1 Corinthians 8:7-10

Causing a brother to stumble 1 Corinthians 8:7-10: Some brethren at Corinth had not gained enough spiritual knowledge to know that an idol is nothing at all. They had turned to the Lord but they still had some respect for the gods they had previously worshipped. So when they or others ate meat offered to idols they were bothered by their weak conscience. Paul does not say that eating idol meat was unlawfulness. It would be within the realm of Christian freedom. However, the misuse of this freedom might destroy a weaker Christian. If he eats the meat he feels guilty and thinks he has in some way again become idolatrous in worship. We do well to remember that one must have a clear con-science in order to please God.

Paul said certain food did not make a Christian either closer to or farther away from God. He said, "for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." (1 Corinthians 8:8) Eating idol food or refraining from doing so has nothing in either action to commend a person to God. One brother that has good understanding is not bothered at all by eating in an idol's temple. It is just like going into a restaurant to eat. But suppose a person with a weak conscience sees him and decides to eat food that has been offered to idols. By eating his conscience is encouraged to do something that he feels connects him to idol worship. The actions of the stronger Christian carried the weak brother back to idol worship.