Swelled Heads
-8-
I Corinthians 8
To this polarized and divided church, meeting in multiple homes across the city of Corinth, Paul has given his strong corrective words. He has threatened to come in person, if necessary, asking if they would prefer for him to come in love or to come carrying a big stick.
He has talked to them about the problems of 'denominationalism', and then has talked to them about a number of things that had been reported to him by one of their members. Things like a brother taking a brother to court rather than settling it in-house, or dropping the matter entirely. And things like unheard of sexual perversion within a segment of the church. He has responded to a letter from them asking for his take on a number of issues. One of them was marriage versus staying single. That was expanded to his explaining the permanence of marriage and what to do if worst comes to worst.
Now in chapter 8 he answers a question that, at first glance, looks like it would have nothing at all to do with us in our present age and circumstances. He begins, “Now, about food offered to idols …”
As he enters into this we notice there must be a polarization on this topic as well. There are those who say, “I have no problem with eating meat that is marked down in price for the “Happy birthday to the goddess Diana” special celebration feast. And then there must have been those who are horrified at the thought of doing anything that might imply that Christians support worshiping idols.
Paul talks to the freedom people first. He says, “Some of you have done your homework. You have researched this. You are now knowledgeable on this issue. Good for you. Well, I want you to know that you are not the only ones with knowledge on this. And do you know the difference between knowledge and love? When you acquire knowledge on a subject, it makes you proud, not loving. Makes you want to brag. Makes you look good. But loves … builds. Love is better than learning. Building is a good word when it is attached to relationship. And, by the way, you might not have as much knowledge on this topic as you think you have (v2).
After a little word-play in verse 3 (better than 'knowing something', is being known … by God.), he goes on to share the knowledge that he has on the subject. (4-6).
Idols do not represent a real God. There is only one God. And with beautiful language he reaffirms the reality of our creator God … our creator Jesus. We live FOR God and we are sustained by God. He (Jesus and the Father) is the one and only God.
But now here comes a most important part of this conversation. He says, “Not everybody knows what you know.(7)”
This fact leaves us with two choices:
What a position this puts Paul in. No matter what he says it will look like he is taking sides. And he actually does 'have a side' on this subject. And he shares it.
There is more to this than just having two diverse beliefs about a singular thing. It becomes much more serious when we discover that there is a third group. They are the in-betweens. These seem to be ones who have gone along with this idol worship before becoming believers. As new believers they begin to hear,
“Come on! Join us for lunch .. we are having BBQ 'Diana' steak today. It was on special. We bought a whole truckload!”
“But it was consecrated to the idol, was it not?”
“Sure, but who cares? There's no such a thing as an idol/god. Come on, eat up!”
And so they do. And then they experience guilt. (“What if God is angry at us for this?”) (7)
Paul restates … Eating food, a certain kind of food … has nothing to do with our connection to God. (8)
But there are two different sins that need to be looked at here.
The bottom line on this? Maybe we don't want to hear this … but here it is anyways:
1Co 8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
What, as long as he is alive? Only when we are actually with him? Even if we or he … moves away? Only until there has been some clear biblical teaching about this?
Do you think this applies only to meat offered to idols? Of course not. There is a principle here that must become a part of our lives.
How far do we take our 'freedom' inasfar as our Christian lives are concerned?
Are we OK with these things?
Compare the above with a list that we know is always sin for all Christians.
It is the churches responsibility to produce mature believers. This is done by teaching.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV)1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
But to 'legislate' our findings, to make them into 'church laws' would be wrong. God wants us changed on the inside … not a forced change that may be on the outside only.
It is said that Billy Graham went to England for an evangelistic campaign in the 1960’s. When he got off the plane in London with his wife, the English clergymen who were waiting for him were all riled up because Ruth Graham used cosmetics and dressed attractively. Billy just could not understand their thinking or their objection to his wife’s appearance. Later that day after the commotion calmed down, Billy asked the clergymen where they were going to have their first strategy session for the campaign, they said they were all going down to the local pub for the session. Then it was Billy who was shocked. The different cultures had different ways of thinking.
Is it a matter of who was right or wrong? Or is it a matter of being graciously quiet?
Romans 14:13-21 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
We should always ask ourselves four basic questions about questionable things:
1. Will it please Christ?
2. Will it affect my testimony before the lost, or be a stumbling block to a new or weaker Christian?
3. Will it be harmful to my own body?
4. Will this act solidify or divide the body of Christ?
So what can we immediately put into practice from this chapter? How close are your relationships with other believers in your own church? Do you have close relationships with believers that are not in your immediate church family? Here are three things to implement:
Romans 14:5 Each one (person) should be fully convinced in his own mind. We should only be convinced in our own minds by what we understand from God's word. Therefore, whether we have placed limits on our own lives, have a list of things we do not do … let us see how they line up in the spirit of God's word. If we have practices that others consider to be questionable … let us make sure they line up with the spirit of God's word, and then do nothing with our beliefs to try to change those who differ.
Romans 14:22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.
1 Romans 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
2 James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
He has talked to them about the problems of 'denominationalism', and then has talked to them about a number of things that had been reported to him by one of their members. Things like a brother taking a brother to court rather than settling it in-house, or dropping the matter entirely. And things like unheard of sexual perversion within a segment of the church. He has responded to a letter from them asking for his take on a number of issues. One of them was marriage versus staying single. That was expanded to his explaining the permanence of marriage and what to do if worst comes to worst.
