1 Corinthians 10:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?

NIV: I am referring to the other person's conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another's conscience?

NASB: Now by 'conscience' I do not mean your own, but the other person’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?

CSB: I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person's. For why is my freedom judged by another person's conscience?

NLT: 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?

KJV: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?

NKJV: “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?

This clarifies what Paul has written in the previous verse. He said that if Christians were told the food being served at a dinner party had been offered to idols, they should not eat it for the sake of conscience. It's important to remember that the meat, itself, is not taboo, and the idols are not actual gods (1 Corinthians 8:4–6). It's not necessary for a person to investigate their food for spiritual connections (1 Corinthians 10:25–27). At the same time, anything can become a sin when it's used in violation of a person's conscience (Romans 14:23; 1 Corinthians 8:7).

This means the "conscience" in question for this principle is not that of the individual Christian. It is that of others: either the person who tells them the meat is sacrificial, or for the sake of the "weaker" Christians who may be present. Skipping the idol food is best, to avoid leading another person to believe that Christians approve in any way of the worship of idols.

Paul's next two questions, in this and the following verse, can be confusing when taken outside the flow of the text. Earlier, Paul noted that he was speaking as though to reasonable people (1 Corinthians 10:15). That included asking questions to which the answers are common-sense and obvious (1 Corinthians 10:16–18).

Taking all of what's written here into account, these verses are re-statements of Paul's earlier teaching that there is nothing wrong with the food itself. They also support his view that God-guided conscience, not shallow legalism, shows us the boundaries of sin. Paul may be suggesting that Christians should allow another person's conscience to determine how they will exercise their freedom in Christ. The other person's conscience, however, doesn't get to set boundaries on what Paul is free to say or do in other circumstances. In other words, they have the freedom to eat idol food, but they should restrict their own freedom for the sake of another person's conscience.

Another perspective is to refer to prior comments about eating meat with a clear conscience when one doesn't know whether the food is idol food. Paul is suggesting that another person's conscience—about eating idol food in ignorance—should not be the thing that determines his own Christian liberty.

First Corinthians 10:23—11:1 shows that merely asking, ''Is this lawful?'' is the wrong question for Christians. Instead, we must continue by asking, ''Will this glorify God?'' and ''Will this build up our neighbors?'' Paul instructs them to act on this by refusing to eat meat they know has been offered to an idol. The reason is to avoid causing anyone to think Christians approve of idol worship in any way. They are free, though, to eat any meat they don't know to have been offered to an idol, with a clear conscience, and with thanks to God. The key message of this passage is that our intent, and the effects of our actions on others, are more important than the physical things involved.

Idol worship is an extremely serious sin. Paul reminds the Christians in idol-saturated Corinth of that by referring to the history of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness. Though blessed by God, they worshiped false idols. God killed many of them for it. Paul commands his readers to flee from idol worship. To participate with idol worship in any way is to participate with demons. God always provides some way to avoid sin. So, they must avoid giving anyone the idea that they approve of idol worship, even by knowingly eating food offered to idols. Their first question must always be, ''Will this glorify God?''

The previous chapter concluded with Paul's commitment to continue to control himself. He exercises discipline so he does not become ineffective in his ministry. He begins chapter 10 by reminding the Corinthians of how the Israelites brought consequences on themselves in the wilderness. Among their many sins was worshiping idols, and God killed many of them for it. The Corinthians must flee idol worship and any appearance of supporting the demonic practice. They are free to eat meat if they don't know that it is idol food. However, they should be ready to set aside their own freedoms and rights whenever doing so will glorify God and win others to Christ.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.