Wounding a Brother's Conscience and Christ 1 Corinthians 8:12

Paul the apostle asked the question to some of the church members in Corinth if they knew, “through their knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died”? He also declared in chapter eight and verse twelve of First Corinthians how this could be, “wounding a brother's conscience” and “Christ” as well where we read:

But when you sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

The verse begins, “But when you sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ...” Paul began with the word, “But” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “when you sin” or “at the time the church members miss the mark, err and are mistaken” “so against” which means “in this manner towards” “the brethren” which means “fellow believers who are united to another by the bond of affection”, “and wound” or “and strike, beat and smite as with a whip or the fist” “their weak” which means “the church member's feeble and infirmed” “conscience” or “the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad which prompts to do the former and shun the latter while commending one and condemning the other”. Paul referred to the way people within the church who had “liberty” to “eat meats offered to idols” “sinned against” their “weaker” fellow believers which would “strike and beat” their “consciences”.

The verse continues, “ … you sin against Christ”. Paul added the words, “you sin” or “the church members make a mistake, err and miss the mark” “against” which mean “in this manner towards” “Christ” which refers to “the anointed one, the Messiah and the Son of God”. When people who are “stronger” in their “liberty” than the “weak” use it to make their “brothers sin”, they are not only contrary to them, but also to Jesus Christ Himself.

When we think through these words from Paul, we see the association between “sinning against the brethren” within the church and Jesus Christ. If we use our “liberty” to “wound the weak conscience” of another brother or sister in Christ, it is as though we are “sinning against” Jesus as well. Jesus loves His “bride” the church, and we are not to “sin against” one another by exercising our “freedoms” in Him, and those who are wise shall not only hear Paul's words but also observe them.

Next time Paul tells the Corinthians, “if meat makes my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world stands”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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