Week 25
Day 170
The Gray Area Principles: Navigating in the Fog 2

Yesterday was 6 (remember 6, 8, 10, and 14 when you’re in the fog). Today is 8.

1 Corinthians 8:13

NIV 

“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.” 

NLT

“So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.” 

ESV

“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” 

NASB

“Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.”

First, a little background to this verse (you’ve probably already read the chapter to figure it out). Because Corinth was a town so filled with idolatry, there was a pretty strong economy in place that made “double use” of temple sacrifices. Meat from the butcher shop was expensive, while meat from the pagan temples was much cheaper. So as a Christian, was it better for you to A) Eat only vegetables and stay away from meat, or B) Spend lots of money on high priced meat so you are not supporting pagan worship, or C) Realize that idols are really nothing at all… God can purify anything you consume, and He expects you to be a good steward of His funds.  So you should buy meat from the pagan temple markets and take care of your family’s needs without breaking the bank? This was a TOUGH fog bank for the Corinthian believers to navigate in! Take the next few minutes to rewrite and clarify the principle that Paul gave the Corinthians for dealing with this gray area issue.

Memory Verses
Primary Verse:

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

1 Corinthians 6:12
Secondary Verse:

It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Romans 14:21, 23
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