No hurdles
1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. 24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. 28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. 33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
Paul returns to the discussion of meat sacrificed to idols. He is thinking more of the corporate than of the individual effects of exercising freedom in Christ in this passage. He has a “Yes, but” approach. Christians are free to serve others above self.
Paul is clear: Feel free to buy and eat any food and drink as they are part of God’s creation and have been given to His people to be enjoyed. If you go to a friend’s house, eat, and don’t ask any questions. If someone else present makes an issue of the food having been sacrificed to idols, then consider abstaining. Presumably this person is a “weaker” Christian, since unbelievers would not likely have any concerns about eating the meat. In this situation, one might decide to refrain so as not to risk leading the other person into sin or confusing his or her conscience.
What we see here is the twin principles of freedom and restraint for God’s glory. Paul tries to lead as few into sin as possible, both outside and inside the church, but his most basic underlying motive is the salvation of as many as possible.
So how are we to understand this passage in a culture where little if any issue is ever raised about meat sacrificed to idols. It is that Paul did all he could to ensure he was not a problem to people coming to faith. Can I say the same for myself – or do I put hurdles in front of people as they come to faith!
Father, please help me to see where I am placing hurdles in from of people as You lead them to faith in Your Son and then give me the courage to remove them!
Written by Ps. Richard Botta