Day 184/260: Read 1 Corinthians 8

One of the hallmarks of Christian character is humility. The one who understands that he does not know everything is a wise man. Paul says, “And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.”

The life of a Christian is a life of growth, of understanding that there is always more to learn and always more to understand. Those who know more have a great responsibility in bringing those with less knowledge to a better understanding of spiritual matters, but we must be careful that we do not cause a person to be uncomfortable in participating in certain activities that may violate their conscience.

Paul uses the example of eating meat sacrificed to idols. Of course, we idolatry is wrong. There are some who have difficulty separating the meat sacrificed from the act of sacrifice, and to that person, it would be wrong to eat that meat because of their conscience. But for the one who is able to separate the sinful act from the thing used in the sinful act, he may eat. However, he should not cause one with less understanding to do the same, and should go as far as to abstain or give up his own personal liberty for the sake of the other.

Can you think of situations in your life in which you may need to give up some things in order to prevent a brother from stumbling?

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

1 Corinthians 6:20. For you were ___________ at a price; therefore ___________ God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Pray

Pray for wisdom in practicing personal liberty, and strength in abstaining when necessary for a brother’s sake.