Question 1

What does “knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” mean here?

Accepted Answer

Paul is talking about two ways people can handle truth. Some in the church were proud that they knew idols were nothing, and they used that knowledge to defend their freedom to eat. That kind of knowledge made them feel bigger than others. Paul says love does the opposite. Love builds other people up instead of building our ego. So even if we understand something correctly, we are not handling it rightly if we use it to show off or to ignore a weaker brother or sister. True knowledge should be guided by love.

Question 2

Why does Paul say an idol is nothing, yet still warn about eating idol food?

Accepted Answer

Paul agrees that an idol is not a real god and there is only one true God and one Lord Jesus. Because of this, meat that was offered to an idol is just meat in itself. However, he explains that not everyone in the church sees it that way. Some believers still connect that meat with their old idol worship. If they copy a stronger believer and eat against their own conscience, they feel defiled. So the danger is not in the meat itself, but in harming someone’s conscience and leading them into sin.

Question 3

What is a “weak conscience” in this passage?

Accepted Answer

A weak conscience here is not about someone being less loved by God, but about someone whose understanding is still shaped by their past. Some former idol worshipers could not yet see idol meat as neutral. In their mind, eating it still felt like joining in idol worship. When they ate, their heart did not feel at peace before God. Paul calls that a weak conscience and tells those with stronger understanding to be gentle, patient, and willing to limit their own freedom to avoid wounding that weak conscience.

Question 4

What does Paul mean by being a stumbling block to the weak?

Accepted Answer

A stumbling block is something that trips someone up. Paul pictures a stronger Christian eating in an idol temple. A weaker believer, who still struggles with idol worship, sees this and is encouraged to join in, even though their conscience tells them it is wrong. By using their freedom this way, the stronger person becomes the cause of the weaker person’s fall. Paul says this is not just unwise, it is a sin against that brother or sister and against Christ himself, who died for them.

Question 5

Why does Paul say sinning against a weak brother is sinning against Christ?

Accepted Answer

Paul reminds the church that the weak brother is someone “for whom Christ died.” Jesus gave his life for that person, so they are deeply precious to him. When a believer uses their freedom carelessly and hurts that person’s conscience, they are not only unloving toward the person, they are disrespecting the love Christ showed on the cross. To wound someone Christ died for is to oppose what Christ values. That is why Paul says such behavior is sin against Christ himself.

Question 6

How does this passage guide Christians in using their freedom today?

Accepted Answer

This passage teaches that Christian freedom is real, but it is not the main thing. Love is. Things like food and drink do not make us closer to God in themselves. What matters is whether our choices help or harm others. If using a freedom would confuse or tempt a weaker believer to go against their conscience, love calls us to hold back. Paul even says he would never eat meat again if it made his brother stumble. That is the kind of care this passage calls believers to show.

Question 7

What does it mean that there is “one God, the Father” and “one Lord Jesus Christ”?

Accepted Answer

Paul is making clear that all so-called gods and lords in the world are empty compared to the true God. For believers, there is one God, the Father, from whom all things come and for whom we live. There is also one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist and through whom we belong to God. This simple, clear view of God and Christ lies behind Paul’s teaching about idols. Since idols are not real gods, believers are freed from fear of them, but still must walk in love.

1 Corinthians 8:1

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

Food Sacrificed to Idols

Food Sacrificed to Idols

Cross References

1 Corinthians 8:1

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

Share Options

All Verses

Verse + Context

Current Verse

Food Sacrificed to Idols

Food Sacrificed to Idols

Cross References