Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble

In Paul's time and society, as it still is now, there are various idols or spirits being worshipped as gods. The practice of worship to these idols may have involved food being offered or presented to idols, and later for human consumption. Paul points out that the Lord God who created the heavens and earth is the one true God. The other false gods do not matter at all and hence it does not matter if a believer eats the food that has been offered to idols.

Since this topic has been a great debate, Paul understands that there are believers who are unwilling to eat such food. The approach would be one of love, such that believers should not use this as a contentious issue of faith. It should be left to the individual believer to eat or not eat in peace. He urges those who feel it is free to eat, not to cause other believers to stumble by eating those food.





1 Corinthians 8
Be Sensitive to Conscience

1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

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. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

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.