Surrendering Your Rights

The Context of Purity in Corinth

One of the big issues the Apostle Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians is the audience's holiness and purity—not just sexual purity, but purity from association with the world. It's similar to the emphasis in Isaiah on Israel's separateness. Throughout chapter 7, there's a focus on sexual purity, starting from the close of chapter 6 where he addresses fleeing sexual immorality, and continuing into romantic relationships. Purity is essential to being a Christian.

These Corinthians had been saved from heinous sins, including temple prostitution where fornication was intermixed with idol worship. They sacrificed unblemished animals to idols, much like Old Testament prescriptions but to false gods. Paul now focuses on purity in the specific area of food offered to idols.

Though we don't face this exact issue, the principle applies: when there's no chapter and verse for a situation, is it okay for a Christian to do it? Paul provides a template: I will not do anything if it violates another Christian's conscience.

Knowledge Puffs Up, Love Builds Up

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

— 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (ESV)

This is one of the most misquoted passages. It doesn't say all knowledge puffs up, but the Corinthians' loveless knowledge does. They were a prideful church at war with each other. Their knowledge was pride-inducing.

If you think you're knowledgeable, you need greater knowledge. Knowledge without love uses others for a cutting edge. If you know something isn't sinful but it bothers a brother's conscience, and you persist anyway, your knowledge puffs up instead of edifies. Their spiritual well-being matters more than your right.

To avoid violating a fellow believer's conscience, unite knowledge with love. Consider God's glory first, others' well-being second, yourself last. This is sacrificial, Christlike love.

True Theology of One God

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.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—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.

— 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 (ESV)

Idols have no real existence—statues can't see, hear, or speak (Psalm 115). Yet some, through former association, eat as if offered to real idols, defiling their weak conscience.

Even if idols pointed to real spiritual beings (Greek: eipere, "even if"), our God is superior: one God the Father, from whom are all things; one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things. Knowledge alone hurts if unloving.

Do Not Stumble the Weak

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. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 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? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

— 1 Corinthians 8:7-13 (ESV)

Not everyone has this knowledge. Your right shouldn't stumble the weak. Seeing you in an idol's temple encourages them to return to sin. By your knowledge, the brother for whom Christ died is destroyed—you sin against Christ.

Classic example: Is it okay for Christians to go to a bar? No explicit verse forbids it, but consider consciences. A former drunk or bar-hopper's conscience is defiled. You might go for club soda, but they return to sin. Jesus died to save them—don't destroy them for hot wings.

The Bigger Picture

Food (or bars, tattoos, etc.) doesn't commend you to God—you're no better or worse. You're not missing out. Yet it causes stumbling: the weak are destroyed, sinning against Christ.

Even on social media, restrain posts that bother consciences. Teach truth lovingly so they grow, but prioritize their well-being. Don't instruct that new life mimics the old—you sin against Christ.