Stumbling over kebabs again

  By  |   1 min 22 secs |  0 Comments

13th Aug, 2018 Day 225

1Cor 8:1-13

Love trumps knowledge! As Christians we love God, who is the source of love. God fills us with His love that overflows to others. When we love others we don’t want them to stumble and sin. That’s the heart behind this passage. If eating a kebab (which is probably halal and therefore sacrificed meat), or a pork sausage (which would offend Jewish believers), or prawns (for other Jewish believers), would cause others to stumble and sin, then don’t eat it for their sake, at least while they can see you!

Here’s how the argument flows. Paul knows that under the new covenant there are no foods we are not allowed to eat. But not every believer knows that yet.

When we start getting some knowledge on a subject, we start out thinking we know a lot about it. As we know more, we realise actually how little we do know about the subject. I have started guitar lessons again and I thought I understood chords and scales, but as I have learnt about “modes“, my mind has been blown and I have realised I know nothing!

Paul argues two things about idols

i) they don’t exist

ii) the only god is God

Therefore there is no real problem with kebabs. But if someone’s level of understanding makes them worried about the halal nature of most doner kebabs, then to eat one is going against their conscience and therefore sin. To eat one in front of someone like that will cause them to stumble too!

Right now I’m craving a doner kebab! But if that will cause you an issue, I will refrain!

Blessings

Andy Moyle

 

name

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - ANDY MOYLE

Andy planted the Gateway Church in Sept 2007. He and Janet love to gather different nations together to grow in Christ while eating good food! He also helps to shape and serve a couple of Relational Mission's church plants in mainland Europe. Andy and Janet run regularly, largely to offset the hospitality eating! He also runs a popular WordPress plugin Church Admin