Looking Beyond Self

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

1 Corinthians 8:1–13 (NLT)

1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.

3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords.

6 But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated.

8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.

9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.

10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?

11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.

12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.

13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

INTRODUCTION:

I- LOVE TRUMPS KNOWLEDGE. (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)

1 Corinthians 8:1–3 (NLT)

1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.

3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

A- Knowledge can be dangerous. (1 Corinthians 8:1)

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NLT)

1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

Περὶ δὲ τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων, οἴδαμεν ὅτι πάντες γνῶσιν ἔχομεν. ἡ γνῶσις φυσιοῖ, ἡ δὲ ἀγάπη οἰκοδομεῖ.

1- The Jerusalem Council had addressed this issue. (Acts 15:29; 21:25)

2- Knowledge inflates pride.

(ἡ γνῶσις φυσιοῖ = knowledge puffs-up [causes one to become inflated with pride])

3- Love strengthens the church.

(ἡ δὲ ἀγάπη οἰκοδομεῖ. = “but love builds-up”

Note the contrast later in the letter: (1 Corinthians 13:2)

1 Corinthians 13:2 (NLT)

2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.

B- Know-it-alls know nothing. (1 Corinthians 8:2)

1 Corinthians 8:2 (NLT)

2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.

εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἐγνωκέναι τι, οὔπω ἔγνω καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι·

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B- Love Trumps knowledge. (1 Corinthians 8:3)

1 Corinthians 8:3 (NLT)

3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

εἰ δέ τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν θεόν, οὗτος ἔγνωσται ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ.

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II- CONSIDER THE CONSCIENCE OF WEAKER CHRISTIANS. (1 Corinthians 8:4-7)

1 Corinthians 8:4–7 (NLT)

4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords.

6 But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated.

A- Idols are not really gods. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)

1 Corinthians 8:4–6 (NLT)

4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords.

6 But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

4 Περὶ τῆς βρώσεως οὖν τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὐδὲν εἴδωλον ἐν κόσμῳ, καὶ ὅτι οὐδεὶς θεὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς.

5 καὶ γὰρ εἴπερ εἰσὶν λεγόμενοι θεοὶ εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπὶ γῆς, ὥσπερ εἰσὶν θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κύριοι πολλοί,

6 ἀλλʼ ἡμῖν εἷς θεὸς ὁ πατήρ, ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς αὐτόν, καὶ εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, διʼ οὗ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἡμεῖς διʼ αὐτοῦ.

B- The issue is not the idols, but others. (1 Corinthians 8:7)

1 Corinthians 8:7 (NLT)

7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated.

7 Ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν πᾶσιν ἡ γνῶσις· τινὲς δὲ τῇ συνηθείᾳ ἕως ἄρτι τοῦ εἰδώλου ὡς εἰδωλόθυτον ἐσθίουσιν, καὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτῶν ἀσθενὴς οὖσα μολύνεται.

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III- CAUSING WEAKER BELIEVERS TO STUMBLE IS SINNING AGAINST CHRIST. (1 Corinthians 8:8-13)

1 Corinthians 8:8–13 (NLT)

8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.

9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.

10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?

11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.

12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.

13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

A- We do not gain God’s approval by eating nor abstaining from eating. (1 Corinthians 8:8)

1 Corinthians 8:8 (NLT)

8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.

8 βρῶμα δὲ ἡμᾶς οὐ παραστήσει τῷ θεῷ· οὔτε γὰρ ἐὰν φάγωμεν, περισσεύομεν, οὔτε ἐὰν μὴ φάγωμεν, ὑστερούμεθα.

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B- Insisting on our “rights” can cause great harm to others. (1 Corinthians 8:9-11)

1 Corinthians 8:9–11 (NLT)

9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.

10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?

11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.

9 βλέπετε δὲ μή πως ἡ ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη πρόσκομμα γένηται τοῖς ἀσθενέσιν.

10 ἐὰν γάρ τις ἴδῃ σὲ τὸν ἔχοντα γνῶσιν ἐν εἰδωλείῳ κατακείμενον, οὐχὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτοῦ ἀσθενοῦς ὄντος οἰκοδομηθήσεται εἰς τὸ τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα ἐσθίειν;

11 ἀπόλλυται γὰρ ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει, ὁ ἀδελφὸς διʼ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν.

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Romans 14:1-3

Romans 14:1–3 (NLT)

1 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.

2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.

3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.

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B- Causing others to stumble by insisting on our rights is sinning against Christ. (1 Corinthians 8:12-13)

1 Corinthians 8:12–13 (NLT)

12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.

13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

12 οὕτως δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τύπτοντες αὐτῶν τὴν συνείδησιν ἀσθενοῦσαν εἰς Χριστὸν ἁμαρτάνετε.

13 διόπερ εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου σκανδαλίσω.

1- Romans 14:23-15:1

Romans 14:23–15:1 (NLT)

23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.

CONCLUSION: