When It’s Wrong to Be Right
- 15 hours ago
- 4 min read
And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed… (I Cor. 8:11).
Can a Christian eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? This may not be a pressing moral question for you, but it was a hot-button issue for believers in the first century. Answering it caused tempers to flare, friendships to fracture, and churches to split.
Let’s try to understand the context of what was happening when the apostle Paul addressed this issue. The worship of idols in pagan temples typically involved animal sacrifice. The meat was sometimes eaten in the temple itself, a sort of early version of a public restaurant. Sometimes it was taken home to be used in a family meal. At other times it was sold in the local market to the general public. Because this meat had been used in occult rituals in pagan temples, many Christians wondered whether they should eat it or not.
Some had no qualms at all about eating such meat. Secure in the knowledge that idols are nothing more than lifeless statues, they asked, “What’s the big deal? Bon appétit.” Paul acknowledged the strength of this argument when he said: “We know that an idol has no real existence.” (I Cor. 8:4). However, other believers refused to eat such meat because of its wicked associations. The meat caused a flashback to their sinful past. Paul recognized the validity of this argument as well: “What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” (I Cor. 10:20).
To eat or not to eat? The issue was culturally complex, theologically tricky, and emotionally volatile. A “yes” or “no” answer was far too simplistic and tended to do more harm than good. Paul was both a theologian and a pastor. He knew that discerning the will of God in this matter involved more than a theological disputation followed by a congregational vote. In other words, knowledge would not settle this issue. However, love would!
Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. (I Cor. 8:1-2).
In this passage (I Cor. 8:1-13), Paul concedes that there are some ethical issues that cannot be settled by theological debate. In these cases, determining the right response is more complex than winning a doctrinal argument! To make his point, he describes what happens when we have knowledge (e.g., good theology) without love.
Knowledge without love makes us proud. (v. 1). Paul knows that those who are able to win theological arguments are often “puffed up”; that is, they suffer from ego-inflation. We might say they are filled with a lot of hot air! His point is that such people must be careful that in winning the battle, they do not lose the war! Knowledge without love may score theological points, but it does not build up the body of Christ. If you have ever been in a small group setting when a know-it-all was present, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Knowledge without love makes us ignorant of our ignorance (v. 2). I’ve never seen I Corinthians 8:2 on a refrigerator magnet or included in a Bible memory program. Yet, what a difference it would make if Christians today lived by its truth: “If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.” Paul’s greatest concern is not the level of ignorance that exists in the church. His greatest concern is that so many people, including pastors and teachers, are ignorant of their ignorance!
Knowledge without love makes us dangerous (vv. 9-13). In dealing with the question about meat, Paul says the issue is not a lack of knowledge, as the leadership had assumed. Offering a seminar on “the theology of meat” will not resolve the conflict! The problem is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of love. Trying to correct someone else’s theology often does more harm than good. Without love, people can be hurt by knowledge, even “destroyed” (see I Cor. 8:11).
Conclusion
Today, the question of meat sacrificed to idols is no longer controversial, but other issues have arisen that are just as contentious and threaten the unity of the church. Christians have taken positions that are diametrically opposed to one another. Arguments are fierce and passions are hot. At times, it feels like the church is being ripped apart. Let me name a few of the issues we face today:
Politics. Just drop the name Donald Trump into a group of Christians and watch what happens. Passions will surface both pro and con, on the right and on the left, and Bible verses will be quoted defending opposing positions.
Lifestyle. Should Christians live lavishly (fine cars, expensive houses, social drinking, etc.) or humbly? How can someone who is rich pretend to love the poor?
Human sexuality. Although Christians must stand united on the basic tenets of sexual morality as set forth in God’s Word (!), there is much latitude in how Christians should respond to the sexual chaos displayed in our culture today. Confrontational? Welcoming?
Styles of worship. Although the ‘worship wars’ have mostly subsided, strong feelings continue to be debated about how best to engage in corporate worship. Music style, lighting, smoke machines, liturgy, creeds, the Lord’s Table, preaching styles, etc.
Sunday observance. In what sense do Christians celebrate “the Lord’s day” and follow the rhythm of a seven-day week?
Other issues could be added, but this list helps us to understand the revolutionary importance of what Paul is teaching in I Corinthians 8. Knowledge alone (doctrinal teaching, Bible studies, apologetics, etc.) will not resolve these issues. Love is the key. Without it, we may win the argument but lose our brother and sister in Christ.