1 Corinthians – Chapter 8

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. 1 Corinthians 8:7 – Paul is working though the list of questions the Corinthian church gave him, and now it’s all about food offered to idols. In their day it was common practice for the pagan worshipers to offer meat to the temple for an offering to idols, and part of that meat could be sold in the temple market. The question, was is it okay for a believer in Christ to buy that meat and eat it. The answer, yes, for there is no other god than the Lord, so such food wasn’t given to anything…but… While the truth is that believers were/are free in Christ to eat such food, not everyone in the church had that knowledge about idols. So when a believer in Christ expressed such freedoms and ate such food offered to idols, possibly a less mature Christian who still thought idols were real may see them and be tempted to do something they believe is wrong. Or after seeing such a thing they may seek division with the other believer who expressed their freedom in Christ. Paul then is telling believers to be aware that not everyone has the same knowledge of what we are free in Christ to do. If we then flippantly use such freedoms, careless of how it may impact younger believers or those who aren’t yet following Jesus, then we are in sin. Our freedoms aren’t to be used to damage another person, our freedoms are to be used to follow Jesus and help others do the same. Let us then be knowledgeable on what truly we are allowed and free do to in Christ, but be fully aware not every believer around you understands such things as clearly. As Paul closed out this chapter, if using my freedoms in such things would cause my brother to stumble, I won’t ever do such a thing. Care more about you brothers walk than your freedoms. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3115

But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. (v.9) Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (v.13) We must take time to realize not everyone may understand our freedoms in Christ as well as us. Those of us who have matured in Christ and drawn close to Him realize that this amazing thing we have with God is not just a religion to judge our lives off of, but a relationship to live out. We understand that our lives aren’t about somehow winning God’s approval with our goodness, but offering our lives to Him as a sign of our gratitude because of the goodness He’s shown to us. Yet while we may have grown to that point of understanding, possibly not everyone around us has. We need to be aware that our lives are helping those not as mature learn what it’s like to live out their relationship with God. This is going to take a selfless mindset. That you’ll actually take time to think, “How is my life helping those around me live out their life for Christ better?” I pray that our knowledge and experience with Christ doesn’t actually become a stumbling block to those who may haven’t had the chance yet to experience Him like we have. Let’s rather use that knowledge and experience to benefit the maturity of those who are still new to the faith so they too can experience the freedom that is a part of knowing Jesus. We are all in this together. If you are mature, use that blessing of maturity to help those who are newer to the faith. If you are new to this relationship with Christ, allow those who are mature and willing to invest into your spiritual life to do just that. Let’s together grow into the mature followers of Christ that He is longing for us to be. – Daily DEVO 11

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 8:9-13 – Would you be willing to drop something out of your life to help a fellow Christian live more faithfully for Jesus? Paul understood that not all Christians have matured and learned the freedom that truly comes with a relationship with Christ. Because of that, Paul knew he could easily become a stumbling block in the lives of those who weren’t as mature yet in their faith. Like with the food offers to idols, Paul knew it he had the freedom to eat it but also knew it would trip others up if he did. How about for you, is there something like this in your life where you know you have the freedom to do but it would cause someone newer in the faith to stumble? Would you be willing to let go of that to help them stay on the right path? We need to be willing to love our less mature in the faith brothers and sisters like this, to where whatever we can do to help them grow we’ll do even if it means giving up something for a bit. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 710

If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 1 Corinthians 8:2 – The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a term used in psychology. In simple terms it is when someone gains a small amount of knowledge on something and begins to become overconfident in that subject thinking they know it all. This is what was taking place here with the people Paul was writing to concerning food offered to idols. They had a little knowledge and assumed they knew everything. We must be careful as well to not fall into this trap. We can allow ourselves to become puffed us with pride thinking we know so much about scripture, the way scripture should be interpreted, and how we should live our lives accordingly. We must be willing to continue to learn and accept that we may have learned wrong in the past. No one fully understands all there is to know about God nor fully understands the depth of scripture. Meaning we all have room to grow. Let’s remain in a humble posture recognizing we don’t know it all, others may actually be able to help us, and as hard as it may be to accept, that we may be wrong about some things too. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1775