something sacrificed to an idol could not harm anyone, nor would it displease God if the person eating realized that idols were nothing. He was just eating it for food, not as a part of any religious ceremony or in honor of a false god.

Paul established this thought clearly before moving on to his next point on this topic as we’ll see in the verses to come. He made the statement that all have knowledge, but knowledge alone makes a person arrogant. However, love edifies. Paul next addressed this practice of tempering your knowledge with love. In this case, the knowledge he referred to was that idols were nothing.

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