Don’t judge those with a weak conscience . . .

In ancient and even modern times, people worship idols. In many cases, they put food out for those idols, but since these idols are not real, the food is uneaten. Those who offer it wind up eating it themselves. Or in the case of the church at Corinth, they were offering it to their guests, some of whom were new Christians. These folks were concerned: was it a sin to eat this food?

Paul’s response is long but it does have application for today. It takes him awhile to get to the point, but he first affirms that idols do not exist, only in the imagination.  We have one God and should have no problem with eating anything. However, some were looking at this as sin so was it?

This reminds me of a Christian visitor to our home. While I was preparing the meal, our little granddaughter asked the visitor to play a game of “Old Maid” with her. The woman said she would love to play but asked for a different type of game. She explained later that she grew up in a family that gambled using cards. To her, it was a sin and rather than defile her conscience, she rejected the card game but was fine with other games.

This is what Paul said about this matter:

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 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. However, not all possess this knowledge.

But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.

Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

The issue was not so much about food but our need to consider the conscience of others. Like my friend and card games, some thought eating this food was sinful and would put a barrier between them and God. They may later realize this belief came from a weak conscience, but in the meantime, it would be a sin to make light of their weakness, so don’t eat the food. Otherwise, it isn’t a problem.

Paul also wrote about this issue of what bothers our conscience. It may be nothing in the mind of God, but not everyone understands that. However, God is concerned that our fellowship with Him is not broken even by doing something in ignorance. Paul said: “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.” (Romans 14:14)

God is also concerned that we do not cause other to defile their conscience. That is, I am not to push my friend into playing a card game that I think is innocent if it is going to make her feel guilty. She may grow in her faith and knowledge of God to realize playing Old Maid is not a problem, but in the meantime . . .

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:21–23)

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Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me that not everyone feels free in their faith. Those who do can harm those who do not by pushing them to do what they have qualms about doing. Give me sensitivity to this and help me understand how to respond when another Christian reacts as the Christians in Corinth did. We do not live by rules about food or anything else, but by faith in You, trusting You to clarify all the issues and concerns in life, not just my life, but the lives of others.