ASKING NO QUESTION FOR CONSCIENCE'S SAKE
Wednesday 01
“If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’s sake.”
1 Corinthians 10:27 (NKJV)
READ: 1 Corinthians 9:19–22; 10:23–33; Romans 14:14–23
The illustration given in this portion of the Bible is about eating food that is offered to idols. But in application, the passage is not about food offered to idols alone. Now it says:
"IF ANY OF THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE INVITES YOU TO DINNER, AND YOU DESIRE OR CHOOSE TO GO, EAT
WHATEVER IS SET BEFORE YOU, ASKING NO QUESTION FOR CONSCIENCE’S SAKE."
1 Corinthians 10:27
Now, the next verse, which is verse 28 says that in the process of eating the food presented to you at the dinner, someone who also happens to be a believer alerts you that the food was offered to idols.
Now, if what is shared here is well understood, do not eat the food for the sake of the person who told you, and for conscience’s sake–particularly the conscience of the person who told you that the food was offered to idols (Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 10:28).
The reason why the person told you that the food was offered to idols is that he was not convinced that such food should be eaten by a believer. Although, in your own knowledge and understanding, you know that an idol is nothing and what they sacrifice to idols is nothing (1 Corinthians 10:19).
Through your own level of knowledge and understanding and conviction, you know the nothingness of the devil and his cohorts and his human agents; thus, you do not have any fear in you.
You do not have any fear. You know and believe that eating such food cannot do you any harm, either physically or spiritually (Romans 14:14). You know that whatever food you give thanks for
and bless, such can be eaten (1 Corinthians 10:30; 1 Timothy 4:3–5).
Since the person has alerted you that the food was offered to idols, you should not eat it. If you eat the food after you were told, the conscience of the person would be emboldened to do the same–whereas he does not have your level of knowledge, understanding and faith (Romans 14:19–21).
The person would eat the food because he saw you eating it but does not have the faith that even if the food was sacrificed to idols, it would do him no harm or evil. As a result, he would have doubts, fear and condemnation in his heart (Romans 14:23).
His level of faith does not accommodate such a thing, but he ate the food anyway. And the Scripture says whatever is not done in faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Moreover, he did not do it to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). All the while he was eating the food, he was having condemnation in his heart. So, to help such a person, you should not eat the food (1 Corinthians 10:29).
The question you may want to ask is: why should your liberty be judged by another person’s conscience? (1 Corinthians 10:29) Apostle Paul, in answer to that question, says:
“JUST AS I ALSO PLEASE ALL MEN IN ALL THINGS, NOT SEEKING MY OWN PROFIT, BUT THE PROFIT OF MANY,
THAT THEY MAY BE SAVED.”
1 Corinthians 10:33 (NKJV)
Apostle Paul was saying in essence that a believer should endeavour to please all men in all things, and not to seek his own profit, but the profit of others, that they may be saved or edified (Romans 14:14–16; 1 Corinthians 9:19–22). The teaching is about living a sacrificial life:
• A life in which you choose to deny yourself some legitimate things in order to help the faith or conscience of others (1 Corinthians 9:19–22; 10:33).
• A life in which you forgo some things in order to help other people and believers stand in the faith (1 Corinthians 9:22).
• A life in which you want to eat to edify others, you want to dress or wear clothes to help and edify others which is applicable mostly to women.
• You want to dress decently and not suggestively–in a way that the sexual passion of other men, whether believers or unbelievers, is not aroused through your dressing (Romans 14:14–21).
• You want to speak and make speeches that will edify or encourage others, that your words would be seasoned with
grace and salt (Colossians 4:6).
In short, you want to live your life to help others in their Christian faith and in their walk with God (Romans 14:14–21; 15:1–3). That is what Apostle Paul was saying in that 1 Corinthians 10:33.
A Christian life is not lived in isolation. You live a Christian life by considering or having the consciousness of others (Romans 15:1-3). That is, the effect or implication which what you are doing could have on other believers and the potential souls who are watching you, who are thinking and contemplating and considering giving their lives to Christ–accepting Christ as their Saviour and Lord (1 Corinthians 9:19-22).
If you are not living sacrificially–not minding or thinking about other people who are not mature–it means you are still shallow in your understanding (Romans 14:14,15,19-21; 1 Corinthians 9:19-22). Believers are called to sacrificial living, and not a self-centred
life (Philippians 2:3,4).
READ: Philippians 2:5–8
If you have not been doing that, take a step today and start living for the help and edification of others.
REFLECT:
• Are there areas in your life where your liberty is causing a weaker
believer to stumble?
• What do you understand by Paul’s example of sacrificial living?
Peace.