In The Word
Read: 1 Corinthians 8
Take Care with Your Liberty
8 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes one conceited, but love edifies people. 2 If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
4 Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
7 However, not all people have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Now food will not bring us close to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 9 But take care that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, if he is weak, not be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through your knowledge the one who is weak is ruined, the brother or sister for whose sake Christ died. 12 And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
How we live our lives matters. We are an example to others whether we want to be or not. People watch us, from our family to our neighbors to our co-workers. Many people do not study or even read the Word of God. They simply follow what they see others do or listen to what they hear others say without ever finding out if that lines up with the truth of God’s Word or not.
Leading others to stumble is sin against Christ. In Matthew 18, the Lord warned us about being stumbling blocks. He said, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!” We are to live a life that leads others to be conformed to His image and not one that causes another to stumble. When we profess to be followers of Christ but live a life that is not pleasing to God, we are a stumbling block.
We are to do all things for God’s sake, for the sake of the gospel. We are to run this race exercising self-control, a fruit of the Spirit, disciplining ourselves so that after we have preached to others we will not be disqualified. Knowledge without application leads to pride. Knowing the right thing to do and not doing it makes one a fool, but following His teachings in love builds others up. Examine your life today. Be careful that your freedom does not somehow become a stumbling block to others.