愛我的弟兄姊妹
哥林多前書第八章
1論到祭偶像之物，我們曉得我們都有知識。但知識是叫人自高自大，惟有愛心能造就人。
2若有人以為自己知道甚麼，按他所當知道的，他仍是不知道。
3若有人愛神，這人乃是神所知道的。
4論到吃祭偶像之物，我們知道偶像在世上算不得甚麼，也知道神只有一位，再沒有別的神。
5雖有稱為神的，或在天，或在地，就如那許多的神，許多的主；
6然而我們只有一位神，就是父，萬物都本於他；我們也歸於他─並有一位主，就是耶穌基督─萬物都是藉著他有的；我們也是藉著他有的。
7但人不都有這等知識。有人到如今因拜慣了偶像，就以為所吃的是祭偶像之物。他們的良心既然軟弱，也就污穢了。
8其實食物不能叫神看中我們，因為我們不吃也無損，吃也無益。
9只是你們要謹慎，恐怕你們這自由竟成了那軟弱人的絆腳石。
10若有人見你這有知識的，在偶像的廟裡坐席，這人的良心，若是軟弱，豈不放膽去吃那祭偶像之物麼？
11因此，基督為他死的那軟弱弟兄，也就因你的知識沉淪了。
12你們這樣得罪弟兄們，傷了他們軟弱的良心，就是得罪基督。
13所以，食物若叫我弟兄跌倒，我就永遠不吃肉，免得叫我弟兄跌倒了。
信息分享
信徒之間的關係既然是出於互愛，就必然會帶來彼此的責任。因此，我必須時刻緊記，我在基督裡的其他弟兄姊妹，可能正留意我的言行舉止，也許還會效法我呢！我做的事情若然令他們軟弱跌倒，那怎麼辦呢？
保羅在這裡正是談論這個重點，請特別留意第9節。保羅正回答哥林多教會的一個詢問，是關係到信徒可否吃祭偶像的肉的問題。在信奉異教的哥林多城，幾乎所有肉類都先在廟裡祭祀偶像，然後才在市面發售。當時的基督徒為此事而深感困擾。
保羅在第13節釐定了一個原則，對今天信徒的行事為人仍然適用，那就是：「食物若叫我弟兄跌倒，我就永遠不吃肉，免得叫我弟兄跌倒了。」
我們今天同樣面對類似的問題，就是該如何決定去做還是不做某件事。我若私下做某件事，不會影響別人，是否就表示我可以隨意去做呢？答案很簡單：當我知道我做某件事，可能會對我的屬靈生命有負面影響，或妨礙別人的屬靈生命，那我就絕對不要去做了。
無論是甚麼情形，若會影響我對神話語的渴慕、妨礙我的禱告或事奉、令我犯錯跌倒、使我的見證大打折扣，或傷害神的家；那麼，我就絕對不要去做了。
反思：
我若愛我的弟兄姊妹，就要做一些建立或幫助他們的事，絕不可故意絆倒他們。
LOVE FOR MY BROTHER
1 Corinthians 8
1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),
6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.
10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
Message
At the same time, this also brings great responsibility. I must remember I have brothers and sisters in Christ who may be watching what I do and even following me. What if I do something that would cause them to stumble or fall?
This is what Paul is talking about, particularly in verse 9. Paul is answering a question sent to him by the Church at Corinth. It concerned meat offered to idols. Should Christians eat it? In Corinth almost all meat was offered first to a heathen god in a temple. Christians were finding this a major problem.
Paul laid down a principle in verse 13 which still holds good, 'If by eating meat I make my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again'.
Our real problem today is where to draw the line? What can we do that won't be a stumbling block to someone else? The answer is simple. When I know that what I am doing is hurting my own spiritual life or hindering someone else's spiritual life, then I must stop doing that thing.
Anything that takes away my appetite for the Word of God, the house of God, prayer or service for Christ, is wrong for me and will hinder my example to others.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
If I love my brother, I will always help and never consciously hinder him.