Some misinformed people deny it is possible to lose your salvation over any sin or negligence, while others (who are also misled) think it is possible to die spiritually but that it’s hard to do! When one reads 1 Cor. 8, both of those positions are quickly dispelled as non-Christian mythology! Paul’s doctrine was so strange and extreme to what most in our day think, that many just deny those truths. Paul addressed the subject of eating meat sacrificed to an idol in 1 Cor. 8. In summary, he wrote:
- Someone eating certain food can adversely influence another with a weak conscience, who was accustomed to idols, to think the food was sacrificed to idols. If he eats it, he will become defiled.
- All food, including food that is sacrificed to an idol, will not bring us near to God or hurt us with God by not eating it. (That refutes those who embrace the dietary laws set down by Moses, which some Messianic Jews sadly believe.)
- Our freedom in Christ is shown to extend to the liberty of eating or not eating food sacrificed to an idol, but we must also be careful because our example of eating it could be a spiritual stumbling block to Christians with a weak conscience. If it is, they will become defiled and destroyed through that sin. Consequently, the Christian with the weak conscience is destroyed by another’s knowledge and freedom to do that. By wounding their weak conscience, one sins against Christ! To safeguard against that, Paul resolves for himself never to eat meat sacrificed to an idol again so he won’t jeopardize another’s salvation by doing so.
Regarding loss of salvation, Paul taught such would happen if a Christian ate food sacrificed to an idol with his weak conscience! Just over eating food, one can lose his salvation and quickly! We know he is writing about loss of salvation because 8:11 says:
So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
The word translated destroyed in 1 Cor. 8:11 is translated perish in John 3:16 and contrasted to everlasting life (or eternal life)! That could only be possible if Paul is addressing loss of salvation over eating food with a weak conscience and sinning that way. There is NO eternal security.
