How Do We Look, How Do they See Us?

I Corinthians 8: 1-13

Now Paul will answer another question. In this culture there were a lot of statues set up all over the city that were honored with sacrifices, and they asked if it was okay to buy these meats that were sold inexpensively. 

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 

As Christians, we all have learned about God. But just knowing what He's done for us can make us think we're better than others. But when we love God back, and love other people with His Love, then that will build them up. 

If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 

To only know the facts about something is to just see the surface of it, not to see what lies underneath it. 

but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. 

When you realize how much God Loves you to have saved you as He did, then you will love Him back, and have a much better understanding that Love undergirds all the facts. 

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, 

Now Paul applies this principle to the question they asked him.

we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the World, and that there is no God but one. 

We know that an idol is only a statue, and that there is nobody in that image, it's only wood or stone.  

For even if there are so-called gods whether in Heaven or on Earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 

People worship and honor all kinds of things instead of God, and what they put first in their lives is their god, so there are many gods in this World; and someone's lord is whatever is boss over them, like an addiction. 

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. 

For us Christians, we know the one real God, that He is the Father who created us; and our Boss is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, by whom the Father created all of us.  

However not all men have this knowledge; 

Some new Christians who have been steeped in all the idolatry, may not have realized this yet, and still attribute power and value to the statues. 

but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 

So if they eat the meat that had honored the idol, they consider it as giving honor and worship to the idol instead of to God, and their conscience is wounded.  

But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 

Food is just material nourishment for our bodies, and it really makes no difference to God where that nourishment came from, since He gave us all the plants and animals for food. 

Even if someone has taken an animal and sacrificed it to an idol, then sold it in the butcher shop or restaurant; since the idol is only a statue, it could have no effect on the quality of the meat, it's still a good steak or chop, but it can be sold for less money because the animal was already paid for to sacrifice it. 

But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 

So if you realize this, that you can get these good meats at a bargain price, so you want to take advantage of this good deal. But be careful how you do it. Appearances can be powerful influencers. 

For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 

So if you take your wife to one of these restaurants where the good meal costs less, and someone who is a new Christians sees you there eating, how is he going to understand this, if he still thinks there's something powerful in the idol? Might he conclude that it's all right to make use of the idol's "powers" for his own benefit, as well as the Lord Jesus?

For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 

So my liberty in the Lord has caused a new Christian to remain in the idolatry that he was saved out of. 

And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 

Loving my new brother in Christ will make me more aware of how he will see my life. I must consider how others take what I do, and be careful to not give a wrong impression in doing what is right.  

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. 

So Paul says that if eating these meats may cause a problem for someone else, then he just doesn't need to eat meat any more. He is willing to limit his own freedom in Christ for the sake of appearances, to not offend someone else or cause them to stumble. 

This is a good general principle to follow no matter what the situation may be. We live in glass houses as Christians, because others are watching us. We may be living our lives righteously as we understand it, but if we don't consider how others may see what we're doing, even though it's all right, they may have some skewed view of things, and consider what we're doing to be wrong. 

In today's World, our enemy has deceived people so much that their thinking processes are twisted in viewing good things as bad, ugly things as beautiful, and wrong things as right. They see genuine Love as hatred, and tolerance and promotion of evil as good. 

They have turned the World upside down and see it as normal. Then when we, as God's people, turn it back upright, they are upset. That's why they said that Paul had "turned the World upside down" (Acts 17:6), when he was really setting things upright. 

That's why we need to be very careful about how we say what we say to people who are new Christians or who don't know Christ yet. And we need to be prepared to answer their questions with gentleness and compassion. And to patiently bear whatever persecution will come as a backlash to our evangelism. 

O my Father, this is such an important chapter for all of us to take to heart. Father, help us to consider how we may be seen by others. Let Your light shine through us into this dark World, to show up what is not right. Strengthen us in Your Love to love others so much that we are willing to sacrifice whatever is needed of our own abundance or reputation or friendships, to let others know Your Love, also. 

Help us who have knowledge share with others to increase their knowledge, so we all can see more of Your big picture of who You are and what You are doing. Father, help us to all be prepared to face whatever is coming in each of our lives, in our serving You and promoting Your Kingdom; so that every person everywhere will hear Your Good News, and understand enough to make an informed decision to either accept or reject You.

And draw all of Your lost sheep into the safety of the fold, that there will be One Fold with One Shepherd.

And every eye shall see, and every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, to the glory of Almighty God the Father! 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!