New Life Bible Fellowship Church
6/28/2026

      • Psalm 117:1–2KJV1900

  • God of Our Fathers
  • God of the Ages

      • Proverbs 26:1–16KJV1900

  • Introduction:

    "Now concerning food offered to idols..."
    With these words, Paul turns to a new topic from the Corinthians' letter—and we enter a world very different from our own.
    Imagine living in first-century Corinth. The city is filled with temples—to Aphrodite, Apollo, Poseidon, Asclepius, and countless other gods. These temples are not just places of worship; they are social centers. Business deals are sealed there. Guilds hold banquets there. Family celebrations happen there. And the meat served at these gatherings has been sacrificed to the gods.
    Even the meat sold in the marketplace often comes from temple sacrifices. The priests take their portion; the rest is sold to butchers. When you buy meat for dinner, there's a good chance it was offered to an idol that morning.
    For a Christian in Corinth, this created daily dilemmas. Can I eat this meat? Can I attend my guild's banquet at the temple? Can I go to my nephew's wedding celebration in the temple dining hall? If I refuse, I'll be ostracized, lose business, and offend family. But if I participate, am I honoring false gods?
    The Corinthians had written to Paul about this. And some of them had a ready answer: "We all possess knowledge." They knew that idols are nothing—mere wood and stone. They knew there is only one God and one Lord. So what's the harm? The meat is just meat. The idol is just a statue. Knowledge liberates us to eat freely.
    Paul agrees with their theology. There is one God. Idols are nothing. The meat itself is not defiled. But, is there something else involved here? Is there some other consideration that we haven’t thought of?
    Today we enter a passage that will challenge our assumptions about rights and freedom. Paul will teach us that being right is not enough.
    Let's open our Bibles to 1 Corinthians 8:1.

    Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

    1 Corinthians 8:1–13 ESV
    1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 4 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.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 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. 7 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. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 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? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

    Main Idea: Since knowledge is incomplete without love, our love for weaker brothers limits how we exercise our freedom.

    Background:

    1. Idol Worship in Corinth

    Corinth was a thoroughly religious city—but not in a Christian sense. Temples and shrines dotted the landscape, dedicated to a pantheon of Greco-Roman deities.
    Major Temples in Corinth
    Temple of Aphrodite: Goddess of love, located on the Acrocorinth
    Temple of Apollo: God of music, prophecy, and healing
    Temple of Poseidon: God of the sea (important for a port city)
    Temple of Asclepius: God of healing, with an associated dining hall
    Various mystery cults: Including worship of Isis, Serapis, and others
    The Social Function of Temples
    Temples were not merely places for private devotion. They served as:
    Civic centers for community gatherings
    Venues for guild meetings and trade associations
    Banquet halls for celebrations (weddings, birthdays, business deals)
    Sources of meat for the public market
    For a Corinthian, avoiding temples meant avoiding much of social and economic life.

    2. Food Offered to Idols

    When an animal was sacrificed to a god, the meat was typically divided three ways:
    Portion for the god: Burned on the altar
    Portion for the priests: Consumed by temple personnel or sold in the market
    Portion for the worshiper: Eaten at a banquet in the temple or taken home
    The Marketplace (μάκελλον, makellon)
    Much of the meat sold in the Corinthian marketplace came from temple sacrifices. Priests could not consume all the meat allotted to them, so they sold the surplus to butchers. A Christian buying meat could not easily know its origin.
    Temple Banquets
    Invitations to temple banquets have been found in ancient papyri. A typical invitation might read: "Chaeremon invites you to dine at the table of the Lord Serapis in the Serapeum tomorrow, the 15th, at the 9th hour."
    For Christians, attending such meals raised serious questions about participation in idolatry.

    3. The Jewish Background

    Jews had strict prohibitions against idolatry and idol food. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20 “20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.”) instructed Gentile Christians to abstain from "things polluted by idols" (εἰδωλόθυτα, eidōlothyta)—the same word Paul uses here.
    For Jewish Christians—or Gentile Christians influenced by Jewish scruples—eating idol food was deeply troubling. It seemed like participation in idol worship.
    It might be worth noting that this is not a new concept, we will see Paul deal with parts of it again chapter 9:19-23, and 10:23-33. Paul also spends considerable time addressing this issue in Romans 14:1-15:7.

