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Christian Liberty and the Weak Conscience

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

8
Chapter 8
1 Now concerning the foods sacrificed to idols, we know that "all have knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know it as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God except one. 5 for even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (just as there are many gods and many lords), 6 but for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we for him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and we through him. 7 But not all have this knowledge. Some, because of their habit up to now with the idol, eat it as a thing sacrificed to idols, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we eat, do we abound, nor if we do not eat, do we fall short. 9 But see to it, lest somehow this authority of yours become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one having knowledge, reclining in an idol-temple, will not his conscience, being weak, be built up to eat idol-sacrifices? 11 For the weak one perishes through your knowledge, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 But in this way sinning against the brothers and striking their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will by no means eat meat forever, so that I might not cause my brother to stumble.