1 Corinthians Chapter 8
I Wouldn’t Touch That If I Were You!
Paul writes about foods sacrificed to idols and says knowledge is great to have but having love for God it is greater. Knowledge can tell us that eating foods sacrificed to idols is nothing because as Christians we believe there is one God and one Savior. So it’s no big deal eating foods sacrificed to false gods because the food is not affected by that which doesn’t really exist. We know that such food is really from the almighty God so we see no reason why it can’t be eaten.
Yet, a young Christian, with weak knowledge, may look at food sacrificed to idols as being totally defiled and therefore should not be eaten because to do so is a sin. So in order to not cause this person to stumble and influence him to do something he thinks is wrong, we make sure we don’t eat these foods around him/her. Romans 14:12-13, 22-23 says if we think something is a sin, and then do it, then we sin.
Foods sacrificed to idols is irrelevant today in most places. But what are things today that we should be conscious of and careful of so we don’t cause another Christian to stumble? I’d love your feedback on this.
For me I think of three things: alcohol, smoking, and swearing.
Billy Graham, in my eyes, was a great man of faith and integrity. He did not practice these three things I mentioned but if he did it would have changed my perception of him because I see these three things as that which defiles one’s body or faith practice. I used Billy Graham as an example, but I would question one’s spiritual maturity if they practiced one of these three things whether my assumptions are accurate or not. It’s just how I feel.
