1 Corinthians 8:13

Food Offered to Idols
8 Now concerning[a] food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.[b] 4 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.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 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. 7 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. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating[c] in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged,[d] if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers[e] and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

• Knowledge
  • This text talks of knowledge and love, lets first look at the real knowledge and love to set the stage properly.
  • (v. 6-7a)
  • (v.11b) Jesus Christ died
  • Go back to verse 1
  • More than what we know, or think we know (vs 2) is that we love God and are known by Him!!!
  • Instead of being content and enthralled in a love towards God and His people, our knowledge of Him can turn into sin
  • Vs 1 this goes back to the original deception in the garden, a prideful knowledge
  • This pride is the pride of Satan described (Ezekiel 28:17)
• Love
  • Vs but love builds up
  • 1 corinthians 13:1-3
    • This refers to love of our siblings in Christ
    • Love god love others, mission statement
  • 1 John 4:20-21 – love god then love brothers
    • This building love is sacrificial
    • Verse 13
• Application
  • Talk about this scenario of food offered to idols
    • Corinth-greece-polytheistic culture
    • Think about grocery store, kosher, farm raised, organic, “meat offered to idols”
    • For some new believers, eating this was sinful or was wounding their conscious
    • Romans 14:20-23 explains destroyed conscious of eater and opens up other areas where this is
    • 1 corinthians 10:23-33
  • Instead of operating out of the knowledge that builds, some were operating out of a knowledge that puffs and were a stumbling block
    • Matthew 18:1-7 seriousness of this topic
    • The text is calling for us to be aware of our siblings in Christ that they are not wounded by our choices
      • Some examples-alcohol
      • Political opinions
      • Media choices
      • Exposure to certain things they may not be ready for
      • Certain conversations & comments
    • Put simply, lets be sacrificial in deference of loving our brothers over our personal freedom, even in good things
    • We do this out of the knowledge described in our text and the a love that builds and a love for God that makes us known to Him.