I once heard someone define a legalist as anyone who is more conservative than you and a liberal as anyone who allows themself more freedoms than you are comfortable with.  I think this is a very accurate description.  Human nature tells us that we have struck the right balance and we tend to pity poor souls who are “trapped in legalism” and fear for those who don’t share our good judgement.

This instinct is, of course, arrogant, egotistical, and self-centered. We cannot imagine that there are any other choices to make in life besides the ones we have made.

The Corinthian church found itself in conflict trying to reconcile the convictions of some with the convictions of others. They wrote the Apostle Paul a letter asking him how to handle these issues. Paul eloquently outlined the real issue and gave very plain instruction on how to handle all such matters.

What results is a beautiful and definitive example of how we should handle all such matters.

“Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.” – 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

In the first three verses, Paul outlines the primary issue we should be concerned with: love.  In any moral dilemma, there are plenty of ways to approach the issue.  We can dissect a question, we can assert our own reasoning and prove our case, but that should not be our motivation. Being right is usually about the individual.  As Paul puts it “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

“Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” – 8:4-6

“Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.” – 8:8

Paul first declares that being right (having knowledge) is less important than showing love. Notwithstanding, Paul proceeds to identify the facts:

1. We know idols are meaningless and have no power and do not represent anything real.

2. We know there is only one God, whom we serve.

3. Food is not innately spiritual. Eating food cannot bring us closer to or take us further from God.

These truths are the constants…they remain true regardless of who is asking the question.

“However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.” – 8:7 

Even though we may know all of the facts, not everyone does.  Knowing the facts does not end our responsiblity.  Many in the Corinthian church were saved from paganism. For some of them, the food that had been offered before idols was symbolic of their iniquitous past and they could not eat it with a clear conscience.  For those with weaker consciences, the facts of the situation are secondary.  It would be a sin for them to violate their conscience in this matter.

Paul is not condemming those with weak consciences; he is protecting them.  Neither is he binding everyone by their conviction. There is a caveat, however:

“But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” – 8:9-13 

In the last four verses, Paul brings everything together.  Though we may have knowledge that something is not a sin, and though we may have the right to do it, this does not always mean we should.

The primary question we should ask before doing anything is “Will it show love to those around me?” If we are with a person who may be offended by our actions or tempted to violate their own conscience, we should refrain from excercising our right out of love to our brother or sister in Christ.  We see this sentiment expressed fully in the next chapter. “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” (9:22)

Practical Application

How do we know if an issue is an issue of sin or an issue of conscience? The Bible.  If the Bible directly (”Thou shalt not”) or indirectly (e.g., breaking the law) forbids an action, that action is sin. There is no way around this.

However, if the Bible permits an action or is silent concerning it, and the laws of our country do not forbid it, we must ask two more questions:

1. Can I do it without violating my conscience? (Do you feel guilty or uncomfortable?)

2. Does it show love to those around me?

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you are not sinning and you should feel free to do whatever it is that you want to do.

Examples:

1. Drinking.
   The Bible says that we should enjoy alcohol responsibly. It also says we should not get drunk. So, knowing this, as long as we can drink with a clean conscience, we should do so.  However, if we are with someone who struggles with alcohol addiction or is uncomfortable with alcohol, we should forego this right.  To those who abstain from alcohol, you should become an abstainer out of love for them.

2. Eating meat.
   We know that the Bible does not forbid eating meat. We also know that meat tastes great. But, if you are going to invite a vegetarian to your house for dinner, it would be wrong for you to serve meat loaf. Out of love, you should be a vegetarian for one night for their sake.

3. Watching R-rated movies.
   The Bible obviously does not speak directly to issue of movies.  This means that we should evaluate the content of a movie before hand and use our conscience and our knowledge of our own weaknesses before we go to see a movie. (any movie actually, no matter what the rating). But, if you are with someone who is not comfortable watching such movies, you should show love to them and go to a different movie or maybe even pick a different activity.

These are just three examples, but the same logic should be applied to every decision we make.

Many have twisted this passage and have concluded that Paul’s real message is that no one should eat meat that has been offered to idols.  The same people have also magically switched the terms “stronger” and “weaker”, preferring to call those who partake in something “weaker” and those who abstain, “stronger”.  It is this ideology that is worthy of the title “legalism”. Legalists are those who bind those around them by their own conscience.  This is bad.

Consciences change. Convictions change. This is true for everyone. We will all go through periods were we abstain from something and allow something else, and later we may do the opposite.

This being said, personal legalism is a good thing. We should all look for things that we may abstain from in order to better serve Christ. It is only a problem when we begin to apply our convictions unilaterally to the body of Christ. We should allow our brothers and sisters in Christ to follow their own convictions.

Knowledge puffs up. Love builds up.

Show love.