Chapter eight is the shortest chapter in this epistle but it contains some ultimate and absolute statements. One is the matchless statement in vs. 3 which says; ‘But if a person loves God they become well known by God’. Is Paul saying that God only knows those people who love him? No. he is saying that God can only get to intimately know someone who loves him, because they are the only ones who will let him into their minds and hearts. This explains the verse in Matt 7:23 where people say to Jesus on the last day that they prophesied in his name and did great works in his name etc. and he says ‘depart from me for ‘I never knew you’ .

Another great statement is made about the centrality of Christ to the church and the universe in vs 6 and part of vs.7 ‘6. The fact is that for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom has come everything that exists, and we exist because of him. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom exist all things, and we exist through him.

7. However not everybody has this revelation .’

This declares that Jesus is the center of the universe but that is meaningless to those who have no knowledge of that fact. This is a wonderful but tragic truth.

He goes on to make the point about idols that they are meaningless in real terms. Then he exalts the love that the saints should have in Christ in being careful of how they manage this truth. If they have freedom to therefore eat meat that has been offered to idols they should be free to eat, but not in front of other believers who still attach some meaning to these idols. He then gives the example of his own behavior which is to abstain from anything that would stumble another Christian.

1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 8 - CONTEMPORARY ALIGNED VERSION (SPIRITCODE)

1. Regarding things that are offered to idols, we can say that we all have some knowledge of this matter, and you can puff yourself up with knowledge, but you can only build others up with love.

2. And if anyone thinks he knows anything let me tell you that he doesn’t know anything yet as much as he should know.

3. But if a person loves God they become well known by God.

4. So then, getting back to the matter of eating things that have been offered to idols, we know that idols do not have any real effect on anything.

5. For although there are entities that are referred to as gods, and many of them, whether they are supposed to live in heaven or to dwell on earth

6. The fact is that for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom has come everything that exists, and we exist because of him. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom exist all things, and we exist through him.

7. However not everybody has this revelation. Because some people still feel morally and spiritually obliged to honor idols as if they were real. So when they eat meat that has been offered to idols they are corrupting their own frail conscience.

8. But God is not impressed with what kind of food we eat, because we are not a better or worse person for eating one kind of food instead of another.

9. But be careful that the freedom that you have does not cause a problem to those who do not have that same freedom.

10. For if someone sees you who has a revelation of the truth in these matters, eating food offered to idols in the idol’s temple, don’t you think that their frail conscience will adopt a false liberty and tempt them to eat food offered to idols?

11. And through your revelation, a brother whose understanding and conscience is weak, and for whom Christ died, will have his faith flawed.

12. When you offend and wound another person’s weak conscience in this way you are offending Christ.

13. So if I find that if I eat the kind of food that would offend another Christian, then I won’t eat this kind of food  while ever the world remains just to avoid offending them