Paul’s instructions continue according to the purpose statement of 1 Corinthians 7:35 to benefit the church, to promote good order, and to secure undivided devotion to the Lord…
Referencing the letter he had received from the Corinthians, Paul addresses another issue of the day of spiritual & practical concern. What should a Christian do when the grocery stores are stocked with food that has been offered to idols? Paul’s pastoral wisdom is evident in his sensitivity to the varying degrees of spiritual maturity given the paganism rampant in the culture. The weakened conscience places limits on knowledge processing abilities. For some individuals, proper categories may remain unclear, and a weakened spiritual state may render them more vulnerable to deception. In these cases, compassionate wisdom guides us to be careful not to destabilize a weaker brother while we work to build up the church.