found in this chapter which can serve as a guide for us. The weak believer has a minimal grasp of Christ's atoning work for him. He probably lacks adequate knowl edge about what the Bible really teaches. He is easily influenced by others and often troubled by doubts. Such a person stands in stark contrast to the legalist dealt with in Galatians. Unlike the weak er brother, the legalist does not look to others for guidance and help. He is a self-appointed critic telling everybody else exactly how to live. The fact is that we must study the Word and be led by the Holy Spirit. His voice is sufficient. The first point is that the weaker brother is an individual who lacks knowledge (vs. 7). This is why Paul points out that there is only one God, one Master and one way to salvation. The weaker Christian does not really grasp this truth. He may feel that there are other Gods who can be worshipped in some manner and he should not be dog matic on the point. It is sad to realize how many people there are who have the erroneous feeling that there may be other ways to God apart from Christ. There is no other God and no other means of coming to Him apart from His Son (John 14:6). As it related to the meat offered to idols, Paul pointed out to them that to eat or to abstain from eat ing would not commend one to God. Food is not an essential issue in establishing our relationship with the Lord. It is only Christ who commends us. The pattern of your diet does not establish you as just in the eyes of God. We must make a distinction between freedom from condemnation in Christ, and
wounds, reliving our lives in the past. We are to forget those things which are behind and press for ward in the service of Christ (vrs. 17-24). In summary, we must realize that marriage is an honorable estate and is the cornerstone, we believe, of the Christian community as far as the home is concerned. To take marriage lightly will create real and probably lasting problems. Let us listen carefully as the Holy Spirit speaks to our own hearts in regard to this most important area of life! Christians come in all shapes and sizes, with a variety of peculiarities and problems. One particular group to which Paul writes in I Cor inthians is the weaker Christians. Such a person has never fully grasped what Christ can mean in a life of victory and satisfaction. As a background, the eighth chapter deals with a problem pe culiar to that day. In the worship of idols at Corinth, only a portion of the sacrificial animal was taken by the priest. The rest could be used in the homes of those who had made the offering. Sometimes the meat would find its way into the market place to be purchased by others. This posed a problem to a believer who should have seen the concern for his personal testi mony. Normally, he might turn his back on such a practice. Of course, we do not have to worry about such things today. It was definitely a cultural problem with spiritual ramifications. There are other sit uations which we have to face. The question comes, to what ex tent should we participate in activ ities, not specifically dealt with in Scripture, which seem to be doubt ful. There are some basic principles
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