The Gentile world was full of idolatry. The believers at Corinth had written a letter to Paul asking him several questions, and one of those questions deals with whether or not they should eat food that had previously been offered to idols. According to some information I found regarding the practice of offering food to idols, a third of the meat was used as a burnt offering to the god, a third was for the bringer of the offering to keep, and a third was given to the pagan priest. If either the bringer of the offering or the priest did not need or want their third of the meat, they were free to sell it in the marketplace. It was sold there at a reduced price, so it was common for shoppers (and especially shoppers with low incomes) to purchase this bargain meat. The Corinthian believers want to know whether it's alright for them to continue this practice. Some feel it's okay and some are opposed to it.
"Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that 'We all possess knowledge'. But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God." (1 Corinthians 8:1-3) I think Paul must be quoting to them from their own letter when he says, "We know that 'we all possess knowledge.'" Because the Corinthian believers are living in a very intellectual city full of philosophers and schools, they are used to debating various issues. Some of those in the church feel that it's fine to eat food that has been offered to idols because the gods the idols represent do not exist. Others feel they are partaking in idolatry if they consume any of these foods. So Paul puts an end to their debate by asking something similar to, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be kind?" Each of them is fully convinced of his or her own opinion, but debating these opinions is getting them nowhere. Instead it's driving a wedge between people. It's causing disunity in the church. They need to learn to agree to disagree and to accept each other's opinions with a loving attitude.
"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.' For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many 'gods' and many 'lords), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things come and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." (1 Corinthians 8:4-6) Paul says, "You know and I know that there is only one God. The heathens can call anything 'god' or 'lord' that they want, but it doesn't make it so. Food that is offered to idols is offered to 'gods' and 'lords' that don't exist."
"But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat food sacrificed food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do." (1 Corinthians 8:7-8) He reminds them, "Some of the believers in your midst do not feel comfortable eating these foods. They keep thinking back to the days when they didn't know the Lord Jesus Christ, to the days when they worshiped false gods, and they think about these false gods whenever they eat this food. Eating this food makes them feel they are being unfaithful to the Lord. They can't do it with a clear conscience. So yes, some of you understand that these foods are the same as any other foods, but some of you don't understand it."
There were various festivals held at the pagan temples throughout the year. The Christian who considered all food the same felt free to stop by and go through the buffet line, while the Christian who considered this food unclean felt sick and horrified by the very idea. Paul warns the believers not to offend each other. "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 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? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 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." (1 Corinthians 8:9-13)
The "weak" believer who sees the "strong" believer eating food that has been offered to idols may begin eating it himself. He feels as if he's sinning when he eats the food, but he makes a conscious choice to eat it anyway, so in essence he actually is sinning. From there it's a slippery slope. He may begin to make other conscious choices to do things he feels are sinful. He may fall out of fellowship with Christ. He may fall back into idolatry. Paul tells the "strong" believers that if they do anything that harms the faith of the "weak" believers they are sinning against Christ Himself.
A modern example of harming another believer at the table might be if we invite them to dinner and serve alcohol at the meal. Some Christians feel it's alright to have an occasional drink, while others think any form of alcohol is unacceptable. If we invite someone over who feels alcohol is unacceptable, and we offer it to them or we drink it in front of them, we could be harming their faith. What if this person decides to have a drink even though they feel it's wrong? In their minds they are sinning against the Lord. What if it turns out they have an addictive personality and they end up becoming an alcoholic? Or what if they disapprove so heartily of our drinking that they become disillusioned with the church and decide that Christians are hypocrites? We must not do anything that drives a wedge between someone and Christ.
There are many more examples we could use regarding things that might offend our brother or sister in Christ, but Paul's point is that we must treat each other with love. He said that "knowledge" (the feeling that our opinion is right) puffs us up. Being puffed up in pride doesn't help anybody. But love builds others up. There's nothing to be gained by arguing about our opinions. But there's much to be gained by loving and encouraging each other.
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