1 Corinthians 10:25
Christian Liberty
applied to Food

This verse in Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth deals with meat that may have come from idol sacrifice. The reason that people were concerned about eating meat offered to idols was because the Jerusalem council had listed it as one of the four things that Christians should not do. 

Acts 15: 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

This decree was issued in response to the claim by some early Christians that gentiles also had to be circumcised according to the custom of Moses and keep the entire law (Acts 15:5). The Jerusalem council however degreed differently. Christians are not saved by keeping the Old Testament law but by putting their faith in Jesus.

So does Paul contradict the Jerusalem council here? Not really. Food that was used for idol worship by others but then sold on a public market had lost its sacrificial character and had become ordinary meat. So Christians were free to eat it.

But if you asked about whether it came from an idol sacrifice, then it would be wiser not to eat it, in order to not offend others who might take offense to it.

Paul makes repeated statements about the freedoms which Christians have. But sometimes people with a weaker faith will impose restrictions on themselves and others. In order to not offend them, Paul tells us to abide by those restrictions. Not because of the restrictions themselves, but because we should not offend our brothers and sisters.

Christians are free to eat any food, drink any drink, and treat any day like any other day. We have incredibly freedom. But we should use that freedom wisely and not do things that offend others, but instead let everything we do be done for the glory of God. This is how Paul ends chapter 10:

1 Corinthians 10: 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Godspeed!