1 Corintios 8
Dios Habla Hoy
El criterio del conocimiento
8 Ahora paso al asunto de los alimentos ofrecidos en sacrificio a los ídolos. Es verdad lo que se dice: que todos tenemos el conocimiento de la verdad; pero el conocimiento hincha de orgullo, en tanto que el amor edifica la comunidad. 2 Si alguien cree que conoce algo, todavía no lo conoce como lo debe conocer. 3 Pero si alguien ama a Dios, Dios lo conoce a él.
4 En cuanto a esto de comer alimentos ofrecidos en sacrificio a los ídolos, bien sabemos que un ídolo no tiene valor alguno en el mundo, y que solamente hay un Dios. 5 Pues aunque en el cielo y en la tierra existan esos llamados dioses (y en este sentido hay muchos dioses y muchos señores), 6 para nosotros no hay más que un solo Dios, el Padre, en quien todo tiene su origen y para quien nosotros existimos. Y hay también un solo Señor, Jesucristo, por quien todas las cosas existen, incluso nosotros mismos.
El criterio del amor fraterno
7 Pero no todos conocen la verdad. Algunos que estaban acostumbrados a adorar ídolos, todavía comen de esos alimentos pensando que fueron ofrecidos a los dioses; y su conciencia, que es débil, los hace sentirse contaminados por el ídolo. 8 Claro que el que Dios nos acepte no depende de lo que comamos; pues no vamos a ser mejores por comer, ni peores por no comer. 9 Pero eviten que esa libertad que ustedes tienen haga caer en pecado a los que son débiles en su fe. 10 Porque si tú, que sabes estas cosas, te sientas a comer en un lugar dedicado a los ídolos, y algún hermano débil te ve, puede suceder que él se anime a comer de esa ofrenda hecha a un ídolo. 11 Y así tú, por tu conocimiento, haces que se pierda tu hermano débil, por quien Cristo también murió. 12 Al ofender la conciencia de los hermanos débiles en la fe, ofenden ustedes a Cristo mismo. 13 Por eso, si por causa de mi comida hago caer en pecado a mi hermano, no debo comer carne nunca, para no ponerlo en peligro de pecar.
1 Corinthians 8
The Message
Freedom with Responsibility
8 1-3 The question keeps coming up regarding meat that has been offered up to an idol: Should you attend meals where such meat is served, or not? We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions—but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all.
4-6 Some people say, quite rightly, that idols have no actual existence, that there’s nothing to them, that there is no God other than our one God, that no matter how many of these so-called gods are named and worshiped they still don’t add up to anything but a tall story. They say—again, quite rightly—that there is only one God the Father, that everything comes from him, and that he wants us to live for him. Also, they say that there is only one Master—Jesus the Messiah—and that everything is for his sake, including us. Yes. It’s true.
7 In strict logic, then, nothing happened to the meat when it was offered up to an idol. It’s just like any other meat. I know that, and you know that. But knowing isn’t everything. If it becomes everything, some people end up as know-it-alls who treat others as know-nothings. Real knowledge isn’t that insensitive.
We need to be sensitive to the fact that we’re not all at the same level of understanding in this. Some of you have spent your entire lives eating “idol meat,” and are sure that there’s something bad in the meat that then becomes something bad inside of you. An imagination and conscience shaped under those conditions isn’t going to change overnight.
8-9 But fortunately God doesn’t grade us on our diet. We’re neither commended when we clean our plate nor reprimanded when we just can’t stomach it. But God does care when you use your freedom carelessly in a way that leads a fellow believer still vulnerable to those old associations to be thrown off track.
10 For instance, say you flaunt your freedom by going to a banquet thrown in honor of idols, where the main course is meat sacrificed to idols. Isn’t there great danger if someone still struggling over this issue, someone who looks up to you as knowledgeable and mature, sees you go into that banquet? The danger is that he will become terribly confused—maybe even to the point of getting mixed up himself in what his conscience tells him is wrong.
11-13 Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn’t you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him—because, as you say, it doesn’t really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn’t worth it at the cost of even one of these “weak ones.” So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there’s any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters.
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson