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"A stumbling block..."

Text: 1 Corinthians 8:9

THE LIBERTY THAT GOD GIVES

The believer in Christ enjoys glorious “liberty”, He is freed from the shackles of legalism. He is freed from the tyranny of superstition. But there must be sensitivity as to how this liberty is applied!

“But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become
a stumbling block to those who are weak.
For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple,
will not the conscience of him who is weak
be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish,
for whom Christ died?”
1 Corinthians 8:9-10

1. Those who have knowledge

a) They are not afraid of idols or temples.

b) They have a good foundational knowledge of God.

c) However, they seem to lack comprehension of how their brash behaviour may affect weaker brethren.

2. Eating at temples

a) Often, functions were accompanied by feasts.

b) Non-believers may invite Christian friends or business colleagues to attend these feasts.

c) The believer attends these functions without any fear at all.

3. The weaker brethren

a) They lack the knowledge and faith.

b) They follow the examples of their friends and feast of the food offered to idols.

c) The consequences are terrible: –

i) Their conscience becomes defiled.

ii) They stumble and possibly backslide.

iii) They “perish!” (Their faith had been badly affected.)

4. A word of rebuke

a) There had been little love shown for the weaker brethren (1 Corinthians 8:1).

b) There was little regard for those who were weaker in faith.

c) The law of liberty had been poorly applied (“liberty”- means “the authority” or “the right”).

d) The exercise of their “liberty” could cause untold damage to the souls of the weaker brethren.

e) Christ’s death to bring about salvation should be consciously remembered!