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Responsible Freedoms

¹ I know there's been a lot of talk about what to do about food that's been sacrificed to idols. Everyone seems to have a different "right" answer. Thinking you are right might make you feel like a big shot, but it is loving each other that makes us strong. ² And besides, a fellow who claims to know everything doesn't know very much at all. ³ The true measure of a man is in how much he loves God and how much he understands how much God loves him.

⁴ So let us answer the question about eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols once and for all. An idol is not a god because there is only one true God. ⁵ Who cares if someone says a rock or a stick is a god? You can call a horse a cow, but that don't make it true. People use the words "god" and "lord" all the time, but those are just made up words when used incorrectly. ⁶ As for us, there is only one God, and he's our Father. Everything came from him and belongs to him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ.

⁷ But not everyone knows this. Some folks still think sticks are gods. They think food offered to idols is a real thing instead of just a bunch of chanting and waving arms in front of a rock. These folks feel guilty when they eat meat that has been through these rituals. ⁸ But listen close, food doesn't have anything to do with faith. Eating something doesn't bring you closer to God or vice versa.

⁹ But just because you are free to eat what you want doesn't mean you should intentionally flaunt your freedom at a weaker person's expense. ¹⁰ It might not be good to express your freedom by going an eating a steak in an idol's temple just because you can. Someone might be watching, and even though you don't struggle with this dilemma, he might. ¹¹ This might set the weaker cowboy on a path away from God. Just because you understand the truth doesn't mean everyone else does. ¹² If a cowboy with a weaker faith thinks something is wrong, and you intentionally encourage him to do it anyway, that is a sin. It's not just a sin against him, but again Jesus. ¹³ So if eating a steak causes a cowboy to sin, I'll never touch another one. I will not be responsible for another cowboy's sin.