1Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. 3But anyone who loves God is known by him.
4Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
7However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of an idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat are we the worse, nor if we eat are we the better. 9But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol’s temple, won’t his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.
Heaven (Gk. οὐρανός, ouranos). (10:21; Matt 3:2, Acts 2:34; 4:2, Rom 1:18; Col 1:16; 1 Thess 4:16; Heb 1:10, Rev 5:13) Strong’s 3772
The term “heaven” in the NT is used in a variety of ways, referring to the sky or the part of creation above the earth, the dwelling place of God and the angels, the destiny of believers and it is even used as a circumlocution or substitute term for God. To speak of a reward in heaven, as in Mark 10:21, is to set attention on the spiritual realm, the afterlife, one’s eternal destiny and the presence of God. In this verse, “heaven” refers to the dwelling place of God and the destiny of believers. This rich man claimed to be a perfect follower of the law, but misses Jesus’ point when He says, “no one is good except God.” By asking him to sell all his property, Jesus is attempting to help him see that he is not quite as good or impressive as he might think. The rich man should not have evaluated and defined himself by his earthly existence, but by heaven. As much as he might consider himself a success in earthly terms, the better questions for the rich man are: How successful am I now in the eyes of heaven? How successful will I prove to be upon receiving my heavenly reward? Will I enjoy a heavenly arrival at all?