Meat sacrificed to idols?

[Dave in Tenn]

From the message to the church at Pergamos.

Rev 2:14  ButG235 I haveG2192 a few thingsG3641 againstG2596 thee,G4675 becauseG3754 thou hastG2192 thereG1563 them that holdG2902 theG3588 doctrineG1322 of Balaam,G903 whoG3739 taughtG1321 BalacG904 to castG906 a stumblingblockG4625 beforeG1799 theG3588 childrenG5207 of Israel,G2474 to eatG5315 things sacrificed unto idols,G1494 andG2532 to commit fornication.G4203

I understand that all the messages to all the churches of asia in Revelation refer to all the churches and all believers.  I understand that the Revelation is full of symbols, signs, and types not to be taken completely literally.

Truth is, I've always shied away from End-time prophcy stuff, having been snared badly once by predictions of the 2nd coming happing in '88.  If it did, I sure missed it.  But I've been 'dabbling' back into it in the attempt to at least try to read it with a new approach.

So I guess I'm asking...what is the significance of 'meat sacrificed to idols'?  Why is it different from other Jewish dietary laws which were not placed on New Covenant believers (except that they be loving to their 'circumcision' brothers by not flaunting or boasting of this freedom, or making them nauseous in fellowship)?

Does Ray address this specifically?  Any thoughts?

[Kat]

Hi Dave,

This is frim the transcript on 'Repentance' where Ray touched on this.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=3709.0 ---------

I think Paul was mature enough and he was going to go up and fight for what he believed to be right.  And he didn't want any authorization from Judea that these people were going to come out and try to teach heresy behind the people that he was converting.  And so there was much disputing, Peter rose up and said, "Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made a choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 
v
v
Barnabas and Paul got up and talked for a while, and then James got up and talked.  And they said, "Look, we're not going to ask these Gentiles to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses".  Remember, there were two issues.  Circumcision was as big an issue as the ENTIRE Law of Moses.  It was a big deal.  I mean, the worst thing you could call somebody was an "uncircumcised Gentile".  That was like spitting in his face twice!  But they said, no, we're not going to have that.  There were some things among the Gentile like going to their temples and fornicating with temple prostitutes, drinking blood offered to idols and other rank idolatry that they had to tell them to stop doing.    

So the apostles are learning.  And then it says in verse 28, "for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us..." See? They were all in agreement then.  They laid hands on Paul and Silas and they sent letters out and so on, and that took care of the matter. 
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As you can see I think it was a common practice of going to a pagan temple for different immoral reasons and eating the meat they had offered to an idol was one of them.  But now the Apostles were teaching a new way to live and going along with this generally acceptable practice was not okay.  Not that eating the meat offered to idols or any other meat for that matter can defile you.

Mat 15:11  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

But Paul does say more about this practice in I Cor.

1Co 8:10  For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
v. 11  And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
v. 12  But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
v. 13  Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

I think this is showing that if we are someone "who has knowledge" of the truth, then it makes us more accountable for directly or indirectly teaching other by our actions. 

Rom 14:19  Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
v. 20  Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for any one to make others fall by what he eats;
v. 21  it is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother stumble.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Dave in Tenn]

Thank you, Kat.  I read the transcript and it was exactly what I needed to read today!  So much meat in there...I didn't even care any more about the question.  LOL. 

Thanks again.