1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God. So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
This is an interesting chapter because Paul is telling us as Christians who possess knowledge about the truth of the gospel, we should be careful how we deal with the weaker brethren in our fellowship of believers. Sometimes our knowledge can be used as a cudgel to hamper or destroy people who are not as far along in their belief in Christ. To destroy or criticize others about their ignorance of THE WAY can lead Christians away from Christ and not towards him. We must be careful of thinking we know absolutely God’s mind about everything, for that kind of assurance in our own knowledge can do little more than puff us up. But if we love others with a servant's heart, with sacrificial love, we can reveal the love of God to them, his everlasting, enduring love even to those who struggle with worshiping idols or other ideas about God. The mature or maybe the knowledgeable Christian should always hold to the idea that whoever loves God is known by God. In the Greek community the norm for a spiritual life was to believe in many “gods” and many “lords. Idol worship was the customary way of serving their many gods. Prominent in idol worship was the idea that you must work to please the gods; you must show your dedication to them by praying, bowing at their images, and giving them the gifts they desired, such as food and flowers. Without these good works, you were alienated from the affections and blessings of the gods they served. In this chapter Paul cautions Christians who know the truth not to be too harsh on the weaker brethren, for the truth is, It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) The Christian Greeks are emerging out of a society that is burdened with the necessity of good works to please their gods. For them to step over the idea of works to please a god to a God of mercy and grace is a difficult transition for them. However, Christianity, for the weak or the strong is that there is one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. And this one and only true God loves them and desires to have fellowship with them, but only faith facilitates this relationship with the one and only true God, not works.
Paul was raised under the Mosaic law that says clearly, You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:3-6) Paul understood well the darkness of idol worship. He knew the Israelites had been judged harshly by God because of falling into this darkness. Now, we see Paul saying to the Christians to be careful about judging the weaker brethren, do not be so harsh with them that you destroy them with your better understanding of how to serve God. What is important in these weaker brethren is their love for God. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) Have they fallen in love with Christ, are they now the children of the living God because of their love for God? What is essential in their lives as Christians is their love for Christ, not their understanding of some things. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Paul does not appreciate any aspect of idol worshiping, so he knows it is the devil's tool to keep people from worshiping the one and only God, but he does not want the untrained, the unlearned believer to be destroyed by your knowledge. For Christians are not to get in the way of the Holy Spirit. He will teach people who love the Lord a better way to know God and how to live in this world successfully. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:7-11) Paul is telling the more mature Christian who might be puffed up with his or her knowledge of how to come to God by faith, not to get in the way of God’s work through the Holy Spirit who abides in each Christian. Yes, teaching is necessary in the church of the living God, but condemnation and criticism are not the way to mature people in faith. Paul is warning the Christians to encourage faith in Christ, not to crush people’s faith by explaining the reality of idol worshiping. Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says,“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire. ”From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!” (Isaiah 44:16-17) Yes, idol worshiping is crazy and it has no spiritual reality, but those who had been immersed in that culture all their lives struggle with cutting themselves away from such a belief.
Today idol worshiping is strange to most of us. We see clearly that worshiping idols has no spiritual reality in it. Yet, where our affections are in life can be classified as our idols. Where do we go to find the meaning of life? What are we substituting for God in our lives? The Greeks were substituting the material things of this world for God; images made out of stone, wood, precious metals. Today we have a society based largely on material things. We revolve around our material possessions, our electronics, our activities, giving little thought to serving the CREATOR OF ALL THINGS. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5) Paul says even though we Christians know God and the meaning of life, we should not be too harsh with weaker Christians who are still quite inundated with the things of this world. For if we are too critical, we might crush them and lead them away from Christ and not into a deeper walk with Christ. The question for all Christians: how do we live successfully in this life? This is the question for all of us regardless of being strong or weak in knowing Christ. Whoever loves God is known by God. Because of that, we are known as his children. Jesus came as a servant to mankind. He gave his life for the world for every person great or small. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but TO SAVE THE WORLD through him. (John 3:16) We too are to live as Christ lived, to serve a world. Jesus has asked us to serve everyone, not just our friends, acquaintances or those who love us, but our enemies too, doing good to those who misuse us and abuse us. “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:27-31) Breakfast companions, we no longer serve idols, but we do have the weaker brethren in our midst. Watch how you live before them. Do not let your freedom do anything that would be a hindrance to their lives in Christ. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. You have been set free in Christ, but you must use your freedom wisely for the good of the body of Christ.
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