Actually Acts 15 does not refer to meat offered to idols
I had not noticed that. Thanks for pointing that out my friend
and Gentiles can actually eat meat offered to idols if they have not been told that it was offered as a sacrifice to an idol. From the verses pertaining to meat offered to idols I only see that the Jews are forbidden to eat meat offered to idols.
Actually it looks like Jews are specifically the ones that have no problem at all with meat offered to idols.
Jews know the idols are all fake - gentiles were used to viewing them as real gods.
For Jewish Christians "
there is one God, the Father," which was always the case their entire lives.
But for those "Accustomed" to idols as those who worship them .. they did not always have the knowledge that "
there is one God, the Father,"
1 Cor 8 --
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol
is nothing in the world, and that
there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6
yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom
are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom
are all things, and through whom we
live.
7 However
not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now,
eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and
their conscience being weak is defiled.
The newly converted gentiles were weak on this point for they were accustomed to thinking of meat offered to idols as a form of worship to their pagan gods. Newly converted from paganism they could not understand how it is that Jewish Christians were so willing to engage in eating meat offered to idols as if that was nothing. Their conscience would be easily offended at that point.
8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 9 But take care that
this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble,
I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
There is the vegetarian issue.
1 Cor 10
23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own
good, but that of his neighbor. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains. 27
If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. 28 But
if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat
it, for the sake of the one who informed
you, and for conscience’ sake;
When the pagan unbeliever invites you to eat and does not tell you the food is offered to idols , then eat it but if they tell you it is offered to idols do not eat because the pagans and the Christians-newly-converted-from-pagans will all have their conscience misinformed thinking that worship of pagan gods is ok for Christians to do.
Christian Jews in Corinth -
Acts 18
After these things Paul departed from Athens and
went to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. 3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he
reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath,
and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews
that Jesus
is the Christ.... 7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain
man named Justus,
one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Then
Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord
with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.