“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.
Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.
But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake— the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience?
If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
GNT … here, Paul is talking about food, but if we take it further and apply it to our everyday lives, we must always be subordinated to our consideration of the religious scruples of others; non-religious scruples; and we must avoid doing anything which would blunt and injure their faith or their opinion of Christianity.
Even though our intelligence may give us a wide liberty in regard to personal conduct, we must allow a check to be placed on it by the thoughtfulness of Christian love.
We must behave in a manner that glorifies Jesus!
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