id rather never eat meat again
That passage on eating no meat is confusing to me. 1 Corinthians 8 begins with knowledge puffs up, Charity edifies. what that seems to say to me is: the flesh puffs up, the Spirit of God edifies? Romans 14:15 speaks of if the brothers is grieved with the meat you walk not charitably. walking not the Spirit but after the flesh (as yet carnal?) ‘destroy not him with your meat, for whom Christ died.’
walking after the flesh but after the Spirit makes me think of: And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:24-26
if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world stands Galatians 6:14-15 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. [15] For in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
sounds familiar ‘But meat commendeth us not to God:
for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.’ 1 Corinthians 8:8
Romans 14:17-23 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. [18] For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. [19] Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. [20]
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. [21]
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. [22] Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. [23] And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
For whatever is not of faith is sin.
1 Corinthians 8:12 But when
you sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience,
you sin against Christ.
‘if your meat destroys your brother’ ‘now walk not you in Charity’; is this not the same as another way of saying ‘whatever is not of faith is sin’ now you walk not in faith when you sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
Examine yourselves, whether you be in faith?