1 Corinthians 8:1, Things Offered to Idols

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

The Apostle Paul now appeals to the Corinthian Christians to consider certain specific habits in their lives that may stumble a weaker Christian. The matter at hand is food offered to idols. The Christian who knows the teaching from God’s Word (we all have knowledge) will have no problem eating food offered to idols because they understand that there is but one living and true God and idols are false gods. As such, they will not hesitate to eat food offered to these idols, it does not affect their conscience.

However, the application of the knowledge concerning food offered to idols may not be so straightforward because the Christian lives among a community of believers. What they do is observed by others. And not all Christians have the same level of spiritual maturity. The mature Christian may have no problem eating the food offered to idols but for the younger Christian, whose faith may not be so strong, seeing others eat food offered to idols may cause them to stumble in their faith.

As such, the appeal is that the mature believers exercise charity, refrain from eating food offered to idols, in this example, so that it may not stumble the faith of a weaker brother who may not have been as spiritually mature as they are to eat with a clear conscience. Amen.