This is a great little section that addresses an issue that we germane to the church, is mostly foreign to us, but is universally applicable in our daily living. Paul is addressing the church regarding the food they eat. There were so many competing religious ideas of the day and there were crazy religious eating rules and even some pagan food rituals, and everyone was trying to figure out what they could and couldn’t eat as they were starting a life of following God. Paul really cuts straight to the heart of the matter - food doesn’t make us clean, Jesus’ blood does. Food doesn’t help us or hurt us in God’s eyes. The caveat to that is this...we are called to bring others to Christ, to be a witness to others of Christ’s saving Grace. To the extent that our food selection hinders that, we are to monitor our intake. In all of Paul’s letters, we see this theme pop up often - that we are to consider the effect we have on others, and on our witness. That is a powerful idea.
If the food we eat offends someone else’s religious beliefs, will that attract them to us? No. What about drinking alcohol? What about drinking alcohol in front of an alcoholic? It isn’t the thing, it is the impact of that thing that matters. The elegance of this ideal is that is requires us to think of others, which means it requires ‘love’ from us. Imagine that. And, look at the verse in this chapter: “Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.” Paul is telling us that we can’t lean on our knowledge of what is and isn’t allowed, we have to lean on the love we have for others, and what we know about what they need. It goes back to his idea in 6:12, “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.”
Is what I am doing, is how I am living inviting for the sake of God’s message about Jesus, or am I living in a way that distracts from that purpose? Great, great question for today.