Fourth Sunday after Epiphany: Epistle, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13           

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

This week we get to savor an entire chapter from Paul’s hand. And it deals with an issue that we in the 21st century west don’t deal with. The issue arises among early believers from pagan backgrounds regarding eating food offered to idols in their previous places of worship. The consciences of these young believers, steeped in false religion, are still tender and take offense at the idea that Christians would gobble up the food offered to their old gods and then sold in the market. Paul will include in his instruction to put away the old ways. But as the old saying goes, “Old habits die hard.” 

You and I don’t live amongst such pagan beliefs. Or do we? To live in this world and not have the covering of the Savior upon our hearts through His Word is to be fair game for anything that will play its hand to capture our hands and hearts. And the world and its craft are good at the game. Check your conscience, Christian. Might you hold to vestiges of the old ways, of the paganism of a technically advanced and morally backward society?

The issue here in the text is look out and live for the brother whose conscience may not yet be clear. Deliverance from Christ happens in a moment. But  the outworking takes time. And truth. Truth applied over and over again and in this we, who may not still be bothered by “eating the food offered to idols,” need the same prescription. To battle old ways, yes. But as a preventive as well. For the tentacles of the false gods of the day (and there are myriad) are constantly seeking hearts and minds to entangle once more. Live for and guard the hearts of your tender brothers and sisters. All the time remembering from what we have been delivered. And then praising our true and living God together.