Day 6

Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 8:9

God never wants us to use the freedom we have in Christ to cause a new Christian or an immature Christian to stumble. This is what God had Paul write in 1 Corinthians 8:9: “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” As Christians, we must continually be mindful of the power God has given us to make wise choices. It’s not the choices we make between walking in the Spirit or walking in the flesh, but it’s the powerful choices God has given us to be able to eat what we like, drink what we want, and so on. For example, anyone 21 years of age and older, by law, can drink alcohol. Now, God’s Word is clear that no Christian is ever to get drunk (Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:31–35, Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:7), but God’s Word does not tell us not to have a drink. Though this is a freedom, if our freedom somehow becomes a temptation for a younger believer to sin, then we have become that stumbling block. God had Paul write this in Romans 14:20–21, “Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.” It’s better to abstain than to cause another Christian to stumble.

Challenge & Application

Besides alcohol, what are some other freedoms Christians have that could cause a younger Christian to stumble? What are you willing to give up so that a younger Christian does not stumble?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

God used Paul to answer many questions that the Christians in Corinth had about several different issues. God had already used Paul to address questions about marriage and remaining single. As we read 1 Corinthians 8, we see how God used Paul to answer the question about eating meat sacrificed to idols. In Corinth, during the time of Paul, ma...

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Day 2

God ensured that Paul told the Christians in Corinth (and us) that love surpasses knowledge. We read in 1 Corinthians 8:1–3, “Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 3 but if...

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Day 3

We continue our journey as God used Paul to write His letter to the Christians in Corinth and to us today. As God led Paul to write, we read in 1 Corinthians 8:4, “Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.” God had Paul get righ...

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Day 4

God continued to have Paul deal with the issue of so-called gods and idols since the Christians in Corinth were concerned about eating meat that had been sacrificed to those so-called gods and idols. We read in 1 Corinthians 8:5–6, “For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lord...

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Day 5

God used Paul to teach the Christians in Corinth about false gods and idols and whether they should or should not eat meat that had been sacrificed to those so-called gods and idols. As God had Paul write, we read in 1 Corinthians 8:7, “However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if i...

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Day 6

God never wants us to use the freedom we have in Christ to cause a new Christian or an immature Christian to stumble. This is what God had Paul write in 1 Corinthians 8:9: “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” As Christians, we must continually be mindful of the power God has given u...

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Day 7

God had Paul unpack the reason for all Christians to use caution in all of life’s choices. God led Paul to write this in 1 Corinthians 8:10–13, “For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through your knowledge he wh...

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