第八章

1關於祭過偶像的食物，我們曉得我們都有知識。但知識會使人自高自大，唯有愛心能造就人……6然而我們只有一位神，就是父；萬物都是從他而來，我們也為了他而活。我們也只有一位主，就是耶穌基督；萬物都是藉著他而有的，我們也是藉著他而有的。7不過，這種知識不是人人都有的。有些人直到現在習慣了拜偶像的事，因此他們吃的時候，就把這些食物看作是真的獻過給偶像的；他們的良心既然軟弱，就被污穢了。8其實食物不能使我們親近神，我們不吃也無損，吃也無益。9然而你們要謹慎，免得你們這自由成了軟弱的人的絆腳石。10因為如果有人看見你這有知識的人，在偶像的廟裡吃飯，他的良心若是軟弱，他不就放膽去吃那祭過偶像的食物嗎？11因此，基督已經為他死了的那軟弱的弟兄，就因你的知識而滅亡了。12你們這樣得罪弟兄，傷了他們軟弱的良心，就是得罪基督了。13所以，如果食物使我的弟兄跌倒，我就永遠不再吃肉，免得使我的弟兄跌倒了。

 

默想

1. 我生命中，有那件事，是我的自由，卻成為別人的絆腳石？飲酒？穿著？音樂？生活形態？政治立場？
2. 主啊，是否有人因我的自由而跌倒？當我在此靜默時，求主將這人帶進我心中……。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

 

CHAPTER 8

¹Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ²The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. ³But the man who loves God is known by God.   ⁴So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. ⁵For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), ⁶yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.   ⁷But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. ⁸But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.   ⁹Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? ¹¹So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. ¹²When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

 

MEDITATION

1. Is there something in my life that when I exercise my freedom, it becomes a stumbling block for others?  Drinking? Clothing? Music? Lifestyle? Political viewpoints? Legalism?
2. Lord, is there someone stumbled because of my freedom?  As I pause to listen, bring the person to mind…

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.