Christians should be willing to set aside their personal freedom whenever exercising it would cause a weaker believer to stumble.
The Bible does not teach that an idol has power to defile the meat, but it does teach that love for another believer should govern the use of liberty. Les Feldick shows this through Paul's willingness to stop eating meat rather than become a stumbling block. The determining factor is not the meat but the spiritual effect on the one who watches.
1 Corinthians 8:9-13 — Paul warns that liberty in eating meat can become a stumblingblock to those with a weak conscience.
1 Corinthians 10:27-28 — Paul instructs believers to refrain from eating when someone tells them the meat was offered to an idol.
Romans 14:1-15 — Paul commands believers to receive the weak in faith and never put a stumblingblock in a brother's way.
1 Corinthians 10:31 — The ultimate aim of any choice, including eating or not eating meat, is the glory of God.
In Romans 14, Scripture describes two kinds of believers. One 'believeth that he may eat all things,' while another 'who is weak, eateth herbs.' The stronger believer is not to despise the weaker one, and the weaker one is not to judge the stronger. Instead, the command is to 'receive' the weak in faith 'but not to doubtful disputations.' The same principle is restated in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. Paul says if meat offends his brother, he will eat no flesh while the world stands. When someone says, 'This is offered in sacrifice unto idols,' the instruction is to 'eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake.' The goal for every action is found in 1 Corinthians 10:31: 'Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Romans 14:13 gives the governing rule: 'Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.' Romans 14:15 makes it personal: 'Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.'
Les Feldick treats this as a matter of Christian liberty. He points out that in Romans 14 Paul applies the principle beyond meat offered to idols — to diet, alcoholic beverages, and any number of things that are not specifically delineated in Scripture. The individual believer is free before God, but that freedom must be handled carefully. He says, 'We have to be careful that we do not do something that in our own mind is not wrong, if it's going to cause a weak believer to stumble.' Les uses Paul as the model. According to Les, Paul's position was that a dumb, dead idol could not affect the meat, and he could eat it without compunction. Yet, if eating that meat caused a weaker believer to stumble, Paul said he would not eat another bite of meat as long as he lived. The mature believer, Les says, should be willing to give up even a legitimate freedom for the sake of a younger or weaker Christian. Les also gives a practical application from 1 Corinthians 10. If someone at the table says the meat was offered to an idol, the believer should not eat it for the sake of the one who made the statement. If it is a pagan host, refusing shows the host that the Christian makes a difference. If it is a young believer who lacks the strength to see that the idol has no effect on the meat, refusing protects that believer. The circumstances and the amount of knowledge determine what the believer should do.
Les points to Romans 14, where the weak believer is described as someone who is weak in faith and who will not eat meat, becoming a vegetarian. He says this could be a relatively new believer who sees a stronger Christian eating meat from the marketplace and is troubled because the meat probably came from the temple. The instruction is to receive such a person into fellowship, but not to turn it into a doubtful disputation or argument.
Les emphasizes 1 Corinthians 10:28. If someone says, 'This is offered in sacrifice to an idol,' the believer should not eat it for the sake of the person who said it. If the speaker is a pagan host, refusing the meat shows the host that a Christian makes a difference. If the speaker is a fellow believer who is too young in the faith to understand that the idol cannot affect the meat, refusing protects that believer from stumbling.
Les says that if no one tells the believer that the meat came from an idol temple, the believer may eat without compunction because the idol cannot affect the meat one iota. The situation depends on the circumstances and the amount of knowledge the person has. But if eating would become a stumbling block to someone, Paul was willing to give up meat altogether rather than cause a brother to fall.
Yes. Les specifically applies the principle to diet, alcoholic beverages, and many other things that are not necessarily delineated in Scripture. In each case the individual believer has liberty before God, but that liberty must be limited when exercising it would cause a weak believer to stumble. This is the whole concept of Romans 14.
Pagan Superstition
Les explains the superstitious fear that surrounded pagan religion, which helps modern readers understand why meat from idol temples troubled new believers in Corinth.
Christian Liberty
Les teaches that Christian liberty is real, but believers must be careful not to do something that is not wrong in their own mind if it will cause a weak believer to stumble.
Refusing Meat for Others
Les explains that when someone says meat was offered to an idol, the believer should not eat it for that person's sake — whether the person is a pagan host or a young believer.
Stumbling Block
Les shows Paul's willingness to stop eating meat entirely if it would become a stumbling block to another believer, making love for the brother the controlling factor.
Situation and Knowledge
Les teaches that if no one tells the believer the meat's origin, he may eat it without compunction, but once told it was offered to an idol, he must refuse for the sake of the one who spoke.
Idols and Demons
Les explains that while the idol itself is dead and can't affect the meat, demonic power stands behind idolatry, which is why the issue carries spiritual weight.
The Weak in Faith
Les describes the weaker believer as possibly a relatively new believer who is not yet strong enough to see that an idol has no effect on meat, and says he should be received without doubtful disputation.
Corinthian Context
Les notes that meat offered to idols was a real issue for the Corinthians, though it is not a normal situation for American believers today.
Romans 14:1: Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Paul opens the chapter with the command to receive the weak in faith without turning the issue into an argument.
Romans 14:2: For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
This describes the weaker believer as a vegetarian while the stronger believer eats all things.
Romans 14:13: Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
This is the core command governing how believers use their liberty around others.
Romans 14:15: But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Grieving a brother by eating meat is not walking charitably, because Christ died for that brother.
1 Corinthians 8:13: Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Paul's personal commitment to give up meat entirely rather than cause a brother to stumble.
1 Corinthians 10:20: But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
This reveals the demonic power behind idolatry, even though the idol itself is dead.
1 Corinthians 10:28: But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
The specific instruction to refuse meat when someone tells you it was offered to an idol.
1 Corinthians 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
The ultimate purpose for every action, including whether to eat or refrain from eating meat.
Yes, as far as the meat itself is concerned. The idol cannot affect the meat one iota. If no one tells you it was offered to an idol, you may eat without compunction. But if someone points it out, you should not eat it for the sake of the one who told you.
No. Les Feldick applies it to diet, alcoholic beverages, and other matters not specifically delineated in Scripture. The individual believer is free before God, but that freedom must be limited when exercising it would cause a weaker believer to stumble.
According to Romans 14, the weaker in faith should be received into fellowship, not drawn into doubtful disputation. If watching a stronger believer eat meat would upset the weaker believer's Christian experience, the stronger believer should be willing to give it up.
Watch the Teaching: Should You Eat Meat Offered to Idols? 1 Corinthians 8 Explained