Sinning against your brethren

And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.  Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall. - 1 Corinthians 8:11-13

Reflecting on 1 Corinthians 8:7-13, focus verses 11-13, and my faith journey. I was obsessed about not eating food offered to idols to the point that I was verbally rude in rejecting food items that my mom had offered in prayers to idols. Thus, I infringed the 4th commandment in the Mosaic Law, which was to honour my parents. 

As a result, I was really conflicted as to what law or commands I ought to follow, until one day I heard a preacher preached on 1 Corinthians 13, where St. Paul summed up his entire treatise on love with this beautiful line in 1 Cor 13:13: "So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 

That taught me above all else to love others as God has loved me. Also as St John wrote in 1 John 4:19: "We love because he first loved us. "

I'll close my short sharing with this communion hymn:  "Love Is His Word" 

Love is His Word, Love is his Way – James Kilbane

Verse 1 

Love is His word, Love is His way, 

Feasting with all, fasting alone, 

Living and dying, rising again 

Love only love is His way. 

Chorus 

Richer than gold is the love of my Lord. 

Better than splendour and wealth. 

Verse 2 

Love is His way, love is His mark, 

Sharing His last Passover feast. 

Christ at the table, host to the twelve Love, 

only love, is His mark. 

Verse 3 

Love is his mark, love is His sign, 

Bread for our strength, wine for our joy, 

This is my body, this is my blood 

Love, only love is His sign.

Verse 4 

Love is His sign, love is His news, 

Do this He said Lest you forget 

All my deep sorrow, all my dear blood, 

Love, only love, is His news. 

Verse 5 

Love is His news, Love is His name, 

We are His own, chosen and called, 

Family, brethren, cousins and kin. 

Love, only love is His name. 

Verse 6 

Love is His name, love is His law, 

Hear His command, all who are His, 

Love one another, I have loved you 

Love, only love, is His law. 

Verse 7 

Love is His law, Love is His word, 

Love of the Lord, Father, and Word, 

Love of the Spirit, God ever one,

 Love, only love, is His word. 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/kfat_YiZ6v0?si=LJT5P09Z3-pU70ka

Title: Love is His Word, Love is His Way (Richer Than Gold)

Singer: James Kilbane 

Copyright: McCrimmon Publishing

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 8:7-13 by Chris Tan