SCRIPTURE: 1Corinthians (NIV) 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling-block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
OBSERVATION: The issue in the above passage is eating meet offered to idols. I have freedom to eat that meat because I am convinced that the idol is only wood or stone. But in exercising my freedom I may offend a brother who has not reached that level of understanding and still believes the idol has some power.
God says that offending them is sinning against Christ. I must remember that the price paid for me is the very same price paid for every other believer. They have the same value as I have. God loves them as much as he loves me!
APPLICATION: The issue is greater than eating meat offered to idols…the issue is unnecessarily offending a brother or sister. When I offend them, I am “sinning against Christ” He is the head of the body that includes me AND those I have offended!
I could list numerous things that might be considered offensive to someone…but the key is being led by the Holy Spirit. As I walk in close relationship with the Holy Spirit, He will put a check, or a hesitancy, or a block in my spirit not to do or say something. Only He knows what is offensive to the other in whom He also lives. If my relationship with the Holy Spirit is active, and he says nothing, I can move ahead in my freedom.
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, stay present and active in my life. May your presence be a key part of my life because I daily need your input. I trust you to keep me living a life that does not unnecessarily offend others, a life that honors Jesus. Amen
Pastor Leon
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