    I. The Problem of Knowledge (vv. 1-3)

    1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. (This is where you think you are)
    Now concerning food offered to idols:
    Περὶ δέ (Peri de) — "Now concerning" - The familiar formula signals a new topic from the Corinthians' letter. They had asked about idol food; Paul now responds.
    εἰδωλόθυτος (eidōlothytos) — "Sacrificed to idols / Idol food" - This compound word (εἴδωλον, "idol" + θύω, "to sacrifice") refers specifically to meat that has been offered in sacrifice to a pagan deity. The neuter plural (τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα) functions as a noun: "things sacrificed to idols" or "idol meat."
    we know that “all of us possess knowledge.”
    A Corinthian Slogan - Most scholars believe Paul is quoting a Corinthian claim: "We all possess knowledge." Some translations place this in quotation marks. The Corinthians boasted in their knowledge—their theological insight that freed them from scruples about idol food.
    γνῶσις (gnōsis) — "Knowledge" - This word will become important in later Gnosticism, but here it simply refers to theological understanding. The "knowing" ones understood that idols were nothing and that food was morally neutral.
    This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
    φυσιόω (physioō) — "To puff up / To inflate" - This verb (related to φῦσα, "bellows") means to inflate or puff up. Paul used it repeatedly in chapters 4-5 to describe Corinthian arrogance (4:6, 18, 19; 5:2). Knowledge without love produces arrogance, not maturity.
    but - in contrast
    ἡ... ἀγάπη (agape) - God’s love as defined by Romans 5:8
    Romans 5:8 ESV
    8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
    οἰκοδομέω (oikodomeō) — "To build / To edify" - This verb (οἶκος, "house" + δέμω, "to build") means to construct a building—and metaphorically, to build up the community. Love builds; knowledge alone inflates.
    The Logic of Verse 1
    Paul introduces the topic and immediately reframes the discussion. The Corinthians boasted in their knowledge. Paul responds: Knowledge by itself puffs up. What builds up is love.
    This sets the tone for the entire passage. The issue is not merely what is theologically correct but how love shapes the use of freedom.
    2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. (This is where you are)
    If anyone imagines that he knows something
    δοκέω (dokeō) — "To think / To suppose / To imagine" - The verb suggests subjective opinion—what someone thinks to be the case. The one who "thinks" he knows may be deceived.
    ἐγνωκέναι (egnōkenai) — "To have known" - The perfect infinitive indicates completed knowledge with ongoing results: someone who considers themselves knowledgeable, to the point where he stops learning and thinks he has arrived.
    he does not yet know as he ought to know
    οὔπω (oupō) — "Not yet" - The person has not yet arrived at true knowledge. There is more to learn—specifically, how to apply knowledge lovingly.
    καθὼς δεῖ (kathōs dei) — "As it is necessary / As one ought" - True knowledge involves not just content but character. Knowing "as one ought" includes knowing with humility and love.
    The Logic of Verse 2
    Paul deflates Corinthian pride. The one who thinks he knows something has not yet learned the most important thing: how to know rightly. True knowledge is humble knowledge—knowledge shaped by love for others.
    3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. (This is where you ought to be)
    ἀγαπάω (agapaō) — "To love" - The shift from "knowing" to "loving" is significant. What matters is not primarily our knowledge of God but our love for God—the hallmark of us being known by God is our love for Him, which expresses itself in love for others. We see this explained in John’s epistle:
    1 John 4:7–10 ESV
    7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
    ἔγνωσται ὑπ' αὐτοῦ (egnōstai hyp' autou) — "Is known by him" - The passive voice shifts the focus from human knowledge to divine knowledge. What ultimately matters is being known by God—being in relationship with Him, recognized and loved by Him. This echoes Galatians 4:9:
    Galatians 4:9 ESV
    9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
    The Logic of Verse 3
    Paul reorients the discussion. The Corinthians boasted in their knowledge. Paul says: What matters is love—love for God that expresses itself in love for neighbor. And the deepest reality is not our knowing God but God's knowing us.
    Now that Paul has established the platform from which he will structure his response, we now move on to…

