23-24 You say, “I am allowed to do anything” - but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything” - but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. 25-27 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.  28-30 But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person. For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32-33 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.  And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. New Living Translation (Link to English Standard Version)

Chapter 8 verse 1 of this letter from Paul started with the words “Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols.” In other words, was it ok for Christians to buy and eat meat that came from pagan sacrifices? What is the basic answer to that question according to vs 25-27?

Because everything in the world, including Christians, belonged to God, they were free to eat whatever they chose and could accept dinner invitations from pagans with a clear conscience. But, says Paul, there is another important matter to consider. What was that? (vs 23-24)

Their freedom to eat whatever they wished was to be balanced by a loving concern for other people. They were not to self-centred. Vs 28-30 explain how the consciences of other people could easily be offended if they saw Christians eating food offered to idols. In the same way today, orthodox Jews and strict Muslims are offended by people eating pork, and some Roman Catholics believe you should only eat fish on Fridays. Paul clearly states that we should not be dictated to by the rituals and superstitions of others – but we should also use our freedom to make us free to choose not to eat something that would hurt those whose company we were in. (He isn't saying you can't freely eat whatever you wish in your own home and amongst friends – but we need to take care when we are with unsaved people we are trying to reach with the gospel. )

So what were the three things that guided Paul when it came to questions about food and traditions, and interacting with people who had different beliefs and customs and hadn't experienced the freedom God has given to Christians to enjoy all things? (vs 31-33)

He says that even in small things like what we eat or drink – we should behave in a manner that God would receive honour. We want our lives to bring glory to God. Secondly, we should live as people who don’t insist on our own way in everything, but as those who long to see others blessed by the wonderful news of the gospel that gave us such freedom and hope in this world. Even if that means restricting some of the things we are allowed to do. Thirdly, we should want to imitate Jesus Christ. We should want people to see what Jesus is like through our putting their needs before our own. This attitude is so well expressed in Philippians 2:3-8. This is how the paraphrased Bible called 'The Message' puts it:.

“Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put self aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that - crucifixion.” A Christian doesn’t go through life saying “I’ll do what I want to do”, but rather “I’ll try to do what I believe Jesus would want me to do.”