1 Corinthians 8. Now concerning the food offered to idols… (8:1) In our modern American world we do not have large pagan temples where offerings are made to gods and banquets are held to celebrate family and cultural events. Our temptation is to skip over chapters like this, because the whole situation seems strange and irrelevant to us – but I think there is something we can take away from Paul’s answer to this question from the church in Corinth.

The essence of Paul’s response is here: Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off it we do not eat, no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not become a stumbling block to the weak… So if, by your freedom and practice, this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died… you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat [sacrificed to idols], lest I make my brother stumble (8:10-14).  

The issue is this – as Christians we must always consider how our actions affect other members of the community. The action itself may be completely morally neutral, in fact it is these gray areas that create dilemmas for us, but we must think about how our support of something affects us, looks to others, and how it affects the community. Remember this: All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything (6:12).

Also note that the concern here is for the “weaker” person (meaning one who is younger and less mature in their faith) – not that they might be offended, but that they might be destroyed (8:11) by the choices and example of other believers. Destroyed here implies that a weaker believer might be drawn into idol worship again and this return to pagan practices would seriously jeopardize their young Christian faith. As Paul notes, Christ died for this person and you cannot even change your diet?

The question for us today is what should the boundaries be between church and culture? How are we as believers to relate to the secular culture in which we live? What practices can be continued, and what must be left behind? What associations and attachments are acceptable?

The exclusive lordship of Jesus Christ may challenge some things we have not considered – like forms of nationalism or political affiliation that resemble idolatry, or the idolatry of materialism that is rampant in our country. Paul argues that we must think about how our support of something affects us, looks to others, and how it affects the community.

Can you think of a contemporary issue where one believer’s association or activities might seriously jeopardize the faith of a young believer? If there something in your own way of life that you need to reconsider, given how others might perceive it?