That question sums up this next long passage which needs to be read as a whole to understand what Paul is wanting to say.
We will see later that Paul is actually very much against eating food sacrificed to idols and he doesn’t pull any punches. However he first appeals for love and unity in this divided church. For Paul, relationships trump rights. Paul knows we can lead people away from Christianity and return them to the defilement that they repented of. How? By knowing what we know and carrying out the rights to live free from religious restrictions. One more thing, it might be helpful when reading of ‘food sacrificed to idols’ to keep that in mind along with another action that you know now is not a sin. It might just help you when reading what Paul says:-
“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.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 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. 7 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. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 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? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 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.” (1 Corinthians 8 v 4-13)
We know idols don’t exist. When I use the word ‘we’ I mean those of us who don’t worship idols. But some people think they do (Hindus for example). However, they still pale into insignificance compared to the only God the Father and God the Son.
How would it be if a Hindu got saved and left their old defiled life but then saw church members going into their old temple to eat the food sacrificed to idols?
When people come to Christ they leave a defiled life and that can mean a whole bunch of behaviours. How do they feel if they see a Christian picking up certain practices of their previous defiled life? They may think that Christianity plus defilement is okay. They may think it is okay to go back to that defilement. At that point freedom has become more important than relationship.
Those with a ‘weak conscience’ who are still vulnerable to certain defilement need the help of those who have the knowledge that it makes no difference if we eat food sacrificed to idols or if we don’t. That help is not primarily knowledge but it is love. Knowledge for the knowledgeable means the vulnerable can step up into freedom. But read verse 13 again. If love is the driving force and not knowledge then those who feel they have freedom actually don’t. They learn to sacrifice their freedom so that others will not stumble in their walk with Christ. Isn’t that the message of the cross? We do need theology, we need to grow in knowledge but it must sit in our nail-scarred hands. In that way we will be the example of Christ who put down his rights for us all because of the love of God.
The answer to the question is hurting others. We have a responsibility. Our walk with Christ is not an individual walk. It is done in community. The weak and vulnerable are watching and listening to you. Teach them but first love them. If you don’t you will be responsible for hurting them.
Missions Paul 