Love over Liberty
7/14/25 Bible Thought (1 Corinthians 8)
Christian knowledge doesn’t always equal maturity. In fact, it’s how we use the knowledge that God has revealed to us that showcases whether or not we are mature Christians.
In 1 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul gives us a great principle for sorting out some of the grey areas in the Christian life. There are things that aren’t explicitly forbidden in the Scripture that at times might go against one’s conscience.
Now, while the conscience isn’t infallible and it can be seared, it’s still a God-given tool that helps us. It gives us a sense of right and wrong, and at times believers might feel that something is wrong even if it’s not wrong according to Scripture. Yet, then, for that person it becomes wrong.
Where this situation gets messy is interactions with other believers. One person’s conscience might forbid them to do something that another’s approves of!
Some believers have convictions against the movies altogether, some don’t. Some believers have convictions against card games or dice games, some don’t. Some believers have certain convictions regarding dress and attire, some don’t. The list goes on and on. Cases can be made for or against these things using various biblical principles but all in all a lot of it isn’t black and white.
So, what is the believer to do in these areas?
Beyond following personal convictions, we ought to consider how we can walk in love towards those around us.
The example in 1 Corinthians 8 is concerning meat sacrificed to idols.
Some believers who were younger in the faith and had come out of pagan worship would believe they really were worshipping other gods if they partook. Paul points out that this isn’t the case. Indeed, they’re all free to enjoy this food and it’s not really that big of a deal—this is knowledge.
Yet, that knowledge and liberty is to be limited by love for others.
Paul’s “knowledge” might not be understood by all, and there might be believers young in the faith who would stumble if they saw mature believers in the church partaking of what they might consider to be idol worship!
Paul says it doesn’t matter until it affects one of their fellow believers.
Then, in that case, he concluded powerfully,
“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor. 8:13, emphasis added).
Paul’s concern was for the wellbeing of others more so than his own personal exercise of Christian liberty.
Now, I once knew a man who’d recently been delivered of drugs and alcoholism and one of the church deacons invited him over for a drink, probably without thinking.
I remember him telling me something along the lines of, “Alcohol almost destroyed my family. There’s no way I’m touching it again!”
This is case in point of the principle that Paul is describing in 1 Corinthians 8.
While drunkenness is sinful, I don’t think you can make a case against someone enjoying wine in moderation in the privacy of their own home. However, I do know you can make a case against that liberty being a stumbling block for others, as it was in this instance. For this very reason, and especially because I’m in ministry, I don’t touch alcohol because I know that it has hurt so many families and I don’t want to ever be a stumbling block to others. This is one of countless ways this principle could be lived out.
Now, we live in a day and age where the predominant view is that other people should mind their own business. If what I do bothers someone else, then that’s their problem! Certainly, it’s not mine.
In this world that’s consumed with self, the Christian ought to be different.
We ought to think of others before ourselves. We ought to think of how our actions might negatively impact others and at times this will result in limiting personal liberty out of love and care for those around us.
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Cor. 8:1).