Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 8
In Corinth, Christians were arguing about food. It seems as if Paul could hardly believe it. Paul himself would refuse ever to eat meat if, by that means, he could help another person to trust God.
The particular argument in Corinth was about meat that people had offered to false gods. Some Christians, who had a strong relationship with God, chose to eat that meat. They gave God thanks for it; they were not giving honour to false gods.
Other Christians, whose relationship with God was weaker, were trying to avoid that meat. They were afraid of the meat because of the power that false religions formerly had over their lives. Those meals might tempt them to join those evil religions again.
The stronger Christians said that God’s Holy Spirit was guiding them. But if the Holy Spirit really was guiding them, they would care about the weaker Christians. The Holy Spirit never guides anyone to do wrong things.
Their actions were wrong, because they were tempting other people to do evil things. They were not just wrong against the weaker Christians; they were wrong against Christ. He loved them so much that he died to save them (8:11).
Jesus gave similar advice in Mark 9:42. Christians must be very careful not to do anything that may spoil someone else’s relationship with God. That is especially important when stronger Christians are dealing with weaker Christians.
Next part: Paul, the apostle to Corinth (1 Corinthians 9:1-2)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.