Now in chapter 8 he answers a question that, at first glance, looks like it would have nothing at all to do with us in our present age and circumstances. He begins, “Now, about food offered to idols …”
As he enters into this we notice there must be a polarization on this topic as well. There are those who say, “I have no problem with eating meat that is marked down in price for the “Happy birthday to the goddess Diana” special celebration feast. And then there must have been those who are horrified at the thought of doing anything that might imply that Christians support worshiping idols.
Paul talks to the freedom people first. He says, “Some of you have done your homework. You have researched this. You are now knowledgeable on this issue. Good for you. Well, I want you to know that you are not the only ones with knowledge on this. And do you know the difference between knowledge and love? When you acquire knowledge on a subject, it makes you proud, not loving. Makes you want to brag. Makes you look good. But loves … builds. Love is better than learning. Building is a good word when it is attached to relationship. And, by the way, you might not have as much knowledge on this topic as you think you have (v2).
After a little word-play in verse 3 (better than 'knowing something', is being known … by God.), he goes on to share the knowledge that he has on the subject. (4-6).
Idols do not represent a real God. There is only one God. And with beautiful language he reaffirms the reality of our creator God … our creator Jesus. We live FOR God and we are sustained by God. He (Jesus and the Father) is the one and only God.
But now here comes a most important part of this conversation. He says, “Not everybody knows what you know.(7)”
This fact leaves us with two choices:
- “Well, in that case let's just tell them. Then they will know this too.”
- “Let's be loving about this and permit them to have a different view than ours.”
What a position this puts Paul in. No matter what he says it will look like he is taking sides. And he actually does 'have a side' on this subject. And he shares it.
There is more to this than just having two diverse beliefs about a singular thing. It becomes much more serious when we discover that there is a third group. They are the in-betweens. These seem to be ones who have gone along with this idol worship before becoming believers. As new believers they begin to hear,
“Come on! Join us for lunch .. we are having BBQ 'Diana' steak today. It was on special. We bought a whole truckload!”
“But it was consecrated to the idol, was it not?”
“Sure, but who cares? There's no such a thing as an idol/god. Come on, eat up!”
And so they do. And then they experience guilt. (“What if God is angry at us for this?”) (7)
Paul restates … Eating food, a certain kind of food … has nothing to do with our connection to God. (8)
But there are two different sins that need to be looked at here.
- When a person does something that goes against their beliefs .. it is sin. When they are in doubt of a thing, unsure of whether or not something is a sin, and they do it anyway, to them it is sin1.
- When we urge someone to do something that we know is not a sin, and cause them to do the thing that they thought was wrong, we are sinning against them.
The bottom line on this? Maybe we don't want to hear this … but here it is anyways:
1Co 8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
What, as long as he is alive? Only when we are actually with him? Even if we or he … moves away? Only until there has been some clear biblical teaching about this?
Do you think this applies only to meat offered to idols? Of course not. There is a principle here that must become a part of our lives.
How far do we take our 'freedom' inasfar as our Christian lives are concerned?
Are we OK with these things?
- using alcohol, as long as there is no excess
- smoking, as long as it damages only my own body?
- Watching 'secular' movies (R rated?) in my own home.
- Swimming in a public beach even though it is populated by those who are very scantily clad?
- Amusements with the general unsaved public such as dancing
- Gambling
- Use of 'street' language
Compare the above with a list that we know is always sin for all Christians.
- Stealing
- Lying
- Drunkenness
- gossip
- jealousy
- unrighteous anger
- envy
- hate
- prejudice
- lust
- adultery
- failure to read God's word
- failure to pray
- failure to do something good when we have the chance2.
It is the churches responsibility to produce mature believers. This is done by teaching.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV)1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
But to 'legislate' our findings, to make them into 'church laws' would be wrong. God wants us changed on the inside … not a forced change that may be on the outside only.
It is said that Billy Graham went to England for an evangelistic campaign in the 1960’s. When he got off the plane in London with his wife, the English clergymen who were waiting for him were all riled up because Ruth Graham used cosmetics and dressed attractively. Billy just could not understand their thinking or their objection to his wife’s appearance. Later that day after the commotion calmed down, Billy asked the clergymen where they were going to have their first strategy session for the campaign, they said they were all going down to the local pub for the session. Then it was Billy who was shocked. The different cultures had different ways of thinking.
Is it a matter of who was right or wrong? Or is it a matter of being graciously quiet?
Romans 14:13-21 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
We should always ask ourselves four basic questions about questionable things:
1. Will it please Christ?
2. Will it affect my testimony before the lost, or be a stumbling block to a new or weaker Christian?
3. Will it be harmful to my own body?
4. Will this act solidify or divide the body of Christ?
So what can we immediately put into practice from this chapter? How close are your relationships with other believers in your own church? Do you have close relationships with believers that are not in your immediate church family? Here are three things to implement:
- Let your heart and your conscience before God alone tell you what is right and wrong on matters that are not clear in the Bible. Even though your specific case in point may not have a clear directive from God, the Bible will have a principle to cover it in general.
- Don’t pass judgment on your brother or sister if they have freedom that you don’t have in a particular area.
- If you are strong in an area and have freedom in Christ in that area, never let your freedoms cause a weaker brother to stumble.
Romans 14:5 Each one (person) should be fully convinced in his own mind. We should only be convinced in our own minds by what we understand from God's word. Therefore, whether we have placed limits on our own lives, have a list of things we do not do … let us see how they line up in the spirit of God's word. If we have practices that others consider to be questionable … let us make sure they line up with the spirit of God's word, and then do nothing with our beliefs to try to change those who differ.
Romans 14:22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.
1 Romans 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
2 James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.