    II. The Truth About Idols (vv. 4-6)

    4 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.”
    Therefore (with that as our platform), as to the eating of food offered to idols
    βρῶσις (brōsis) — "Eating / Food" - Paul now addresses the specific issue: eating idol food.
    we know that “an idol has no real existence,”
    εἴδωλον (eidōlon) — "Idol / Image" - An idol is "nothing"—it has no real divine existence. It is wood, stone, or metal—not a god.
    and that “there is no God but one.”
    Monotheism - This is the Jewish Shema applied: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one" (Deut 6:4). There is only one true God. The "gods" represented by idols do not exist as gods.
    Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV
    4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
    5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 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.
    (5) For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth
    λεγόμενοι θεοί (legomenoi theoi) — "So-called gods" - Paul acknowledges that people call these entities "gods"—but the designation is false. They are gods in name only.
    εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπὶ γῆς (eite en ouranō eite epi gēs) — "Whether in heaven or on earth" - The scope is comprehensive: heavenly beings (celestial deities) and earthly beings (local gods, deified rulers). None of them are truly God.
    as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
    θεοὶ πολλοί... κύριοι πολλοί (theoi polloi... kyrioi polloi) — "Many gods... many lords" - Paul acknowledges the cultural reality. The Greco-Roman world was filled with "gods" and "lords"—divine beings and human rulers claiming divine status. Polytheism was the norm.
    (6) yet for us there is one God, the Father
    ἡμῖν (hēmin) — "For us" - For Christians, there is only one God. The contrast is sharp: the world has many gods; we have one.
    ὁ πατήρ (ho patēr) — "The Father" - God is identified as "the Father"—the first person of the Trinity, the source of all things.
    from whom are all things and for whom we exist
    ἐξ οὗ (ex hou) — "From whom" - All things originate from the Father. He is the source of creation.
    εἰς αὐτόν (eis auton) — "For him / Toward him" - We exist for Him—for His glory, His purposes. He is our goal and end.
    and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
    εἷς κύριος (heis kyrios) — "One Lord" - Alongside the one God stands the one Lord—Jesus Christ. This is a remarkable Christological statement: Jesus is placed alongside God the Father in a creedal affirmation.
    The title "Lord" (κύριος) was used for Yahweh in the LXX and for Caesar in Roman imperial cult. To confess Jesus as "one Lord" is to give Him divine status and to deny ultimate allegiance to any other.
    through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
    δι' οὗ (di' hou) — "Through whom" - All things were made through Christ. He is the agent of creation (cf. John 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2).
    ἡμεῖς δι' αὐτοῦ (hēmeis di' autou) — "We through him" - We exist through Him—both in creation and in redemption. Christ is the mediator of our existence and our salvation.
    The Logic of Verses 5-6 - Paul affirms Christian monotheism in the most exalted terms. Though the world worships many gods and lords, for us there is:
    One God, the Father: Source of all things, our ultimate purpose
    One Lord, Jesus Christ: Agent of all things, mediator of our existence
    This is not merely theological information but doxology. And it grounds the practical discussion that follows: because there is only one God, idols are nothing.
    So we’ve established the foundation to be love, not just knowledge, and we built upon this foundation the undeniable truth of one God, inclusive of the Father, and the Son, thus acknowledging the non-existence of idols as being gods, so what is the problem? The problem is that we are responsible for…

