C&CW Ep. 18 - Liberty of Conscience: the Scriptures, pt. 4
May 24, 2021โข378 words
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Coffee & Christian Worldview
Episode 18
Show Notes:
1 Corinthians 8
"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (part of 1 Cor. 8:1)
This chapter concerns things sacrificed to idols.
v. 1โ3 introduce the subject.
v. 4โ13 is Paul's explanation.
Too many Christians like to talk only about a fragment of v. 1.
Knowledge without love for God puffs up and harms weaker brothers. Not an ignorant love. Love to God leaves to love for the brethren.
You know that idols are nothing. There's only one God.
v. 7, not all have this knowledge, and are accustomed to idolatry.
So when they eat sacrificed meat, they feel guilty, because their conscience is weak.
v. 9, Paul is addressing the stronger brothers, who have this knowledge and are strong in conscience.
Stumbling block: building up the weaker brother to eat.
Weaker brother:
- weak conscience: feel guilty for doing things that are not sinful.
- weak in conviction: he is influenced to follow the stronger brother's example.
Stumbling: ruined by sinning against his conscience.
Real weaker brothers will act against their conscience.
"A weaker brother (or sister) is a Christian who, because of the weakness of his faith, knowledge, conscience, and will, can be influenced to sin against his conscience by the example of a differing stronger brother."
โGarry Friesen, Decision Making and the Will of God, pg. 398
The responsibility falls on the stronger brother. If his use of Christian liberty, which is not sin, influences a weaker brother to act, his knowledge has puffed up.
Stumbling block is something that persuades a weaker brother to act against their conscience.
That's different than taking offense when none is given. If the person has not been influenced to sin against their conscience, they have not been stumbled (according to 1 Cor. 8).
Many who have authority in the church are weak in biblical knowledge.
You cannot separate obedience to God and love for God.
We are to care for weaker brothers. Being "puffed up" is not caring about ruining weaker brothers by your exercise of freedom.
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