1 Corinthians 8:7-13
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.
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.
9: But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
10: 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?
11: For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
12: And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
13: 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 had just explained that one who knew that idols were nothing, were not real, and had no power, was free to eat meat sacrificed to idols. Here he explained that loving your brother is more important than your freedom to eat that meat. Not every believer has the knowledge that idols are nothing and, in their mind, to eat meat sacrificed to an idol is a form of honoring it. It may take a while for a new believer to grow into the full knowledge that idols are meaningless. They know they are to reject idol worship, so eating meat sacrificed to an idol might feel to them like they are participating in idolatry.
A person who thinks an idol has any sort of power should not eat meat sacrificed to it. It defiles their conscience. Eating the sacrificed meat with the belief that the idol is real, makes it wrong for that person. Meat can’t be defiled by a power which doesn’t exist, but it becomes defiled to the one who thinks it is.
Paul said that food doesn’t change our standing with God. It has no effect either way. Yet, if your brother with a weak conscience sees you eating this meat he may misunderstand. He may think you believe idols really do have some kind of power—like a good luck charm to bring favor or protect from wrath. He may take your liberty as an acknowledgement that an idol is real, and in some way accepted by God. There is only one God. There is no other god, no idol, that shares in His power or glory. We don’t want to be the one responsible for someone misunderstanding that and stumbling.
Paul mentioned eating in an idol’s temple, which apparently some did do, going into their temple to eat the meat. He discussed this further in chapter 10:14-22 saying not to eat at the table of those sacrificing to idols. The point here is that even if you know an idol is nothing and has no power, so eating meat sacrificed to it is O.K. for you, don’t do it if it will cause a brother who doesn’t understand that to stumble. Love for your brother takes precedence over your knowledge and liberty. Never be arrogant in your liberty, or take full use of it, if it causes someone to defile their own conscience and dishonor the Lord.
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.
9: But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
10: 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?
11: For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
12: And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
13: 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 had just explained that one who knew that idols were nothing, were not real, and had no power, was free to eat meat sacrificed to idols. Here he explained that loving your brother is more important than your freedom to eat that meat. Not every believer has the knowledge that idols are nothing and, in their mind, to eat meat sacrificed to an idol is a form of honoring it. It may take a while for a new believer to grow into the full knowledge that idols are meaningless. They know they are to reject idol worship, so eating meat sacrificed to an idol might feel to them like they are participating in idolatry.
A person who thinks an idol has any sort of power should not eat meat sacrificed to it. It defiles their conscience. Eating the sacrificed meat with the belief that the idol is real, makes it wrong for that person. Meat can’t be defiled by a power which doesn’t exist, but it becomes defiled to the one who thinks it is.
Paul said that food doesn’t change our standing with God. It has no effect either way. Yet, if your brother with a weak conscience sees you eating this meat he may misunderstand. He may think you believe idols really do have some kind of power—like a good luck charm to bring favor or protect from wrath. He may take your liberty as an acknowledgement that an idol is real, and in some way accepted by God. There is only one God. There is no other god, no idol, that shares in His power or glory. We don’t want to be the one responsible for someone misunderstanding that and stumbling.
Paul mentioned eating in an idol’s temple, which apparently some did do, going into their temple to eat the meat. He discussed this further in chapter 10:14-22 saying not to eat at the table of those sacrificing to idols. The point here is that even if you know an idol is nothing and has no power, so eating meat sacrificed to it is O.K. for you, don’t do it if it will cause a brother who doesn’t understand that to stumble. Love for your brother takes precedence over your knowledge and liberty. Never be arrogant in your liberty, or take full use of it, if it causes someone to defile their own conscience and dishonor the Lord.
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