SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 8
MEMORY VERSE:
“Be careful that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Corinthians 8:9)
FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS (vs. 1-13)
Paul’s view about eating food sacrificed to idols:
Idol is nothing in the world and there is only one God. Others may have many “gods” or “idols” but 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.
Some believers had a clear conscience in eating meat sacrificed to idols because they considered idols as nothing and meaningless. However, when some weak Christians consider eating meat sacrificed to idols as defilement, you may become a stumbling block to the weak. So Paul said, “If what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.” (v. 13)
THOUGHTS:
Animals were brought to a temple, killed before an idol as part of a religious ceremony and eaten at a feast in the pagan temple or taken to butcher who sold the meat in the marketplace. The believers wondered if by eating such meat, they were participating in the worship of idols. Paul addressed believers who were not bothered by eating meat that had been offered to idols. But eating such meat would offend some Christians with sensitive consciences. Paul said that mature believers should avoid eating meat offered to idols if it would violate the conscience of weak Christian.
Christian freedom is tied to Christian responsibility. New believers are very sensitive to what is right or wrong, what they should or should not do. Some actions may be perfectly all right for us to do but may harm a Christian brother or sister who is still young in the faith. We must be careful not to offend a sensitive or younger Christian. Our example should not cause them to sin. Our freedom should be less important than to strengthen the faith of brothers and sisters in Christ.