I was reading Revelation 2 and noticed the condemnation to those who “eat things sacrificed to idols”. It’s something that in the Acts was agreed upon by the church leaders that the newly saved members should avoid. Is this something different to what Paul is teaching in 1 Corinthians about eating foods offered to idols?
The verse you are referring to is Revelation 2:14, “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to EAT THINGS OFFERED TO IDOLS, and to commit sexual immorality.” The Apostle John was writing to “the church at Pergamos” (verse 12) which had become a “worldly church” and were guilty of “associating with the evils of the world at that time.” The word Pergamos means “alliance” and they were living up to that name by their “alliance with the world.” This alliance was manifested by them allowing “worldly teachers” to teach those in the church to “eat things offered to idols.” Pergamos was a heathen city known for its idol worship, so this begs the question: Were those in the church at Pergamos guilty of practicing these things? We do know they were, at the very least, guilty of “allowing these evil teachings among them” and that alone was “association with the evil.” It seems likely that some in the church did participate in the eating of these foods or tolerated Christians who did.
Since Balaam and his teaching is the basis of John’s words of condemnation, we will read two passages where Balaam had counseled Balak (the King of the Moabites) to trick the children of Israel into associating with the heathen practices of idolatry and adultery. In Numbers 25:1-3 and 31:16 we read, “Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and THE PEOPLE ATE AND BOWED DOWN TO THEIR GODS. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel…Look, these women caused the children of Israel, THROUGH THE COUNSEL OF BALAAM, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.” Balaam was a “prophet for hire” (see 2 Peter 2:15) and Balak paid him first to curse Israel (Numbers 22:1-6) and when this was unsuccessful Balaam taught Balak to ensnare them into idolatry by seducing the Israelites to intermarry with the women of Moab.
At Pergamos the same “evil teaching” caused the same “evil associations” by Christians eating foods offered to idols and committing fornication. In Acts 15:29 Christians were warned of this too: “That you abstain from THINGS OFFERED TO IDOLS…and from SEXUAL IMMORALITY.” And Paul did indeed teach against this to the saints at Corinth (see 1 Corinthians chapters 8 and 10:14-22).
Today we may not have heathen temples (in our country) where this type of idolatry is practiced, but there are still “false teachers” who would lead us astray by teaching things that lead us to form some kind of “alliance with the world” which in turn leads us to unholy practices of some form of idolatry and immorality. (DO) (661.1)