    III. The Concern for the Weak (vv. 7-13)

    7 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.
    However, not all possess this knowledge.
    οὐκ ἐν πᾶσιν (ouk en pasin) — "Not in all" - Here is the crucial qualification. The Corinthians claimed "we all possess knowledge" (v. 1). Paul corrects: not everyone has this knowledge. Some believers lack the theological clarity that frees them from scruples about idol food.
    But some, through former association with idols
    συνήθεια (synētheia) — "Custom / Habit / Association" - Some manuscripts read συνειδήσει ("conscience") instead of συνηθείᾳ ("custom/habit"). Either reading makes sense, but "habit" or "former association" fits well: some believers, accustomed to idol worship before conversion, still associate the meat with the idol.
    ἕως ἄρτι (heōs arti) — "Until now" - Even now—even after conversion—they cannot separate the meat from its idolatrous context.
    eat food as really offered to an idol,
    ὡς εἰδωλόθυτον (hōs eidōlothyton) — "As idol food" - They eat the meat as idol food—that is, they cannot mentally separate it from the idol. For them, eating feels like participating in idolatry.
    and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
    συνείδησις (syneidēsis) — "Conscience" - The conscience is the moral faculty that evaluates actions as right or wrong. The "weak" conscience lacks the theological clarity to eat without guilt.
    ἀσθενής (asthenēs) — "Weak" - The conscience is "weak" not in a moral sense (more sensitive to sin) but in a structural sense (less robust, more easily troubled). It cannot distinguish between the neutral meat and the idolatrous context.
    μολύνω (molynō) — "To defile / To stain" - When the weak conscience eats idol food, it feels defiled—stained by participation in idolatry. The subjective sense of guilt, even if the act is objectively permissible, harms the person.
    The Logic of Verse 7
    Paul introduces the "weak" believer—one who lacks the knowledge that frees others to eat. For this person, eating idol food is not a neutral act. Their conscience condemns them. And a defiled conscience is a serious matter.
    Scripture seems to indicated that our consciences are not something that build toward godly thinking passively, nor are they to stay weak, but are to be built to maturity:
    Romans 12:2 ESV
    2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
    Hebrews 5:14 ESV
    14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
    Philippians 4:8 ESV
    8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
    Christians have a moral responsibility to educate and develop their conscience, which involves directing it to keep it in line by checking and testing it in relation to the character of God as revealed in Christ, and allowing it to be informed by Scripture and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Conscience isn’t self-correcting—it requires intentional alignment with God’s revealed character and truth.
    Therefore, our responsibility is to help, not hinder a weaker brother in their ‘conscience’ growth.
    8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
    Food will not commend us to God
    παρίστημι (paristēmi) — "To present / To commend / To bring before" - Food has no power to commend us to God or condemn us before Him. Eating or not eating does not determine our standing with God.
    We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
    ὑστερέω (hystereō) — "To lack / To be worse off / To fall short"
    περισσεύω (perisseuō) — "To abound / To be better off / To have more"
    The parallelism is complete: not eating does not make us worse; eating does not make us better. Food is spiritually neutral.
    The Logic of Verse 8
    Paul affirms the "knowledge" position: food is spiritually neutral. Eating or abstaining does not affect our standing before God. The "strong" are theologically correct.
    But this sets up the critical question: If food is neutral, does that mean we can eat without regard for others?
    9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
    But take care
    βλέπω (blepō) — "To see / To watch / To take care" - The imperative is a warning: Watch out! Be careful! Take heed!
    that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak
    ἐξουσία (exousia) — "Right / Authority / Freedom" - The "strong" have a legitimate right—freedom to eat idol food. Paul does not deny this. But he warns: this right can become dangerous.
    πρόσκομμα (proskomma) — "Stumbling block" - A πρόσκομμα is something that causes someone to trip or stumble. The freedom of the strong can cause the weak to fall.
    τοῖς ἀσθενέσιν (tois asthenesin) — "To the weak" - The "weak" are those whose consciences cannot handle idol food. The strong must consider them.
    The Logic of Verse 9
    Here is the pivot of the argument. Yes, you have freedom. Yes, idols are nothing. Yes, food is neutral. But your freedom can become a stumbling block. Your right can harm your brother.
    This is the problem: the Corinthians exercised their freedom without regard for the weak.
    Paul is about to give us a case and point:
    10 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?
    For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple
    εἰδωλεῖον (eidōleion) — "Idol temple" - This refers to the temple itself—specifically, the dining hall attached to temples where banquets were held.
    κατάκειμαι (katakeimai) — "To recline / To dine" - In the ancient world, diners reclined on couches at banquets. The "strong" person is dining at a temple banquet.
    will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols
    οἰκοδομέω (oikodomeō) — "To build up" - The word is used ironically here. Earlier (v. 1), Paul said love builds up. Now the weak person's conscience is "built up"—but in the wrong direction! It is emboldened to do what it cannot do without guilt.
    The Logic of Verse 10 - Paul presents a scenario:
    The "strong" person dines in an idol temple
    A "weak" believer sees this
    The weak person is "encouraged" (wrongly emboldened) to eat
    But the weak person's conscience condemns them when they eat
    The strong person's example has led the weak into sin—not the sin of eating (which is objectively neutral) but the sin of violating conscience.
    So what is the result of this use case:
    11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.
    And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed
    ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) — "To destroy / To ruin / To perish" - This is a strong word. The weak brother is being destroyed—not merely inconvenienced but spiritually damaged. The word can refer to serious spiritual harm.
    The weak believer violates their conscience by following suit, which fractures their relationship with God. Stunts their Spiritual growth.
    ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει (en tē sē gnōsei) — "By your knowledge" - Your knowledge—the very thing you boast in—is destroying your brother. The irony is devastating.
    the brother for whom Christ died
    ὁ ἀδελφός (ho adelphos) — "The brother" - This is not a stranger but a brother—a fellow member of God's family, a fellow believer.
    δι' ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν (di' hon Christos apethanen) — "For whom Christ died" - The theological weight is immense. Christ valued this person enough to die for them. And you, by your careless exercise of freedom, are destroying what Christ died to save.
    The Logic of Verse 11
    Paul's rebuke reaches its peak. Your knowledge is destroying your brother—the brother for whom Christ died. If Christ gave His life for this person, how can you risk their growth for the sake of eating idol food?
    12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
    Thus, sinning against your brothers
    ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) — "To sin" - The careless exercise of freedom is sin—not because eating is sinful, but because harming a brother is sinful.
    wounding their conscience when it is weak
    τύπτω (typtō) — "To strike / To beat / To wound" - The word is violent. You are striking their conscience—inflicting blows on something already weak. This is spiritual assault.
    you sin against Christ
    εἰς Χριστὸν ἁμαρτάνετε (eis Christon hamartanete) — "You sin against Christ"
    The climax: sinning against a brother is sinning against Christ. The brother belongs to Christ; harming him is harming the Lord.
    This echoes Jesus's teaching: "As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (Matt 25:40).
    The Logic of Verse 12 - Paul draws the conclusion:
    When you cause your brother to stumble, you sin against him
    When you wound his weak conscience, you assault him spiritually
    And in sinning against your brother, you sin against Christ Himself
    The stakes could not be higher.
    Paul now brings his instruction to a climax:
    13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
    Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble
    διόπερ (dioper) — "Therefore / For this very reason" - This emphatic conjunction draws the practical conclusion from the preceding argument.
    σκανδαλίζω (skandalizō) — "To cause to stumble / To offend" - The σκάνδαλον was the trigger of a trap—something that causes someone to fall. If food causes a brother to fall into sin, it must be avoided.
    I will never eat meat
    οὐ μή (ou mē) — "Never / Absolutely not" - The double negative is the strongest form of negation in Greek. Paul will never eat meat if it causes a brother to stumble.
    κρέας (kreas) — "Meat / Flesh" - Paul uses "meat" (κρέας) rather than "idol food" (εἰδωλόθυτα). He is willing to give up all meat—not just questionable meat—if necessary to protect a brother.
    εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα (eis ton aiōna) — "Forever" - This is not a temporary concession but a permanent commitment. Love for the brother overrides freedom to eat.
    lest I make my brother stumble.
    The Purpose - Paul's abstinence has a clear purpose: protecting his brother from stumbling. Love shapes behavior.
    The Logic of Verse 13
    Paul concludes with his own resolution. If eating meat—any meat—causes a brother to stumble, Paul will never eat meat again. His freedom is real, but love is greater than freedom.
    This is the model for the Corinthians. Knowledge says, "I can eat." Love asks, "Should I eat, given its effect on my brother?"
    The question might be asked, is there a limit to this, since everything we do, someone will have a problem with it? Why am I being controlled by the weakness of another?
    We are not talking about offenses due to preferences (hair length, clothing, etc.), or other morally neutral things we may be engaged in.
    We are not talking about sinful things that we might be doing and should be rebuked.
    We are speaking of those things that are biblically okay for us to do but because of former association with sinful practices, are wrong to a weaker brother and we in our justifiable way, seek to have our brother do these same things though not convinced they are right for him, this is sin to them and to us.
    Romans 14:23 ESV
    23 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.

