Love trumps knowledge. Be sensitive to conscience (1 Corinthians 8)

“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:13

This verse is concerning the consumption of meat purchased in a marketplace, possibly offered to idols as sacrifices in the city of Corinth. Paul addressed this issue in chapter 8 of 1 Corinthians which he wrote between A.D. 53, 54, or 55.

In (v. 4-6), we learn that while some know "an idol has no real existence" and "there is no God but one," not everyone shares this knowledge.

For those in the know, Paul warns in (v. 8-9) that food won't commend us to God, emphasizing that our rights/knowledge should not become stumbling blocks for the weak. Knowledge in the Kingdom of God isn't just about getting the facts right; it's about love.

In the Kingdom of God, love takes precedence over knowledge. 1 Corinthians 13:2 says "And if I have… all knowledge… but have not love, I am nothing". Simply being right about something doesn't cut it if love is absent.

The urge to condemn and the constant pursuit of being right and knowledgeable isn't virtuous. It's a sin when, despite knowing someone's weakness, you disregard their feelings, showcasing pride and arrogance instead of love. Paul concludes in (v. 12-13) - “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.”

Romans 14:1-3 also encourages believers to welcome those weak in faith. “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.”

So, what is love? According to 1 Corinthians 13:4-6, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

The takeaway here is we should not do anything to defile, wound or condemn a brother or sister’s conscience. It's not about being right, love triumphs over knowledge. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (v. 8:1)