Paul says eating meat offered to idols is not inherently wrong, but believers should abstain whenever it would cause a weak believer to stumble.
Paul teaches that an idol is nothing and cannot contaminate the meat, so eating is a matter of liberty. However, if a newer or weaker believer sees a more mature Christian eating such meat and is shaken, the stronger believer should give up the meat out of love. Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul applied the same principle to other disputable matters like diet and drink.
1 Corinthians 8:8 — Paul's clearest statement that eating or not eating meat does not affect our standing with God.
1 Corinthians 8:9 — The key warning that liberty must not become a stumbling block to weak believers.
1 Corinthians 10:28 — Paul's direct instruction to refuse meat when someone says it was offered to idols.
In 1 Corinthians 8:8 Paul states, "But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." This shows the eating itself is spiritually neutral. Then verse 9 warns, "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." The following verse describes the scenario of a knowledgeable believer sitting in an idol's temple and how that could affect a weak conscience. In 1 Corinthians 10:28 Paul instructs, "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." The Scripture, therefore, does not forbid eating meat itself but commands restraint when it would wound someone's conscience.
Les Feldick draws out Paul's practical guidance on this issue. He notes that the Bible never commands vegetarianism or forbids eating meat; when Paul was asked about meat offered to idols, he made clear that a 'dumb idol' could not affect the meat in any way. The deciding factor was not the meat itself but the people watching. If a mature believer's liberty caused a young believer—someone only 12 to 18 months old in the faith—to stumble, Paul said to keep quiet and not eat it. Les also points out that this same principle extends to any disputable matter such as diet, alcoholic beverages, or other practices not clearly defined in Scripture. Each believer has liberty before God, but that liberty must be limited by love so that a weaker brother or sister is not hurt. Les highlights Paul's own willingness to give up meat altogether if it would cause another to stumble.
Les Feldick is clear that Paul did not consider eating meat offered to idols to be a sin in itself. Paul spoke his mind and said that the dumb idol could not affect the meat one iota. The problem was not the meat but the effect on those who watched. If a believer with knowledge ate in an idol's temple and a weaker believer saw it, the liberty could become a stumbling block. So, Paul said, rather than cause problems, don't eat the meat.
Les explains that pagan priests kept part of sacrificial meat for themselves and gave the rest back to the person, who often sold it to the butcher shop. So most meat sold in the markets had already been to a pagan temple. Christians knew this and asked Paul what to do. Paul answered that the meat itself was not contaminated, but the Christian should refuse it when he is told it was offered to an idol, for the sake of the person who said it.
Les points out that Paul does not limit this principle to meat. It can apply to diet, alcoholic beverages, and any number of practices that are not clearly spelled out in Scripture. Each believer has liberty before God, but that liberty must not cause a weaker believer to stumble. Paul was even willing to stop eating meat altogether if it would be a stumbling block to a vegetarian believer. The whole concept of Romans 14 is wrapped up in this same idea of not doing something that in our own mind is not wrong if it is going to cause a weak believer to stumble.
What Does the Bible Really Say About Obeying Government?
If you love your neighbor, you can't do him dirt, or he may do you some. But if love is operating, as much as lieth in us, if love is operating, we're not going to avenge him. We'll let God take care of that. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Now where was the epitome of love expressed that fulfilled the law? On the cross. What put Christ on the cross? Love.
Liberty and the Weak Believer
Les shows that while eating meat is a matter of liberty, a mature believer should not use that liberty if it makes a new believer stumble; he should abstain for the weaker brother's sake.
Eat Not for His Sake
Les applies Paul's command in 1 Corinthians 10:28—when told the meat was offered to an idol, eat not for the sake of the one who said it, whether an unbeliever or a weak believer.
Paul's Willingness to Abstain
Les emphasizes Paul's willingness to stop eating meat entirely if it would be a stumbling block to a vegetarian believer, showing that love limits liberty.
The Idol Cannot Defile the Meat
Les explains that an idol is a dead, dumb idol and cannot defile meat, but a believer should decline if the host announces it was offered in sacrifice.
The Young Believer's Stumble
Les describes the real-life scene of a young believer seeing a mature Christian eat meat in an idol's temple, and Paul's instruction to stop eating such meat rather than cause that young believer to stumble.
The Broader Liberty Principle
Les shows that Paul's principle extends beyond meat to any disputable matter such as diet or alcohol; liberty before God must not trip up a weak believer.
Temple Meat Sold in the Market
Les gives the background of temple priests selling leftover sacrificial meat in the marketplace, explaining why the Corinthians were concerned about everyday meat.
1 Corinthians 8:8: But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
Shows the spiritual neutrality of eating or not eating meat—God does not judge us based on diet.
1 Corinthians 8:9: But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
Contains the key warning that liberty must not become a stumblingblock to weak believers.
1 Corinthians 8:10: For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
Describes the specific situation of a knowledgeable believer sitting in an idol's temple and its effect on a weak conscience.
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.
Direct command to refuse meat when someone tells you it was offered to idols, for the sake of the one who said it.
Les says they are younger believers, perhaps only 12 to 18 months old in the faith, who do not yet understand that an idol has no real power over meat. Watching a stronger believer eat such meat can upset them and cause them to stumble.
No. Both Scripture and Les make clear that eating meat is not wrong. The Bible never demands vegetarianism, and Paul says meat neither makes us better nor worse before God. The restriction only applies when eating would wound another believer's conscience.
Paul says, 'eat not for his sake that shewed it.' Les explains that the believer should decline the meat to show the host that he or she will not participate in something tied to idolatry—even if the idol itself is nothing.
Watch the Teaching: What Does the Bible Really Say About Obeying Government?