    So What?

    Do we understand that we are to test our knowledge by love, and consider the weak?
    It is not enough to be theologically correct. Ask: Does my knowledge serve others or only myself? Does it build up or puff up? Knowledge without love is dangerous.
    Not everyone has the same maturity or freedom of conscience. Some believers struggle with things that do not trouble you. Do not despise them or pressure them. Protect them.
    Do we understand that we are to use our freedom for love, not self-assertion, and remember that our brothers and sisters belong to Christ?
    You may have the right to do many things. But the question is not "Can I?" but "Should I?" Love shapes the exercise of freedom.
    The person you might harm by your freedom is someone for whom Christ died. Treat them accordingly. What Christ valued enough to die for, you should value enough to limit your freedom for.
    Do we understand that we must be willing to surrender our rights, examining our example to our weaker brother or sister?
    Paul was willing to never eat meat again for the sake of a brother. This is radical self-denial—not because meat is sinful, but because love is supreme. Are you willing to give up legitimate freedoms for the sake of others?
    Your actions are seen. They influence others. The "weak" brother may be watching. Will your example build him up—or embolden him to violate his conscience?

      • 1 Corinthians 8:1–13ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:1ESV

      • Romans 5:8ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:2ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:3ESV

      • 1 John 4:7–10ESV

      • 1 John 4:7–10ESV

      • 1 John 4:7–10ESV

      • 1 John 4:7–10ESV

      • Galatians 4:9ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:4ESV

      • Deuteronomy 6:4ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:5ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:6ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:7ESV

      • Romans 12:2ESV

      • Hebrews 5:14ESV

      • Philippians 4:8ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:8ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:9ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:10ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:11ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:12ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 8:13ESV

      • Romans 14:23ESV

  • Behold Our God
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
dick.bickings@gmail.com
(302) 945-8145
https://newlifebfcde.org
18 members • 1 follower