Posted on 01/31/2011 7:43:38 AM PST by Objective Scrutator
I’m a Christian. I am free to eat food sacrificed to idols. No big deal.
I’m doing no such thing. I quoted the entire text for you. The words are as plain as the nose on your face.
Your problem is that you are only quoting the parts that fit your theology. You ignore context. How you get “unequivical instruciton” [sic] from misquoting and misinterpreting the Bible is beyond me.
“I’m a Christian. I am free to eat food sacrificed to idols. No big deal.”
True. You are also free to commit sexual immorality, murder, and theft. None of these are salvation issues.
But both Peter and Paul said to avoid these sins and eating meat sacrificed to idols (such as meat sacrificed to allah), as it was harmful to others.
In particular, it may lead a weak brother to believe you accept the tenants of the false religion as valid or acceptable.
Are you a “weaker brother”? Or are you just trying to manipulate me?
No, merely someone who asserts the Church’s position, stated during the Crusades and before, has not changed regarding meat sacrificed to allah, and remains correct and valid.
I saw nothing in Vatican II that changed this at all.
Ah, “The Church.” Gotcha. I prefer to trust the clear teachings of Scripture over some legalistic, tradition-bound interpretation coming from Rome.
The truth is that we are free to enjoy meals with those who don’t share our faith in Jesus. Our consciences can be clean when we engage in redemptive relationship with those outside the faith. We can break bread with the “pagans,” an act that the Lord may use to draw them into faith in Christ.
Scripture is clear that the Christian is not to “seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.’ If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.”
To you, TheThirdRuffian, I pointedly ask:
“Why should my liberty be determined by your conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?”
Of course, if you are a weaker brother, then it may be loving of me not to eat “meat sacrificed to idols” in your presence.
That said, I am thankful for the freedom I have in Christ. It is for freedom that Christ has set me free. No, I’m not embracing licentiousness, but Christ-honoring freedom.
Didn’t those who hated Jesus look down on Him for eating certain foods on certain days? Yup, they did. Don’t be like those men, TheThirdRuffian.
There is no conflict between the Roman Catholic teaching and sola scriptura here. Indeed, the author of the piece above is a Protestant minister.
Acts (Peter)
“You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”
Corinthians (Paul)
“But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it”
Again, the issue is not personal. Islamic mumbo-jumbo is meaningless and has no effect on the person consuming the meat.
What matters are weak breathren who might view your acceptance of pagan meat as an acceptance of the pagan practices.
Me, I love my fellow man and don’t want them misled.
You, do what you want.
Some time ago actually.
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