Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 44-48
     New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 8

But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ (1 Corinthians 8:9-12)

The next question that Paul dealt with was perhaps the most controversial: eating meat sacrificed to idols. Believers today do not face this issue and it doesn’t stir much interest. We may even yawn as we read about it. However, the wider issue of Christian Liberty applies to us today just as much as it did to the Corinthian Believers. Today, our controversial issues include such items as going to the movies, playing cards, going dancing, style of dress, or drinking wine with dinner.

Paul appeals to the mature Christians to balance their knowledge with love. Paul reassures the mature Believers in Corinth that their knowledge is correct, logical, and reasonable. But you cannot always deal with immature Christians with logic and reason. If you try to do so, you just come across as arrogant and you don’t edify the new Christians. We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (v1b). Knowledge must be mixed with love, otherwise the Believer will end up with a big head instead of a large heart.

Paul is not suggesting we should accept legalistic rules regarding gray areas and disregard our freedoms in Christ. He opposed the legalist as much as Jesus did in confronting the Pharisees and Sadducees. Paul is talking about protecting the tender conscience of a weak brother or sister.

Paul’s great concern was that mature Believers help the new Believers to grow and stop being weak in the faith. Spiritual knowledge used in love can help the weaker Christian grow in his faith and enjoy his freedom in Christ.

It is important to note that the stronger believer accepts the weaker brother or sister in love, only to help him mature. We are not to pamper immature Christians. Instead, we are to edify them and help them grow. A balance of knowledge and love will help new believers develop into mature Christians themselves.