Why did Paul say there was nothing wrong with eating meat that had been offered to idols?
Paul reasoned that an idol is only dead stone or wood and has no power to affect the meat offered to it. Therefore the meat itself was not inherently defiled, and he could eat it without compunction. He still warned that demonic powers stand behind idolatry, so avoidance was sometimes necessary.
Les explains that Paul’s thinking can be hard to comprehend. On one hand, Paul makes it sound as though eating meat offered to idols is absolutely fine, because as far as Paul was concerned, the idol was nothing but dead stone or wood. It could never have an effect on that meat, so he could eat it without compunction. On the other hand, Les says Paul warns people that something is associated with those demonic gods; they had power, and there were instances where Paul says, “Don’t eat of it.” The idol may be dead, but the power behind it is not dead—that is Satan, who works through idolatry. The Gentiles sacrifice to demons, not to God.
What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?