1 Corinthians 8:9–13 Offense

Our freedom in Jesus Christ should never offend. His grace covers all of us who believe and trust Him!!

We should be very careful not to offend those believers who have differing views from our own. All God’s children are precious in His sight.

Matthew 25:45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

A tender heart is a gift to embrace. And a gift to spill. A gift that changes the world. When we live from tenderness, we see one another.

Our well-being is grounded in grace. Let me repeat that… Our well-being is grounded in grace. And grace is a voice much bigger than all the other attachments where we may park value or significance. We see that dignity alive in the hearts and souls of those around us. Now, courage takes on a new meaning. Giving us the permission to say yes to choices that invite more soft hearts in a world that needs them.

When we see with our heart, we know that, regardless of our differences, we are on this journey together. A tender heart affirms the inherent value in others, and asks, “What’s next?”

You know, the question the Good Samaritan asked as he stopped for the man in ditch. Why? Because he knew what it was like to be wounded too. You see, once we are open...
...to having our stereotypes contradicted,
...to giving up our expectations and demands,
...to embracing our brokenness,
...we find 

"There is a light in this world, a healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter." (Mother Teresa)

When we see with our heart, we are grounded. We are conscious---present---no longer numbed. And tender hearts create sanctuaries for those left out. So, if ever there was a time for tender hearted, courageous men and women to step forward, it is now. SabbathMoments 

There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart. Jane Austen

1 Corinthians 8:9–13

9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. The New King James Version

The knowledgeable believers were correct in their view of idols, but it did not matter. If the weaker brothers and sisters saw other believers eating food offered to idols, they might also eat, in violation of their own conscience. To go against the conscience was in fact sinning. By their knowledge the stronger believers were causing the weaker believers to stumble. Paul exhorted the strong believers to show love to the weaker ones by refraining from offending them. The NKJV Study Bible

The Corinthians who considered themselves more spiritual assumed that they had the right to do whatever they wanted without considering the effects of their actions upon other believers. 

Some Corinthian believers not only ate meat sacrificed to idols but ate within the idol’s temple. These meals caused some weak believers to return to their idolatrous practices. Paul advises these believers to choose a private venue to eat their meals. Some believers who participated in idol feasts may have assumed they were helping the weak believers, but they were actually hurting their relationship with God. 

Paul considers it sinful behavior for a believer to exercise their rights in a way that harms a fellow member of the church. The Corinthians must realize that their actions affect the entire community of believers. 

“I will never eat meat” expresses the distance that Paul is willing to go to demonstrate his love for fellow believers. Although Paul knows that it is theoretically acceptable to consume meat sacrificed to idols, he does not act on such knowledge or appeal to his right to freedom. Instead, he bases his decisions concerning ethically neutral matters on his love for believers in Christ. Faithlife Study Bible

He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to Christians, are done to Christ; but most of all, the entangling them in guilt: wounding their consciences, is wounding him. We should be very tender of doing any thing that may occasion stumbling to others, though it may be innocent in itself. And if we must not endanger other men’s souls, how much should we take care not to destroy our own! Let Christians beware of approaching the brink of evil, or the appearance of it, though many do this in public matters, for which perhaps they plead plausibly. Men cannot thus sin against their brethren, without offending Christ, and endangering their own souls. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Romans 14:15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.

Romans 14:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.

Romans 14:21 it is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

1 Corinthians 8:4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.