I CORINTHIANS - CHAPTER 8

I Corinthians 8:1 says, "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." "Edifieth" means "to promote growth in christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness." If you have no caring, compassion, understanding and love for others, your knowledge of Father's Word can cause you to become "puffed up {inflated ego, bragger} with yourself." If this happens and you come into the presence of one seeking to understand christianity, or, a new or weak convert who do not understand the love of Father God or His Truths, it is your responsibility to teach that individual on their current level, not your level, of understanding so that you can help them to grow, through love, to a higher level of christian understanding. In this way you do not offend the person who may be serving idols since they are feeding on the doctrines and traditions of men. This is why it is important to not show off with your knowledge given by Father God because you can become a stumbling block to anyone who is seeking truth of our Father's Word, by your actions.

I Corinthians 8:2 says, "And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." Even though you may teach the Truth of Father's Word, you are still a student since the more you study, the more you learn and even with that, you will never know all things since you are not our "Living Word who is Christ Jesus." Therefore you must teach with love and a humble spirit or else you are of no use to our Father God.

I Corinthians 8:3 says, "But if any man love God, the same is known of him." Loving Father God and doing all things according to His will keeps you under the blessings of our LORD. It is impossible to be under Father's blessings in the teaching of His Word if you have no love and compassion for His children who our LORD loves so much, He took the flesh through Christ Jesus, sacrificing Himself on that cross at Calvary. Love and teaching go hand and hand.

I Corinthians 8:4 says, "As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that [there is] none other God but one." Father God and He alone is "Worthy to be Praised."

I Corinthians 8:5 says, "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)" There are people who worship their gods, pray to them, seek blessings from them, be they the moon, rain, stars, their pulpit guru, an orange, or what have you. Take a note that all these gods were created by "Father God Almighty, Faithful and True."

I Corinthians 8:6 says, "But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him." Our Father God created all things of Heaven and earth and all things belong to Him and were created for Father's pleasure. Your soul belongs to Father God. Christ Jesus is our Father God personified in the Flesh and this is why Christ was with Father "In the Beginning [John - Chapter 1]." When our Father God speaks, nothing becomes everything. When our Father God speaks, you had best listen and turn away immediately from the doctrines and traditions of men which will lead you straight into the stronghold of satan when he is cast to this earth as the first/false jesus. Christ Jesus taught in Luke 4:8, "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Get thee behind me, satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt though serve.

I Corinthians 8:7 says, "Howbeit [there is] not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat [it] as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled." An individual who is new to christianity may be sensitive to idol worship, specifically when seeing one of Father's very elect participating in heathen religious practices. When that individual sees you participating with the pulpit guru's theatrics, shouting in the hallelujah corner, involving yourself in any religious practices that are against our Father's Word, you can bring "pollution, trouble, confusion, contamination {defiled}" into the mind of that the person who is seeking true understanding of what "thus saith our LORD." Therefore, seeing one who is well versed in the Truth of Father's Word playing church with the heathens, the Biblically illiterate, can most certainly contaminate the faith of a new christian.

I Corinthians 8:8 says, "But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." I Corinthians 8:9 says, "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." "Meat" means "to feed; portraying the duty of a christian teacher to promote in every way the spiritual welfare of the members of the church." When you are with a new or weak christian, you want to be careful not to become a stumbling block by your actions to an individual you have just planted a seed of truth with. This is love which goes hand and hand with teaching; that love meaning you will not offend or confuse a babe in Christ Jesus.

I Corinthians 8:10 says, "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;" As a true teacher of Father's Word, speaking of the very elect, it is possible for you to enter into a church and sing songs and clap your hands, and even say amen to something that may have been spoken from the pulpit of that Biblically illiterate church since you have truth engraved in your mind. However, for one new to christianity or weak in their belief, having received seeds of truth from you that are contrary to what is being said in the Biblically illiterate church you are participating with, their lack of true spiritual wisdom may bring about doubt and confusion to our Father's Truths. It may also draw them away from those true pearls of Father's Word into the many religious houses that are full of darkness, which is of satan, perpetrating babble and confusion. One you are trying to draw into the "Truth of Father's Word" must be carefully nurtured as you set the example of a true Christ-like path.

I Corinthians 8:11 says, "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" If you are not careful of the example you set for the new or weak one in christian faith, you defeat the whole purpose for which our Lord Jesus Christ gave of His life on that cross, which is for the purpose of salvation. Christ Jesus is our Living Word and you never, ever want to use "His Precious Word" to offend one who is just beginning a true christian walk.

I Corinthians 8:12 says, "But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ." If because of something you have done, setting a poor example, for a new or weak christian, they fall away from our Lord Jesus Christ, you have sinned before Father God Almighty. Even as the very elect, you must always pray for and use common sense when sharing Father's Truth with anyone since you want to draw them to the bosom of our LORD, and not drive them to play church as the heathens do.

I Corinthians 8:13 says, "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." This is to say, if you are invited to a church that does not teach Father's Truths, rather playing church with their doctrines and traditions of men, it is far better to gracefully and diplomatically not do so if it should confuse or offend a new child to christianity. Again, as the very elect, having the seal of truth within your mind, you can enter into these buildings and not be affected by their Biblical illiteracy. However a weak one in christianity may demonstrate confusion seeing that which is contrary to truth you have taught them, as well as seeing excitement within that babble and confusion the Biblically illiterate can display with their theatrics, and you did this since you became their stumbling block. Therefore, always use good judgment, be cautious, and pray to our Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus to help you to be a shining example of the love of our Father God, wherein the new or weak christian begins to feel, "Love, Peace and Joy which is our Father God Almighty, Faithful and True."