“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)
The Basket Case Chronicles #87
“But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak” (1 Cor. 8:8-9).
In short, no matter where the meat has been, the meat is not demon-possessed. The meat, considered in itself, is a max nix kind of thing. If we eat, we are not thereby improved. If we refrain, we are not thereby kept pure. So the issue is not to be found anywhere in the meat.
The issue is always a matter of relationships. You are eating in community. If you eat this kind of meat in the wrong community, then you are partaking of the table of demons (1 Cor. 10:21). If you eat this meat in the right community, but in the wrong way, you are not partaking of koinonia love. You are stumbling your brother.
The man who understands the meat issue is the stronger brother. The man who misunderstands the meat is the weaker brother. But the man who understands his brother is the loving brother. The man who understands that the importance of a brother is greater than the weakness of a brother is the loving brother.