Food Taboos

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.  But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall. I Corinthians 8:1-13

I think most 21^st century Americans are not deeply troubled by religious taboos regarding food. Some may worry a little about some of the Old Testament prohibitions, but It doesn’t seem to be a major issue in our society. These Gentile saints, however, had much different cultural histories and were legitimately confused about how to handle certain sensitive situations. We must keep in mind that this epistle was written to saved Gentiles, former pagans. It is they who were receiving lifestyle instruction, not Jews.

In Chapter 7 we saw the genuine concern about how to deal with marriage or celibacy for a people who had been accustomed to the pagan lifestyle of sexual promiscuity. These weren’t people who had rebelled against the norms and standards of their culture. There were no norms and standards, sexually speaking. Apparently they just did “what comes naturally.” They had to learn monogamy and self-control.

The food issue was different. They had always eaten good cuts of meat that had been offered to idols in the temples, then prepared and sold to the public for consumption. Having been saved out of idolatry, this was something the former pagans would be sensitive to, and feel guilty about. Verse 7 is the clue as to which believers were having a problem with this: “still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.” It was as if they were honoring that idol, by eating the meat which had been offered to him. The Jewish believers didn’t have this problem. They only worshipped the One God, Jehovah, and the idols meant nothing to them. The idols were just meaningless symbols of a false system, with no power of their own. Meat is meat. Eat it and thank God for it.

The newly converted pagans were uncomfortable continuing that practice that symbolized worshipping a false god. They had spiritually separated from that evil culture and didn’t want to return to any part of it. They needed to be patiently taught to dismiss the old symbolism as they learned the dynamic truths of Christianity. Paul cautioned the more mature believers, though, to be compassionate toward the “weak” former idolaters. Do not flaunt your superior “knowledge” and cause the less mature brother to sin by judging your freedom, thereby committing mental attitude sins and falling out of fellowship with God. Or, he may decide that even though it is an evil thing, he should just do it anyway; but the taint of the idol is still there (in his mind), and he has deliberately sinned by eating. If one believes he is committing sin and does it anyway, he is committing sin. Romans 14:23 “But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” That will further hinder his growth to maturity, and you have sinned against him! It would be better not to eat the meat which offends the weak brother than to cause him to sin by judging you or by doubting the saving and keeping power of Jesus Christ. The meat is not that important. The assurance and confidence of the Christian brother is. If he has a weakness of faith about certain things, flaunting your freedom will not help him at this stage, but can do real harm. Be patient. He will grow.

When my husband and I were young in the faith, we had a friend who was older, both humanly and as a believer. We liked the guy, and he truly wanted to encourage us in our faith, but he was much too relaxed, in our baby-believer legalistic opinion, and his confidence did not encourage us. It offended us, and in our immature stupidity, we judged him. It took many years of submitting to doctrinal teaching and learning how to maintain our temporal fellowship with God to relax in our faith and appreciate the wonderful freedom from hang-ups and taboos that we had been burdened with from childhood. I think of him often, with some regret that we weren’t “getting” what he was trying to present to us. We just weren’t ready for it. Babies must be nurtured and gently trained, before we can even know who we are. Our confidence comes with growth to maturity under loving, patient leadership by the servants of Christ.

So, regarding the immature believers and their hang-ups: gently lead. Teach them what they are ready to receive. DON’T PUSH! And don’t shock. The law of liberty is overruled by the law of love.