Skip to main content

WEAK CONSCIENCE

Text: 1 Cor. 8:12 

But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

There are things you do because you have better knowledge and clear conscience, but such  could be destroying the faith of fellow Christians.
(1Cor.8:11).

Apostle Paul was writing to the church in Corinthians on his stand about eating food offered to idol. He mentioned first of all that idol is nothing in this world. Hence, some brethren eat food offered to idol with clear and strong conscience before God, due to their knowledge about the fact that idol is nothing in this world.

Meanwhile, those with weak conscience do not know this fact. They however imitate those eating meat offered to idol, and thereby got themselves defiled.

Apostle Paul wrote thus: "For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" (1 Corin. 8:10-11).

You will often hear many Christians and leaders in the church saying, "I don't care what people may say about my outlook, or my lifestyle, God sees my heart."

Such was the case of the Corinthian believers who had knowledge. They were eating meat offered to idols because they had knowledge that it does not affect their faith. Others with weak conscience imitate them in eating meat offered to idols and they sinned. This is because, "...whatever is  not done from faith is sin" In other words, whatever you do that is not from heart of conviction is sin unto God.

Those believers with weak conscience in Corinthians church, were eating meat offered to idol without conviction that they were doing the right thing. This is sinful.

You need to be careful how you use your liberty to destroy other believers with weak conscience. There are things you shouldn't do for the sake of your fellow Christians. This is love. True love sees to it that you don't destroy the faith of your brothers through your knowledge.

That's the reason Apostle Paul  compared love to knowledge, 1 Corinthians 8:1. He said, "Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. *Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."* 

The Lord is asking you today, "...through your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" (1Cor. 8:11).

Many Christians, knowingly or unknowingly destroy brethren with weak conscience in the name of what they know (knowledge). Such are not walking in love. *Your lifestyle can destroy the faith of others, you must be careful how you live.* 

When you walk in  knowledge only, you may be less concerned about your brethren, but when you allow love to rule your heart, then you will be able to build up, and not tear down the brethren.

Remember, Knowledge Puffs up, but love edifies.

Bible  Reading:

Romans 8:1-13.

PRAYER FOCUS

1.) Father, help me to always walk in love towards you and my brethren.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE GOOD FIGHT-2

Text:  1 Timothy  6:12   Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. Another thing to pursue in fighting the good fight of faith is Godliness. We understand through the Holy scriptures that godliness is profitable unto all things.   *For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.* 1 Timothy  4:8.  You will reap the reward of your godliness not only when you get to heaven, but from here on earth. And this is why we are admonished to exercise ourselves unto godliness. (1 Timothy  4:7), because godliness with contentment is great gain.1 Timothy  6:6. Godliness is the practice of conforming to the image of God by reflecting the nature of the kingdom of God in the course of everyday life. In other words, godliness is living and portray...
Post a Comment
Read more

WAY MAKER-2

Text: Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing: now it shall spring forth: shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness,  and rivers in the desert. God promised that He will do a new thing for you, and that He will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. He has done this before, and He will do it again even in your own life.  When the children of Israel left Egypt, the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them, encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.(Exodus 14:9). Just like anyone would react, the Isrealites became so fearful because there is neither way forward nor back for them to escape. Before them was the red sea, behind them were the Egyptian armies. They became perplexed and began to murmur against Moses. It is possible you are also in a situation like the Israelites- No way forward, and no way behind. Things may appear like you are ...
Post a Comment
Read more

HIS VOICE- 2

Text : John 10:3. To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. We established yesterday that one thing you can't joke with as a true follower of Christ is *His Voice.* You must recognise and hearken to (obey) His voice. It is in doing this that your safety is assured.  Today, we want to see another responsibility of the Shepherd over His sheep.  To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, *and leads them out.* John 10:3.  He called you, that He might lead you. It is not enough for you to hear or recognise His Voice, you must allow Him to lead you as well.  Romans 8:14 says *For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.*   The Spirit leading you determines the family you belong to. Basically,  there are only two families in this world - the family of God, and the family of satan. In other words, we can say the Kingdom...
Post a Comment
Read more