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Timothy: I Corinthians 8:1-13
Food Offered to Idols

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I respectfully offer my praise and gratitude to You. You are the Almighty God and my Father in Heaven. I am grateful to have received another day that You have given me. I am content with Your love and grace. Even though my physical body grows weaker each day, You still give me enough strength and vitality. I remember Caleb, who was 85 years old yet still brave, charging into battle. I pray that You will give me enough strength to fulfill all the tasks You have entrusted me with. I also entrust all my life’s needs into Your hands. May Christ give me new strength, and may the Holy Spirit grant me wisdom to walk in the truth of the Word of God. I thank the Triune God.

Father, I would like to present my reflections on I Corinthians 8:1-13 as follows:

Verse 1:

1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

Paul begins by discussing the meat that has been sacrificed to idols. He reminds the people of God that everyone has knowledge, but this can sometimes lead to pride. Pride makes people think they are better than others and look down on them. Pride only causes division, whereas love builds up and brings unity.

Verse 2:

2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

In the world, there are many learned people who are known as highly educated and knowledgeable. In the Church, many people spend time meditating on the Word of God and have a deep understanding of it. However, people also say that the sea of knowledge is vast; no one has enough knowledge, whether of the things of the world or of the Word of God. Even those with more understanding do not know enough to be proud of what they know. The Lord Jesus Christ, God became man, never sinned and revealed God the Father to humanity. Yet, He was gentle and humble. He calls those who come to Him to learn from Him, for He has a gentle and humble heart.

Verse 3:

3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

Having knowledge is not as valuable as being known by God, because it is the one who loves God that truly matters. The one who loves God is the one who believes in Christ, learns from Christ, obeys Christ, and lives for Christ.

Verses 4 to 6:

4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

All idols in the world are vanities; they are created by human imagination and made by human hands. Satan also deceives humans, causing them to believe in and worship idols. Even idols referred to as “God” are also vanities, as they too are made by human hands. People in the world call many things “divine,” including stars in the sky or living beings on earth, such as a banyan tree. But for the children of God, there is only one God. God, in the person of the Father, is the One who willed everything to be created. God, in the person of the Word, came to the world as a human named Jesus, with the title of Christ; He is the One who created all things by His spoken word.

Verse 7:

7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

Nevertheless, there are many ignorant people who believe that idols are real. When they eat the offerings to idols, their consciences are corrupted. This is because when a person believes that idols are real and eats offerings to idols, they are participating in the worship of idols and are in agreement with it. A weak conscience can lead a person to believe that idols are real, but it does not necessarily corrupt their conscience. However, eating offerings to idols that one believes are real does corrupt their conscience.

Verse 8:

8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

Eating and drinking are activities necessary for the physical body’s health and survival, but they are not related to the spiritual life of the children of God.

Verses 9 and 10:

9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

If the people of God have a correct understanding of idols; they know that idols are nothing and that food offered to idols is meaningless. However, they should not eat such food because it can set a bad example for those who are weak in their conscience and lack understanding. When these people imitate eating food offered to idols, they become partners with the idols. Therefore, the Holy Spirit strictly prohibits the people of God from eating food offered to idols.

Verse 11:

11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

This is evidence that a person who has received salvation can still be lost. If they are weak in their conscience and not properly guided by the Church, they may be led astray. I understand that many people in various Christian denominations who have received the Gospel have been lost due to following bad examples or false teachings within those organizations.

Verse 12:

12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

Whoever causes those who are weak in their conscience to stumble is committing a sin against them and against Christ Himself. Those who are weak in their conscience are part of the body of Christ, and Christ died to redeem them.

Verse 13:

13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

I understand that during Paul’s time, most of the meat sold in the market in the city of Corinth had been offered to idols. Although God’s people were allowed to buy and eat meat from the market without concern for whether it had been offered to idols, Paul was willing to abstain from eating meat to avoid giving offense to the Church. His point was that if eating meat could cause fellow believers to misunderstand and think he was eating food sacrificed to idols, he would never eat meat under such circumstances.

Dear Father, I understand that not only in the case of eating meat offered to idols, but also in the case of anything else that can cause my weaker brothers and sisters to stumble, I should not do it. I ask for Your grace so that everyone in the Church may understand and remember the lesson in this passage of the Bible. Thank You, Father. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
05/09/2023