The Way - Day 070 (1 Corinthians 8)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
1 Corinthians 8
Paul is in the midst of answering some questions asked by the church at Corinth concerning issues which had left them confused and divided within the church. The first question surrounded the issue of marriage and divorce (1 Corinthians 7), but now he would spend the next couple chapters addressing the issue of liberty in the church (1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1). With both Jews and Gentiles as a part of the church at Corinth, backgrounds and cultures had clashed, often causing disagreement amongst the believers. The Gentile culture worshiped many gods and had a difficult time adjusting to the worship of the one, true God. One of the biggest concerns of the Gentiles was the freedom the Jews found in eating meat which had been purchased in Gentile idol markets. The Gentiles believed evil spirits attached themselves to the meat and could only be detached by sacrificing that meat to an idol. The thought of the Jews eating this meat was highly offensive to the Gentiles and had obviously caused some confusion in the church at Corinth. Paul writes to clear up some of the misunderstanding, "Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God..." (8:4-6). Gentiles had to change their thinking and realize that there were no other gods, so they should not fear these evil spirits who supposedly attached themselves to the meat sold in the idol market. Paul acknowledged that the conscience of new believers was offended when the Jews ate this meat, but he explained that food does not carry spiritual value (8:7-8); therefore, eating or not eating did not affect their spirituality.

Realizing that this issue of liberty and freedom in the church was causing confusion, Paul was careful to add some words of advice to the Jews whose conscience was not bothered when eating this meat, "But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak" (8:9). Although eating this meat purchased in the idol market was not sinful, the Jews should be careful not to flaunt their freedom in front of those who were weak in their conscience (8:10-13). Paul knew the Gentiles would eventually become knowledgeable in their thinking, but the Jews should not tempt them to return to their former lifestyle because they were abusing their freedom in this area.

Dear God, I embrace the freedom You've provided for me, but may my liberty never be offensive to those who are new in their faith.