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Move in Love

August 11, 2024

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

  1. Paul is responding to a situation that was dividing people in the church in Corinth. Meat from animals that had been sacrificed to false gods in various temples was frequently available in the marketplace at deeply discounted prices. Some reasoned that followers of Jesus should have nothing to do with any food that had been part of pagan rituals. Others had no problem buying and eating that meat. Paul weighs in. Based on these verses, what is the primary principle that Paul will use to guide his discussion?
  2. How does knowledge puff up? How does love build up?
  3. What other verses in the Bible show how love builds up?
  4. Why might Paul want to reinforce loving God and being known by God before diving more deeply into the issue at hand?

Read 1 Corinthians 8:4-6

  1. Based on these verses (and without looking ahead), how does it seem that Paul is going to answer the question about meat sacrificed to idols?
  2. Paul seems very untroubled by the idea of other ‘gods’ and ‘lords.’ Why do you think this is so?
  3. In your own words, summarize what Paul is saying here.
  4. Why does Paul place such focus on “One God” “One Lord”?

Read 1 Corinthians 8:7-8

  1. What is Paul’s final answer on the issue of meat sacrificed to idols?

Read 1 Corinthians 8:9-13

  1. Paul goes deeper here than just providing a rule about meat sacrificed to idols. What do we learn from Paul in these verses?
  2. What issues of personal conscience today might be equivalent to the issue Paul was addressing? How do we apply these verses in our own context?