Why “I Have the Right” Isn’t Always Right

[David]

In our culture of hyper-individualism and inalienable rights, 1 Corinthians 8 is a hard truth for modern western Christians. Sometimes, love means giving up our rights. In the Corinthian church, some believers had been arguing about whether they should eat food offered to idols. Some understood the truth: idols are nothing, and there is only one God (1 Corinthians 8:4–6). These knowledgeable believers knew that they could eat without any guilt. But Paul is concerned about the other group, who, for unknown reasons, were more hesitant. They also knew the truth, but they had formerly served idols. The thought of eating this meat was too strongly associated with their former idolatry and slavery.

Paul makes it clear that knowledge and truth without love is a recipe for destruction: “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Corinthians 8:1). It does not matter if you have the correct answer if you use it to step on someone else’s faith. Our freedom in Christ is never a free pass to destroy someone else’s conscience. Something that might be perfectly fine for you to do can be sin for another if it destroys their faith (1 Corinthians 8:9). “When ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ” (1 Corinthians 8:12).

This is not only true of food, but also of entertainment, lifestyle choices, social media, and even the words that come out of our mouths when someone questions our freedoms. Because you can do something does not make it right for you to do. The question is not only, “Is it lawful?” but also, “Will this benefit or injure my brother or sister in Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:23–24).

Paul’s conclusion was the complete opposite of how modern Western culture generally thinks and behaves: “If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth” (1 Corinthians 8:13). That is love. The love that is willing to give up one’s rights for the sake of another person’s walk with God. God calls us to build each other up, not tear each other down. Love trumps liberty every time, and when we choose love, we choose the heart of Christ.