Love Builds Up - 1 Corinthians 8 Part 2

With a debate like “food offered to idols,” Paul attacks the hearts of those debating first before addressing the issue. In comparison if we have the knowledge that drinking can be a false idol and a detriment to our health and character and sinful it’s still wrong to lord it over non-Christians because they have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s like yelling at the blind man, “Walk like me, you idiot, stop stumbling! Can’t you see?”

Paul says first we need to remember love, which does not lead to arrogance:

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. (1 Cor. 8:1-3)

Amen! Paul says before we can debate this issue you need to find out where your heart is.

So what is the answer to the debate? Paul’s answer brings us back to the idea of “tension” – something that definitely marks the Christian life.

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. (1 Cor. 10:23)

We know that food offered to idols is really offered to nothing (1 Cor. 8:4-6) but we should measure our decision to eat it with our conscience*. Maybe someone used to sacrifice to idols and worship them and upon receiving God’s gift of salvation and knowledge they don’t feel right still doing it (1 Cor. 8:7). Because, Paul explains:

Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. (1 Cor. 8:8)

It’s just food, if you have a clean conscience, go ahead. Of course, this isn’t really a situation we’re likely to find ourselves in today, so let’s contextualize it. Drinking alcohol is permissible – no where in scripture does it condemn the act of drinking itself, only drunkenness – but maybe you’ve had a history of alcoholism and when you got saved you said “Never again”. In your case it would be wrong to drink because your conscience would be panged.

But maybe your conscience is not panged and you enjoy alcohol – you enjoy it without sinning, you enjoy it in God’s abounding grace. It is wrong for you to say, though, in your conscience and in your knowledge that God has given you, that everyone should drink as you do. Likewise, for the one who doesn’t drink by the knowledge God is given him it is wrong to say everyone shouldn’t drink. These are forms of pride that set brother against brother, and the Spirit of God is about unity and love. Remember:

This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

Truly we need to turn to the Spirit of God about these things, and through Him will we find unity and peace and grace not only for other believers but non-believers as well. Take a look at this unity that Paul writes of in another letter, Ephesians:

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (4:1-6)

Next time we feel like starting a theological argument let’s remember those words and see where our heart is. Let us pursue unity in the Holy Spirit so that people will see and know that “we are Christians by our love”.

Finally, Paul admonishes the one with a guilt-free conscience to be careful.

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. (1 Cor. 8:9-11)

Again Paul writes later after writing “All things are lawful”:

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. (1 Cor. 10:24)

Keep in mind the people around you. Although something may be lawful for you, ask yourself: what does this tell the person in darkness about the light? This tension of Christianity is between identifying sin, discerning evil, and living in freedom. There’s a tension in the way we live our lives: does it help our brother or sister? Are we living in love for him or her? If you can drink but your friend’s an alcoholic, don’t take him to the bar. If you can drink but it makes people who aren’t Christians (but look up to you as a symbol of Christ) doubt the righteousness that is in you, don’t drink.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31)

(9/21/09)

*I have since realized in reading more of 1 Corinthians (should've done that first!) that ultimately Paul does condemn eating food offered to idols (10:14-22). Although earlier he pointed out that the sacrifices to idols are worthless he then says this shocking thing:

What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. (10:19-21)

So I was mistaken, the ultimate answer is Don't do it. In this way the alcohol parallel I tried to establish doesn't really work because it's a different matter. In that way my "answer" was more correct, but not when it comes to the food sacrificed to idols. I still like though that Paul does spend time on the people's hearts in the matter (he doesn't outright say "Don't do it") and in a way gives them an example for how to dissect an issue like this. (10/4/09)