Swimming In The Deep End Of The Pool

"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." - 1 Corinthians 8:10-13

These verses have to do with someone who believes that food offered to idols should not be eaten when, in fact, it does not matter. 

"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." - 1 Corinthians 8:7-8

In other words - food is food to God. It has no soul and no life. Whether you eat that food or not is of no consequence to God. The condition of you heart and your devotion to God are, however. But if someone wrongly thinks that eating that food is sin, then Paul is saying that he will not eat the food so as not cause his less mature brother to stumble in his faith. Hoping at some point that he matures and has a better spiritual understanding.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:12-13

I am certain that you are familiar with verse 13 in John 15. But what does that mean, "lay down your life for your friend"? Well verse 13 must be coupled with verse 12. It means that you should refrain from doing what is actually not sin if it will cause a weaker brother or sister to stumble in their faith. 

"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. 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." - 1 Corinthians 8:10-13

Being an example to other Christians goes deeper than you might think. Are you willing to refrain from some activity that is not sinful, perhaps that you enjoy, for the sake of a weaker Christian? 

That is what loving others the same way the Jesus loves us looks like. Sacrificially.

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." - Philippians 2:3-8

That is going into the deep end of the pool my friend. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone