S. 1 Cor. 8:9 (NIV) 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
O. Paul is teaching the church at Corinth to give careful consideration in how they live out the freedom they have in Christ Jesus. Some believers had knowledge that idols were really nothing and therefore had no problem eating meat that had been offred to idols. Others had what Paul describes as a “weak conscience.” Those that had the “weak conscience” had a little remaining knowledge about things offered to idols that weakened (the word means feeble or infirm) and therefore their conscience (that part of us that knows right from wrong) was being increasingly “defiled” (word means contiminated or stained) everytime they were engaged in this practice. To violate one’s conscience, whether strong or weak, is to initiate a downward (deteriorating) spiral.
Therefore Paul teaches us to express care in how we live out our freedom in Christ Jesus.
A. I love the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus - yet I do not wish to be a stumbling block (one that causes another to stumble in their Christian faith), so I will give careful consideration to others in my freedom - for the sake or cause of Jesus Christ.
P. Thank you Lord Jesus for the freedom that we all have in you. Holy Spirit grant me wisdom in finding the delicate balance of how I live out the freedom I have in Jesus without causing others to be tripped up in their faith. In Jesus’ name.
