Be sensitive to conscience

I Corinthians 8:7–13
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

A man consulted a doctor, “I’ve been misbehaving, Doc, and my conscience is troubling me,” he complained. “And you want something that will strengthen your willpower?” asked the doctor. “Well, no,” said the fellow. “I was thinking of something t … More

Conscience

The word conscience is used 32 times in the New Testament and it plays a big part in what we do or what we do not do in life. It is that part of us that either approves or condemns our actions. It is not necessarily governed by law but depends on knowledge. Therefore, the more spiritual knowledge we have and act upon, the stronger the conscience will become. The conscience of a weak Christian is easily defiled (v. 7), wounded (v. 12), and offended (v. 13).

Some who have not been a Christian for very long may have a weak conscience because they have not had time to grow. Others do not grow because they ignore their Bibles and opportunities to learn under sound teaching. They do not have a plan for reading their Bible and praying each day, no matter how long they have been a Christian. However, some remain weak because they are afraid of the freedom they have in Christ. Warren Wiersbe says, “They are like a child old enough to go to school, but are afraid to leave home and must be taken to school each day by their mother.”

It seems that Paul may have been faced with a combination of both of the above. As ridiculous as it may seem, there were some who still thought that heathen gods were real beings. The big question was how the stronger brothers should react to this. Paul makes it plain that if the weaker brother thinks something is wrong and you cause him to go against his conscience and do it, that is sin (v. 12). Therefore the stronger brother must be willing to limit himself for the sake of the weaker. It is love and not knowledge that motivates a person to do this. Where knowledge is balanced by love, the strong Christian will have a ministry to the weak Christian. Christian freedom does not mean that anything goes. Neither does it mean that our salvation is determined by good works or legalistic rules but by the free will of God. We need to be careful not to offend a sensitive or younger Christian.

Application

It has been said, “Knowledge must be mixed with love, otherwise the saints will end up with big heads instead of enlarged hearts.” Lord help me to have a big heart and not a big head.

I Corinthians 8:7-13 (English Standard Version)

However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

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More I Corinthians commentaries

Be sensitive to conscience

I Corinthians 8:7–13» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

Application

I Corinthians 8:7-13 (English Standard Version)

I Corinthians 8:7–13
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)