1 Corinthians 8

1 Corinthians 8:1

In chapters 8-10, Paul uses a question the Corinthians had asked him about meat to address the larger issue of Christian liberty. Within the city of Corinth were numerous temples dedicated to various idols wherein animals would be sacrificed. A portion of the meat would be consumed on the altar. Another portion would be given to the priest. The remainder of the sacrifice would be sold in markets, called shambles, at reduced rates. It was concerning the meat sold in shambles that the Corinthians questioned Paul. Before answering the Corinthians’ question concerning meat, Paul begins by addressing the foundational issue. At the very outset of his discussion of liberty, Paul makes it clear that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 8:2

“You don’t know as much as you think you do,” says Paul. I find it interesting that after he will say that idols are nothing here in chapter 8, he’ll say there are demons behind them in chapter 10 (1Co_10:20).

1 Corinthians 8:3

On one hand, Paul will say, “Because idols are nothing, go ahead and eat meat offered to them.” But on the other hand, he’ll say, “There are indeed demonic forces behind idols.” So what were the Corinthians to do? I believe the answer is found in Genesis 2… What was the one tree of which Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat? The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Yet once they disobeyed God and ate of this tree, they immediately thought they knew good from evil, right from wrong without having to depend on the Father as they had done before. Suddenly, knowing they were naked, they hid from God. The result? Intimacy with the Father was broken. So, too, if I’m not oh, so careful, even biblical knowledge and theological understanding will make me less of a prayer, less of a lover, less inclined to depend wholly on the Father because I will mistakenly think I can handle any given situation on the basis of my own knowledge or understanding. Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.Jer_9:23-24 The word “know” speaks of intimacy, as a man knows his wife. There are many people who know about the Lordbut they don’t know Him intimately. “Lord, Lord,” they will say, “didn’t we prophesy in Your name and do signs and wonders for Your kingdom?” “Depart from Me,” He will say. “I never knew you. Yes, you worked for Me. Yes, you knew about Me. But we had no relationship intimately” (see Mat_7:21-23). Saints, be students of the Word. Grow in the knowledge of the Lord. Become solid in theologybut as you do, make sure that love has the priority. Make sure your love for God is preeminent. The Word will confirm God’s leading and correct your misunderstanding. But it must not be a substitute for walking with Him day by day, or for talking with Him about every situation. It must never take the place of your walking with Him in intimacy and dependency lest it become as the fruit of the tree of knowledge.

1 Corinthians 8:4

“It’s no big deal,” Paul says, “to eat meat sacrificed to idols, for we know there is only one true Godour Father. We know there is only one true Lordour Savior, Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 8:7

Although eating meat offered to idols is not a threat to the true God, and although eating meat offered to idols won’t affect me personally, I need to be aware that it may indeed affect those around me. Our natural tendency is to think that the brother or sister who would be righteously indignant over the eating of meat offered to idols would be the spiritual giant, the one most sensitive to the heart of God. But Paul calls such a one “weak.” Paul says, in effect, the person who is bound by rules and regulations isn’t mature, but weakfor the more spiritually mature one is, the more free he or she will be.

1 Corinthians 8:8

“We know that the eating of meat makes us neither better nor worse in God’s sight,” says Paul. “However, our knowledge must be tempered by a higher principlethat of love. We must be aware that there are people who might struggle with seeing us scarf down a top sirloin that was previously offered to a pagan idol. We must be mindful of those who are weak.” Why are people weak or immature in their faith? I suggest three reasons… First, some people are immature because they’re new Christians who haven’t had time to grow in the knowledge of grace or the finished work of Christ. In our culture, we are steeped in thinking that there’s no free lunch, that we must work our way up in life, that we must pick ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Therefore, it takes time for those who are new in the faith to grow in the understanding that the way of the kingdom is totally different than the world’s system. Because of the Cross, the Christian race starts at the finish line. We don’t fight for victory; we fight from victory. This is so foreign to the world’s thinking that many new Christians are hypersensitive about issues of conscience and the possibility of failing. A second reason for immaturity is not because someone is a spiritual baby, but because he is a spoiled brat. It is to such a one the author of the Book of Hebrews says, “At a time you should be eating meat, when you should be teaching others, you’re still in need of milk, learning simple things (Heb_5:12). Some people refuse to grow. They will not come to Bible study; they will not take time to worship the Lord corporately; they will not fellowship with other believers regularly. As a result, they are locked in to a permanent state of immaturity. A third reason for immaturity is that some people are scared children. Scared children won’t go outside because they’re afraid they’ll get kidnapped, that a bee will sting them, or that a bird will carry them away. So, too, in the spiritual realm, there are those who say, “I can’t go there; I can’t do that because I’ll get wiped out.” And their whole life is characterized by the fear that something bad will happen to them. Consequently, they stay locked up in their house of legalism. Perhaps you see these tendencies in your own life or in the lives of those you’re disciplingthe baby who hasn’t had time to grow, the spoiled brat who refuses to grow, the scared child who is afraid to grow. It is only when a man becomes mature spiritually that he finds himself at liberty.

1 Corinthians 8:10

More important than the knowledge that I am free to have a burger is the realization that my liberty could adversely affect my weaker brother. You see, I might be able to talk him into participating in an activity that is fine for me. But if he does, he may later feel that his walk has been compromised, or that his prayers won’t be heard. That is why I never talk anyone out of a personal conviction he haseven if his conviction seems legalistic to me. Oh, I’ll discuss it with him if he asks my opinion, but I won’t encourage him to abandon his convictions simply on the basis of my own freedom.

1 Corinthians 8:12

Not only can a weak conscience become defiled, but it can become wounded. That is, a weaker brother can be shocked or saddened by observing my liberty. And when we so wound a weaker brother, we sin against Christ. Why? Because Jesus cares about even His weakest children. Yes, they might be spiritual babies, spoiled brats, scared childrenbut they’re all His, nonetheless. And He cares about them so much that He died for them. Therefore, before I say, “I’ll do what I want, go where I want, eat what I want,” I must realize that if, flaunting my liberty and boasting of my maturity, I knowingly cause my weaker brother to stumble, I sin not only against him but against Christ.

1 Corinthians 8:13

“Here’s the bottom line,” says Paul. “If meat offends my weaker brother, I will eat no meat. Period.” Is it any wonder the Lord so powerfully used him?