Rev. Don Campbell
1 Corinthians 5-8
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2019
“SINNING AGAINST CHRIST”
Paul declared that because an idol has no real existence, eating meat that had been offered to an idol was not in itself a sin. He then says, “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. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 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” (8:7-13).
ln this age when anything with which another may disagree is declared “offensive” and the offender must cease and desist, this passage could be very appealing to the easily offended. This clearly was not Paul’s intention. A misunderstanding of the King James rendering of 8:13 has been used by the opinionated to force their opinions upon all others: “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend,” which is an accurate rendering, but is misread and misused to read “offend my brother.” “To offend” is not to do something to someone, but to cause someone to do somethings, as other translations show: “Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (ESV). Even more clear is the NLT: “So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.”
Having clarified the text, we move to Paul’s declaration: “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” (8:11-12). To insist on exercising my rights without any regard for the soul of another is to sin against Christ himself. Paul deals with this same topic in Romans: “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10).
In such issues, neither side should read that which is written to the other side. Those wishing to limit the freedom of others must not cry “Offensive,” and displace God as the judge of all. Those wishing to act without self-restraint in the exercise of their rights must remember that a sin against a brother is a sin against Christ.
CONNECTIONS
1. Clearly, one can be wrong about some things and still be right with Christ and be saved (Romans 14:3-4). Do some people make it harder to be accepted in the church than it is for the excluded to go to heaven?
2. Would you agree that Paul does not condemn having opinions, but being opinionated?
