1 Corinthians 8
8
1Now about “food sacrificed to idols.”#8:1. Paul continues answering the issues the Corinthians have raised. So “we all have knowledge” about this subject. Knowledge makes us proud, but love strengthens us. 2If anyone thinks they know anything, they don't know as they really should know! 3But whoever loves God is known by God.
4So regarding eating food sacrificed to idols: we know that there are no such things as idols in the world, and that there is only one real God. 5Even though there are some things called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth—in fact there are many “gods” and “lords.” 6But for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom everything was made, and he is the goal of our existence; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom everything was made, and he is the means of our existence.#8:6. This is a complex verse the meaning of which is much debated. It is seen as an early “creed” or declaration, identifying God as Creator and Re-creator, the focus of our lives. It literally says, “But to us one God the Father, from whom the all and we into him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the all and we through him.”
7But not everyone has this “knowledge.”#8:7. Paul takes issue with this knowledge being misapplied, as seen in verse 10 when it could be seen as being proud and arrogant. Some who up to now have been so used to idols as a reality that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience (which is weak) tells them they have defiled themselves. 8But food doesn't gain us God's approval! If we don't eat this food, we're not bad, and if we do eat this food, we're not good. 9Just take care not to use this freedom you have to eat food sacrificed to idols to become offensive to those with a weaker attitude. 10If another believer sees you who have such “better knowledge”#8:10. See under 8:7. eating food in an idol temple, won't his weak conscience be convinced to eat food sacrificed to idols?#8:10. In other words, deciding to follow another's example, while still believing it is a sin. 11By your “better knowledge” the weaker believer is destroyed, a believer for whom Christ died. 12In this way you sin against other believers, wounding their weaker consciences, and you sin against Christ. 13So if eating food sacrificed to idols would cause my fellow believer to stumble, I will never eat such meat ever again, so that I don't offend any believer.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
1 Corinthians 8
8
1And concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that we all have knowledge: knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up;
2and if any one doth think to know anything, he hath not yet known anything according as it behoveth [him] to know;
3and if any one doth love God, this one hath been known by Him.
4Concerning the eating then of the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except one;
5for even if there are those called gods, whether in heaven, whether upon earth — as there are gods many and lords many —
6yet to us [is] one God, the Father, of whom [are] the all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom [are] the all things, and we through Him;
7but not in all men [is] the knowledge, and certain with conscience of the idol, till now, as a thing sacrificed to an idol do eat [it], and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8But victuals do not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;
9but see, lest this privilege of yours may become a stumbling-block to the infirm,
10for if any one may see thee that hast knowledge in an idol's temple reclining at meat — shall not his conscience — he being infirm — be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to idols,
11and the brother who is infirm shall perish by thy knowledge, because of whom Christ died?
12and thus sinning in regard to the brethren, and smiting their weak conscience — in regard to Christ ye sin;
13wherefore, if victuals cause my brother to stumble, I may eat no flesh — to the age — that my brother I may not cause to stumble.
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