1 Corinthians 10:28-30
But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
Paul gives an illustration of the principle he has been discussing: Love is the highest law for followers of Jesus. Everything we do must be done through love. We must consider the conscience of others first in order that we will not be a cause of temptation for them. Most obviously, we cannot violate a clear command of Christ or Scripture. In the gray areas or areas posed by our culture, we must have a balance between our freedom in Christ and our love for others. Freedom is always accompanied by responsibility. Our own consciences must be clear before God. Would something we do be displeasing to God, even though the Bible may not explicitly say not to do it? We must allow the Bible to inform our worldview, and then learn to discern the Holy Spirit’s conviction about the course of action we should take or avoid. Having the mind of Christ will lead us to live lives of love.
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