How does a new believer react when he sees a mature Christian eating meat offered to idols?
The brand-new Christian, lacking maturity, sees a believer of 12–18 months eating meat offered to idols and is troubled. He wonders how anyone can sit there and eat such meat. Paul therefore says if eating causes that young believer to stumble, do not eat.
Les teaches that Paul does not tell believers to stay away from a wedding feast or pagan setting. A mature believer is free to eat the meat because idolatrous gods cannot do anything to a believer. But across the table is a brand-new Christian who has not grown in maturity. Seeing the older believer eat meat offered to an idol, he thinks, “How in the world can he sit there and eat meat that’s been offered to an idol?” Paul’s concern is that the young believer not stumble or have problems, so if eating causes that, don’t eat the meat. The idol itself has no power.