1 Corinthians 10:23-33 says...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 10:23-33, which read,
Paul gives us this lesson again about making sure that we have knowledge that is married with love. Knowledge alone leads to arrogance but that knowledge married with love for the other brings great edification to all. We must seek to do what edifies rather than just what we want to do because we have the right to do what we want to do. We also must seek to be continually thinking of our neighbor in light of the Lord. If we are thinking of them in light of eternity then we will do what is best for both because we will be following through on those two greatest commandments of loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.
v.25, 26 - Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake; for the earth is the Lord's, and all it contains.
Paul is talking about the struggle people were having with food sacrificed to idols that were a part of the false religions of the day that they were coming out of to Christianity. We know that those idols and those gods are not God and just other things so the food sacrificed to them is just food. He gives instruction that when they go to the market to buy food, for their own conscience sake, because this issue is settled that there is only one God, to buy what is needed without doubting that fact.
This is not an argument for what to eat and what not to eat for health purposes, that is a whole other conversation when it comes to good choices to nourish the body that God has given us. This is about settling the issue within you that God is God alone and He provides what we need. What is given is not given by any idol or false god or affected by them either.
v.27, 28 - If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake;...
Paul goes on with an illustration of an invitation to an unbeliever's home. You attend and the food is presented which most likely came from the market that sold meat that had been sacrificed to idols which mean nothing to you. Paul says to eat up but if someone in the party points out that it has been offered to idols then don't eat it. The one who informed you is not the unbeliever but a believer who struggles with this fact. We are not to offend our brother or cause our brother to stumble as he is growing in the knowledge of the Lord and so out of love we do not eat what is offered for his sake. But what about the offense of the unbeliever who offered it to you? It seems that Paul is saying that we not offend the believer to show the love we have for each other to the unbeliever. Just a note here also is to realize that there is probably other things to eat at the party and so you are not going without and even if you did, you are doing out of love for another. Isn't that a worthy cause?
v.29, 30 - I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
Paul is giving the Christians in Corinth instruction to think of the other over themselves. But why? Why do I need to put them in front of myself? Why even in this situation when I have been given a free, prepared meal that I not partake in part of it for them when it has been given to me and I know that what they object to is really nothing because that meat is nothing but meat and nothing else in the eyes of the Lord? It doesn't seem fair.
We are not talking about what is fair here but what God has instructed us on how to live with one another. It is not about us it is about...well let's let the Scripture tell us the answer.
v.31-33 - Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.
We make these decisions not for ourselves but for the glory of God. We make these decisions so that others might be saved. Paul is taking the eating situation and saying this is another opportunity to reach others with the gospel of Christ. One scenario is to be with unbelievers for the purpose of reaching them and so sharing a meal with them. Another scenario is to be in that situation and abstaining from what might cause my brother to stumble to show love for them in front of the unbeliever.
This is not about us and our freedom but it is about the glory of God being seen by all so that some might hear and respond to the call of God upon their lives and be saved.
When we have God's salvation on our minds, we will act differently to those around us and we will put others before ourselves for the glory of God.
"Lord, we need to have the salvation of others more on our minds. We need to think of their souls before You that would dictate what we say and do. Thank You for the freedom we have in You and that You alone are our God and thank You that in that freedom we can serve You by thinking of others who do not yet know of the true freedom that You provide. This world is not about me but it is about You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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