We’re at the halfway point in 1 Corinthians. Since the beginning of this study, we’ve walked through Paul’s frustrations with the Corinthians’ actions. In chapter 5 we talked about sinful practices that even non-Christians deplore. In chapters 6 and 7, Paul spoke about actions the world accepts but Christians should not pursue. Now as we dive into chapter 8, Paul will hit on some of the gray areas of Christianity—the practices some Christians approve of and other Christians don’t.
We’re also going to encounter an overarching argument both in this session and the next. Paul’s going to unpack the issue of sacrificing meat to idols—a custom that couldn’t be more different from what we experience today. While the cultural divide might seem too wide to bridge, we’ll find in this session and the session that follows that the principles from this passage still apply to us today.
We’ll hit on the main idea of spiritual maturity and how it should affect us as Christians. If we’re going to live a selfless life, then the longer we follow Jesus the more humble and self-sacrificing we should become. Being grown-up, knowledgeable, or experienced in the Christian life shouldn’t puff up our pride—it should make us more like Jesus.
As you read the Bible for all of 1 Corinthians 8, note all the characteristics of a spiritually mature person
1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.
4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us,
There is one God, the Father,
by whom all things were created,
and for whom we live.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things were created,
and through whom we live.7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13 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.
1 Corinthians 8 (NLT)
As we grow up in real life, we must answer this question: Will we use our experience, knowledge, and expertise as an adult to help others or ourselves? Maturity doesn’t necessarily give us free rein to wield our power or strength or understanding over the younger kids who aren’t as far along as we are. Growing up should mean we give up certain things for the sake of others.
As we grow up spiritually, we encounter the same question—will we use our spiritual maturity for others or for ourselves?
If we choose to live for ourselves, the inevitable result is pride. We begin to think our knowledge of God or our way of living the Christian life is better—or even the best. That’s what the Corinthians had fallen into. We’ve seen it all throughout the book. Their pride comes to the surface in a whole new way in the chapter we’ll be studying this week. Their actions are now leading other people to sin. It’s a big deal.
But there is another way. It’s what we’ve been talking about throughout this entire study. We can use any wisdom or growth in our Christian lives to help other Christians. We can take the self-sacrificing route of humility—the road Jesus trekked.
That’s what we’ll dig into this week—the choice we have between pride and humility and how our choice affects other Christians.
Close your time today by wrestling with this question: Where does pride pop up in your life?
Take a virtual journey through a typical day in your life and ask God to show you where pride takes center stage. Ask him to soften your heart to what he has to teach you through this week’s study.
Text your response to the above prompting questions to your group and/or share it as a comment below
“If we choose to live for ourselves, the inevitable result is pride”. Definitely agree with this statement and really love what Lucky said. Sometimes I really do things that I want without even considering God’s plan. I see myself surrendering myself and falling into temptation of what the world has to offer. But I’m reminded that true knowledge and power comes from God & he is all-knowing. I pray that I actively listen with intention & set away my pride in order to draw closer to Christ’s love.
Pride up can develop in. my life in different ways, especially when I think I am right about something. Sometimes it’s hard for me to see many different perspectives when I only clearly see one side of it-my side. When I take time to pray and think about it some more, God will soften my heart to reflect about it from multiple perspectives. My pride is something I need to continue to pray about. It is something real and can stand in the way of my relationship with God and others.