Can Christian Eat Food Offered to Idol?

Food Offered to Italian Idol

 

The mental problem lies in the fact that this person still believes idols are real. He still believes, in his heart of hearts, that the sacrifice offered to an idol is a real sacrifice to a real god. He still believes, therefore, that the surplus meat which finds its way from the temple to the market really is tainted by its association with the pagan temple and idol. He cannot shake himself free from this conviction, burned into sould by years of paganism before he met Christ, or by the rigid upbringing he had as a Jew before his conversion to Christ. The moral problem lies in the fact that, although this believer still has his belief, he eats the meat anyway. By doing so he injures his conscience. The defilement he incurs does not come from the meat, because the meat itself is not defiled. It comes from doing something his conscience has decided is wrong – even though, in actual fact, it may really be wrong at all. 
The apostle continues. The weak brother’s conscience not only binds him, it blinds him. It blinds him both to the reality of God and to the requirements of God: “but meat commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat, are we the better, neither, if we eat not, we are the worse” (1 Cor 8:8). God is not small-minded. Our acceptance by Him simply not affectred by what we eat or drink. God is far more concerned as to whether or not one has a pure heart that whether or not the the roast beef he had for supper came from an idol temple at some point in its journey from the farm to the table. We cannot help but admire Paul’s sanctified common sense. The strong believer thinks that he can eat anything. That does not make him any better. The weak believer thinks there are some things he cannot eat. He’s no worse for that. 

(John Phillips, Exploring 1 Corinthians)