Brothers and sisters: Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him.
So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols: we know that there is no idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth (there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and through whom we exist.
But not all have this knowledge. There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.
Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died. When you sin in this way against your brothers and wound their consciences, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ. herefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin.
REFLECTION
...if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin.
This week we have been reading about helping each other, in love, reach home. We have discussed at Church and prayer meetings that you cannot force someone to believe what you believe, but through prayer, reconciliation and love, we can help in their journey. We have heard about telling our brother his faults, but not with arrogant policing rules but through love and reuniting. We are to forgive, gather and rejoice together.
Not everyone possesses the same knowledge, what with different backgrounds, family. and spiritual histories. Elitism does not make room for a new or struggling believer to have the same spiritual confidence as others. Be careful that we do not become stumbling blocks for others.
We are called to be each others' keepers, helping each other make it to heaven. Let us put our habits and our own desires aside to connect with others.
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