March 17, 2024
Evening Service

Chapter 7 Review:

·      Paul used this chapter to clarify his teachings on marriage that some had been confused about.

·      He encouraged everyone to remain as they were when they were called to follow Jesus.  If married, don’t get divorced as some had confused him to saying, but stay in the marriage even if it is an unbeliever in hopes that their spouse and children would come to the faith.

·      If unmarried, as he was, he encouraged them to remain that way and totally commit themselves to the work of the Lord.  One who is married must also look to please their spouse, but an unmarried person was free to give more of himself to God.

·      If, however at any time you become overcome with compassion, go ahead and marry as it is better to be satisfied in a marriage than to struggle in that manner.

·      He also freed widows to be remarried if they wanted to as they are no longer bound to the marriage vow after a spouse passes away.

·      Marriage is a good thing fully approved by the Lord and the couple can make each other stronger when they both seek to place God first in their lives and within their household.  The opposite can also be true in that by being “unequally yoked to an unbeliever,” they are drawn together away from God rather than closer.

·      Chapter 8 speaks in the same manner that Brother Duane spoke of in his testimony last Sunday morning.  Having the liberty to do something does not always make it the right thing to do.  Just because we can does not mean we should.

·      In this case he is addressing the topic of eating meat that has been offered to idols.  In the open market at this time in society much of the meat sold there was taken from sacrifices to other gods or idols.  Many thought a Jesus follower could not eat of that meat with a clean conscience as it was in some way contaminated by that offering.  In reality, there is no harm in it because there are no such things as idols, but some are offended by it.

1Co 8:1-3 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.  (2)  And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.  (3)  But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

            To have knowledge about something and know it is either right or wrong can manifest itself in a prideful manner.  Jesus often conflicted with the Pharisees in this manner as they knew the Law (had knowledge of it), but did not understand its true meaning or how to apply it to their lives.  “Knowledge puffs up, but love defies.”  Paul instructs them later in this letter to do everything in a loving, not condemning, manner.

 

1Co 16:13-14 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  (14)  Let all that you do be done with love.

          By only knowing the scriptures we often come off to people as “legalistic” and “religious.”  Creating an atmosphere of condemnation and fear; that is not how Christianity works.  Love never fails (I Cor. 13) and that should be the prevailing teaching about Jesus.  There are commands we need to follow, but there is grace and forgiveness available when, not if, we fall.  God’s motivation for doing all that He has done is His love for us.  Love, not knowledge or legalism, is to define us.

            Paul now continues with his teaching on eating things offer to idols.  He first explains the knowledge side of the equation.

 

1Co 8:4-6 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.  (5)  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), (6) yet for 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 through whom we live.

            Knowledge tells us that there is only One God who made all things pertaining to life.  There are no other gods, only idols created by man.  However, (as he uses to make his next point) knowledge of this fact or the liberty to eat such meat is not the only side to the story.

 

1Co 8:7-8 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.  (8)  But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

            However, not everyone has come to that knowledge as we have and per their conscience they feel it is wrong to eat anything offered to an idol.  Here he refers to their conscience of faith as being “weak or defiled.”  They have not matured enough in the Lord to understand this principle.  Paul states that our salvation does not pertain in any way to what we eat or what we do not eat.  Moses’ Law was filled with commands and restrictions in this area.  In the new covenant, all things can be eaten in good conscience if we ask God to bless it.

            Things offered to idols are not really an issue today, but we do have some things that fit into this category.  Brother Duane gave us an example with his testimony last week on alcohol.  A Jesus follower, I believe, has a liberty to drink alcohol in moderation.  The sin is in indulgence and drunkenness. (A Christian who is an alcoholic who knows they can’t control themselves to a single drink, needs to abstain all together for their own good.) So because we can, does that mean we should? 

This is also true with tobacco products and some even frown on owning television or going to the movies.  Smoking will not keep you out of heaven, but just get you there quicker.  There are TV shows and movies that are inappropriate for us to watch, some leading us to temptations, but there are also good things out there that can build us up.  These are all personal choices that we have the liberty to make for ourselves as God convicts us to do.  These personal convictions however, are not something we should hold others accountable to as they must make their own choices.  Let’s see how Paul sums this up for us.

 

1Co 8:9-12 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.  (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?  (11)  And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?  (12)  But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

            It is important for us to use our knowledge wisely for the sake of others.  If we know a brother believes abstaining from alcohol is necessary, don’t invite him over and offer him wine just because you believe it is all right.  He will be greatly offended and could cause him to doubt his own faith.  Our liberty in these areas must be tempered with love and concern for our brothers well-being.  When we do not do that, but even flaunt our liberty before the weaker brother, Paul tells us we not only sin against them, but also against Christ. 

Remember Cain saying to God when He asked about his brother Abel whom he had killed, “what am I my brother’s keeper?”  Yes, yes we are.  We have the responsibility as “mature” Christians to nurture and disciple those who have not traveled as far in their journey as we.  We are to guard and protect them during their time of infancy, just as a mother protects her child until they grow in their faith and are able to protect themselves.

Paul sums this up with his own personal conviction on this matter.

 

1Co 8:13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

            This is the universal solution Paul chooses for himself.  If it is a gray area to someone, stay away from it for their conscience sake.  He was willing to sacrifice his own liberty to do something so that others would not be made to stumble because of a choice he was making.  That is placing love ahead of knowledge and love ahead of liberty; because love never fails!  This is the exact conclusion Brother Duane came to in his testimony.  He chose to not buy or drink beer if it would offend anyone.

            Putting God first in our lives is a decision that effects every choice we make in life.  We need to be aware of those around us knowing that the words we say, the way we act, how we treat others, and even the things we choose to eat or drink can either glorify Christ or reject him in the eyes of others.  Know that when you proclaim at work that you are a born again, Bible believing Christian, you now have the eyes of everyone watching you.  Do your actions prove your faith or prove you lack of it?

 

Heavenly Father open our eyes to the responsibility we all have in protecting our weaker brothers in the faith.  Instill within each of us to be aware that our actions, words, and choices can bring you glory or bring us shame.