Knowledge, Freedom & Conscience

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God. So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.                                      I Corinthians 8:1-13

What makes us a better Christian – Understanding the Scriptures or implementing their precepts into our lives? One of the gravest enemies to Christian brotherhood is a knowledge that results in arrogance. One who has studied the Scriptures for 30 years fails to show forbearance to the one who still sins because they are yet unaware that their behavior displeases God. One who has accepted the teaching of biblical scholars that some practices commanded in the Bible were only applicable to the people of biblical times and in their specific situation may feel released from the obligation to follow certain practices commanded in the Bible. Now they think that their brothers and sisters who still feel those certain practices are relevant for today are backwards and ignorant.

In this chapter, the Apostle Paul challenges the church about our attitudes. He calls us to examine ourselves. Have we allowed our knowledge to puff us up? In our freedom, have we endangered our “less enlightened” brother or sister’s faith? If we have, what are the eternal consequences of these things? Does not our pride open the door for sin within our own lives? Does our lack of conscience towards our brother or sister’s welfare endanger their relationship with God?

How great is our need for knowledge and freedom if we misuse it once we have it? With greater knowledge, we should desire greater charity towards those who do not yet have it. When we find greater freedom, we should desire greater concern for our brother and sister still in bonds.