1 Corinthians 8 reminds me of the perspective that comes with the birth of a first child. The needs of a new and precious life create a feeling of incomprehensible responsibility. Helpless babies must be fed and clothed and taught until they are able to thrive on their own. Growing babies require tender loving care. Today’s lesson is about compassion for weakness. Paul continues his instruction to the adolescent church in Corinth with a lecture on etiquette. He begins talking “about food sacrificed to idols”. Paul offers the first rule of proper Christian behavior: “knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” In the simplest terms that means knowledge alone will make us arrogant. Love makes us pause to intentionally bless others. Paul explains, “An idol is nothing” to those who believe. It is important to recognize that Paul is talking to followers of Christ. He reestablishes the foundation of our faith: “there is but one God, the Father… and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ… through whom we live.” He is explaining the way seasoned believers should treat very new believers. People come to Christ from different backgrounds. Paul says, “not everyone possesses this knowledge”, that is, some have hang-ups about eating meat that came from the pagan temple meat market. Paul adds, some people are “so accustomed to idols” that they believe “temple meat” is defiled because it has “been sacrificed to a god”. Paul sees new believers as infants in Christ.
What should a good host do for their guest if they cannot eat something because “their conscience is weak”? Paul says, that “food does not bring us near to God”. Clearly to Paul, food is no big deal. He says, be a polite host. For the believer, “we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do”. Let’s be clear; Paul never tells Christians to violate core biblical truths to accommodate someone else’s lack of understanding. He is saying, don’t cause division over minor cultural differences. The untrained will never benefit from the biblical truths of salvation unless we first recognize the obstacles that hinder them from participating.
Paul makes a very careful point about the freedom we have in Christ. Although we are no longer under the burden of the law, we should never intentionally offend someone with our freedom. If we ignore the cries of discomfort, we lack compassion. Paul taught the strong believers to be careful “that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” That means we sacrifice our own freedom in order to patiently nurture those that are still learning all that Christ has done. The first way we learn is through observation. As a more culturally applicable example; perhaps you love an ice-cold beer with pizza, and you praise God while you enjoy the treat. While you have the freedom to consume, it may be selfish to drink if your companion is a recovering alcoholic. Paul continues, “if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge…” [drinking a cold beer] “won’t that person be emboldened?” The answer is of course, yes. Paul cautions, if you do not yield your freedom to protect them, then “this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.” A wise believer will lovingly put aside their freedom to shield the new believer. Paul becomes even more direct about putting your own freedom above nurturing a baby-Christian. If you “wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.” Paul sees extreme value in human life because Jesus died for each of us. Paul concludes with a powerful conviction about loving unconditionally: “if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again”. My friend, is it time to boldly demonstrate the love of Christ to the most vulnerable people in your life?