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? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers 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.
On the internet, I will see an article whose headline asks a probing question, only to open the article and scroll for a virtual mile before the answer comes and it is unsatisfying. I get disturbed but a little background is a good thing and patience is required. Reading the above verses may cause us to skim it to get to chapter 9. This is important though. Paul was addressing a question from the church. They were being divided over it. Paul patiently, and I think, masterfully, was carried along by the Spirit to explain it fully.
I am that guy who does not read the instructions completely before assembly, rule number 1 in the manual. I “get it” and then proceed to do it wrong. Before we stridently ascribe to a school of thought on any topic, let us be sure to read the manual completely. Let the word of God and prayer give us a spirit of gentleness, respect, and humility, that Peter and Paul command. Praise God for the Bible which answers these questions!
Dear Lord, thank you that you have given us tough issues but also a Holy Bible. Help us to know the instructions before we assemble our lives and worldview. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church