What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 8:8? But food does not bring us closer to God “ But food does not bring us closer to God ” (1 Corinthians 8:8a). • Paul is speaking to believers in Corinth who were debating whether eating meat offered to idols could enhance or diminish their standing before God. • The statement is sweeping: no food—whether kosher, sacrificed, organic, or fast-food—has power to deepen or weaken one’s relationship with the Lord. • Jesus Himself taught, “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him” (Mark 7:18–19). • Peter learned the same lesson in Acts 10:15: “What God has made clean, you must not call impure.” • Romans 14:17 underscores the point: “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 calls food laws “a shadow of the things to come,” reminding us that Christ is the substance. Taken literally, the verse settles the question: dietary choices do not create spiritual merit. We are no worse if we do not eat “ We are no worse if we do not eat ” (1 Corinthians 8:8b). • Abstaining from certain foods—whether for conscience, culture, or health—does not reduce a believer’s worth before God. • Legalism tries to bind the conscience with “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch” (Colossians 2:20–22), but such rules “lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” • 1 Timothy 4:3–4 warns against those who “forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created,” assuring us that everything created by God is good when received with thanksgiving. • Galatians 5:1 urges believers to “stand firm” in freedom and not “be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” If you choose to skip a certain food, you have not lost spiritual ground or displeased God; your value rests in Christ’s finished work, not in your menu. and no better if we do “ and no better if we do ” (1 Corinthians 8:8c). • On the flip side, indulging in any permissible food does not elevate us spiritually. • Luke 18:11–12 illustrates the danger through the Pharisee who boasted of fasting twice a week; his outward discipline did not justify him. • Romans 14:3 cautions, “The one who eats must not look down on the one who does not,” exposing pride as a greater sin than any dietary choice. • Hebrews 13:9 reminds us, “It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by foods.” • Philippians 3:18–19 describes those “whose god is their stomach,” warning that making food an identity marker leads to destruction. So while freedom allows you to enjoy steak or salad, that enjoyment does not make you holier—only Christ does. summary Paul’s words dismantle both legalistic fear and prideful liberty. Food, whether eaten or refused, neither bridges a gap nor creates one between us and God. Christ has already closed the gap; He is our righteousness. Therefore, enjoy your freedom with gratitude, guard your heart from judgment or arrogance, and let love guide every bite. |
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