Friends,
This has been a topic that I have debated for a long time. When you either suspect or know that food (sweets) that have been presented to idols are offered to you as Christians ( who love others unconditionally) how should we react?
Sometimes it has put me in a very uncomfortable situation. During some Indian festivals friends share sweets with you. What do you do? I have said "Sorry it is against my religion".
Would like to hear from you all :)
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6 comments:
I found a great article online about this. Please click here.
In my opinion, as a Hindu friend refuses to eat beef, or a Muslim or a Jewish friend refuses to eat pork, we as Christians should gracefully decline food offered to idols. This will give us a chance to stand for our faith and may also open the doors to share the gospel with friends of other faith.
Well, a letter was written and addressed to the Gentile believers through the Apostle Paul, Barnabas, Barsabas and Silas, that "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well" (Act 15:29).
I agree with Chopper, The scriptures is clear that we need to keep away from things offered to idols. not for fear that it will affect us or our relationship with Jesus, but to take a stand and be a role model to our children other younger believers. The food offered to idols can do us no harm, because He who is in us is greater that he who is in the world.
It is not offensive to politely refuse explaining from the scriptures. From my personal experience people respect us for being honest. I hold my parents in high esteem for taking such a stand when I was growing up
When Jesus said what goes in doesnt pollute but what comes out of our hearts and mouths, didnt he mean this also? If not taking food offered in going to offend a Hindu is it not better to pray and eat it? Especially if one feels that its going to build a wall against reaching out?
Excellent points holinsol,
Absolutely Lord Jesus's words in Matthew 15:11 "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " does apply to this as well. Nothing can polute us Rom 8:38,39 or seperate a Christian from a relationship with the Lord.
If eating things offered to idols opens up opportunity to share the love of Jesus by all means utilize the opportunity. If it is does not open an opportunity by no means partake in it 1 Corinthians 10:20
Most often what happens is Christians take it for fear of being in an ackward situation and gulp it down or find an opportunity to discard it in the trash or in the toilet all the while their facial expressions give them away and never share the love of Jesus and have the misconception that by not offending they have shown the love of Jesus.
Very politely declining opens up avenues of sharing the love of Jesus and develops honest relationships and encourages them to ask the question why, We need to answer them very humbly not with a my God is better than yours attitude. Explain to them the relationship we have and the God who wants to have a personal relationship with all mankind irrespective of the religion of a person
You might have other experiences different from mine
I would say whether one eats or doesn't eat we must be sure to share the love of Jesus
And I think John you nailed it! Personally I get uncomfortable and coyly turn it down.
If we can share Christ in that situation nothing like it!!
I don't believe there is any reason to think too deeply about it.. it's just food. I didn't really think it had been offered to other gods and if so, since I don't believe in these other gods, it is just like any other food to me.. now imagine you are at a party and someone says to you that they offered some of the food their up to their gods, who cares? We don't believe what they do so how can it mean anything? It is not like we are going out of our way to worship other gods by eating food someone says they offered to their gods.. people can say what they want.. if someone were to make an announcement to the world and say they have offered all food to their gods then would it stop you from eating altogether? yes i know this is a stretch but my point is if you don't believe in their gods you just see it as you would any other food..
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