Dearest e-votees-
This week’s epistle text is one about taking care to exercise the freedoms we have in Christ in such a way that they don’t pose a problem for other believers.
This is a message that starkly contrasts the me-ism of our consumeristic, turned-in-toward-self (aka sinful) culture.
May God help us get to the meat of this matter.
Peace,
Karl
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1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him.
4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
7 It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11 So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12 But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
1 Corinthians 8:1-13, NRSV
So the circumstance in the church at Corinth is that a question has come to the fore. If a believer is knows that a piece of meat has been used in a sacrificial rite involving idols is it permissible to eat it or is it irrevocably tainted?
Paul answers this on two levels.
Level one: KNOWLEDGE: Idols are nothing of consequence. Therefore food offered to nothing of consequence is not altered (but it was perhaps “altared”) substantially. Therefore if one is inclined to eat such food that is permissible. Food neither draws us closer nor pushes us further from God. Jesus said as much as well when he said that it is what comes out of a person that makes that one unclean, not what goes into the mouth (see Matthew 15:11 and/or Mark 7:15). If we are mature and grown up in our faith we KNOW such things and we can eat with liberty.
Level two: COMPASSIONATE LOVE: Not everyone understands fully the freedom we have in Christ. Not everyone KNOWS that idols are powerless and able to be discounted. If one were to exercise liberty recklessly it could be harmful to another with a smaller understanding. It is loving to forgo that which is permissible for the sake of one who might stumble and fall away.
That is to say COMPASSIONATE LOVE should trump KNOWLEDGE.
The question that might be ours is “What are the idol meats of today?” What are things that some can partake of with great liberty and an untroubled conscience that would snare others watching such freedom at play? Are we the ones with KNOWLEDGE who need to grow in COMPASSIONATE LOVE? Are we the ones stumbling around with a weaker KNOWLEDGE? I suspect we are both at times. May God give us grace and wisdom as we seek to grow in KNOWLEDGE and more importantly in COMPASSIONATE LOVE.
God, help us walk with you with integrity when nobody is looking. Help us be mindful of what we might do to others who are looking as we walk with you. Help us grow in every way that you desire. Help us welcome and love all especially those we might suspect are not as far along in their growth. Thank you for loving us first and relentlessly. Grow us to be more like you in that regard toward others. Amen.
This week’s epistle text is one about taking care to exercise the freedoms we have in Christ in such a way that they don’t pose a problem for other believers.
This is a message that starkly contrasts the me-ism of our consumeristic, turned-in-toward-self (aka sinful) culture.
May God help us get to the meat of this matter.
Peace,
Karl
------------
1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him.
4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
7 It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11 So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12 But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
So the circumstance in the church at Corinth is that a question has come to the fore. If a believer is knows that a piece of meat has been used in a sacrificial rite involving idols is it permissible to eat it or is it irrevocably tainted?
Paul answers this on two levels.
Level one: KNOWLEDGE: Idols are nothing of consequence. Therefore food offered to nothing of consequence is not altered (but it was perhaps “altared”) substantially. Therefore if one is inclined to eat such food that is permissible. Food neither draws us closer nor pushes us further from God. Jesus said as much as well when he said that it is what comes out of a person that makes that one unclean, not what goes into the mouth (see Matthew 15:11 and/or Mark 7:15). If we are mature and grown up in our faith we KNOW such things and we can eat with liberty.
Level two: COMPASSIONATE LOVE: Not everyone understands fully the freedom we have in Christ. Not everyone KNOWS that idols are powerless and able to be discounted. If one were to exercise liberty recklessly it could be harmful to another with a smaller understanding. It is loving to forgo that which is permissible for the sake of one who might stumble and fall away.
That is to say COMPASSIONATE LOVE should trump KNOWLEDGE.
The question that might be ours is “What are the idol meats of today?” What are things that some can partake of with great liberty and an untroubled conscience that would snare others watching such freedom at play? Are we the ones with KNOWLEDGE who need to grow in COMPASSIONATE LOVE? Are we the ones stumbling around with a weaker KNOWLEDGE? I suspect we are both at times. May God give us grace and wisdom as we seek to grow in KNOWLEDGE and more importantly in COMPASSIONATE LOVE.
God, help us walk with you with integrity when nobody is looking. Help us be mindful of what we might do to others who are looking as we walk with you. Help us grow in every way that you desire. Help us welcome and love all especially those we might suspect are not as far along in their growth. Thank you for loving us first and relentlessly. Grow us to be more like you in that regard toward others. Amen.
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