Is it permissible to eat food sacrificed to idols?

[kevingodlovesyou]

I just had a discussion with my roommate Ray.  

I was quoting Romans 14 where it says it is permissible for christians to eat meat sacrificed to idols.  

Ray was quoting Revelation 2:14 and 2:20

[Raymond]

I quoted what Jesus warns the churches in Revelation when he is rebuking them for eating foods sacrificed to idols.
Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Revelation 2:20
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

[kevingodlovesyou]

Romans 14
New International Version
The Weak and the Strong
14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. ....

5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.

[kevingodlovesyou]

Dec 5, 2021 14:33:46 GMT -8 Raymond said:

I quoted what Jesus warns the churches in Revelation when he is rebuking them for eating foods sacrificed to idols.
Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
***Kevin:  Note that this verse is aimed at people who hold the docrine of Balaam, not christians.


Revelation 2:20
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
***Kevin:  Notice here also that Jezebel is teaching and seducing, in particular towards committing fornication which is against the 10 commandments.  The key word here is AND.  She pushes fornication AND eating things sacrificed to idols.   The issue with the church is that they put up with such behavior.   Scripture isolates the eating of meat in Romans 14.  Culturally today, we don't have a lot of meat in the market that's been sacrificed to idols but we sure enough do have people pushing fornication.  When you isolate these 2 issues, fornication is obviously on the NO list; when it is accompanied with eating meat sacrificed to idols it is rebuked.   


Romans 14 is the applicable passage for bible believing christians when it comes to meat sacrificed to idols.  

[Josh]

It is an apparent contradiction that I think is likely solved in this way:

If the meat was originally sacrificed to an idol but is consumed outside of the context of pagan idolatry, like say, in one's home with a prayer of thanksgiving to God, then it is innocuous. I think that was what Paul was referring to.

But if the meat is eaten in the context of a pagan ritual, perhaps in a local temple, then by virtue of the context, it is idolatry.