What does "food does not bring us closer to God" imply for believers? Setting the Scene “Food does not bring us closer to God. We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” (1 Corinthians 8:8) What Paul Is and Is Not Saying • Salvation and fellowship with God rest on Christ’s finished work, not on menu choices. • Eating—or abstaining—neither adds to nor subtracts from a believer’s standing before the Lord. • The verse speaks to morally neutral foods, not to moral commands (e.g., avoiding gluttony, drunkenness). Freedom Confirmed by Other Passages • Mark 7:18-19—Jesus “declared all foods clean,” showing diet is no longer a ceremonial gateway to God. • Romans 14:17—“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” • Colossians 2:16-17—Food laws were “a shadow… the body that casts it belongs to Christ.” • 1 Timothy 4:4-5—Every food “is good… sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” Freedom Balanced by Love • 1 Corinthians 8:9—“Be careful… that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” • Christian liberty is real, yet love may lead us to limit legitimate choices for another’s conscience. • 1 Corinthians 10:24—“No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.” Practical Takeaways • Enjoy your meals gratefully, without guilt-driven ritual, knowing Christ alone brings you near. • Refuse legalism: don’t measure spiritual maturity by diet lists, superfoods, or fasting schedules. • Exercise discernment: if a brother’s conscience is troubled by certain foods, willingly defer. • Keep motives pure: whatever you eat or avoid, do it “to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Guarding the Conscience • Conscience is trained by Scripture; avoid violating it, or you train yourself to ignore conviction. • If unsure whether a food practice offends God, step back, search the Word, and act in faith (Romans 14:23). Living It Out • Let gratitude, not guilt, shape your plate. • Let love, not liberty alone, set your limits. • Let Christ, not cuisine, define your closeness to God. |
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