If any of those who
do not believe
invites you to
dinner, and you desire to go,
each one ever is set
before you,
asking no question
for conscience’ sake.
But if anyone says to
you,
"This was
offered to idols,"
do not eat it for the
sake of the one
who told you, and for
conscience sake;’
for the earth is the
LORD'S, and all its fullness.
"Conscience,"
I say, not your own,
but that of the
other. For why is
my liberty judged by
another
man's conscience?
1 Corinthians 10:27
-- 29
From the
beginning of Paul's letter to the Corinthian Christian he has been addressing
the various problems that were plaguing an even affecting a person's
Christianity. Paul has had to address
divisions among the Christians for they were following men and the doctrines
of those men that were in contradiction to the doctrines of God; not those
things that are matters of indifference, that were the problem, rather those
things that did matter, those things that are different in regards to be
truth. Paul has had to address adultery,
the problem with idols being brought into the church, and even had to defend
his own apostleship. Paul has been
careful to demonstrate and teach the foundations of Christianity and that
foundation is Jesus Christ. Because of
idolatry and the many people who came out of idolatry and worship to the gods
and goddesses of the Greeks Paul has had to lead them by teaching them what is
important; idols are not the importance.
The problem that the Corinthians were also facing was that much of the
foods offered for sale, and use, were often first consecrated to false gods and
the Corinthian Christians were asking whether or not they should each such
foods. While Paul is addressing a
direct problem within the Corinthian Christian understanding we must look for
the principles that Paul was using to give them help in making decisions. It is very clear that Paul spoke about the
one thing that we must hold important, and that importance is
"conscience." In our growth
to maturity in the faith of Jesus Christ we must change from the
inside/out. Therefore, there are things
we may hold as our "right" and that we have the "freedom" to do as we
think are right when in actuality the only "right" we have is to demonstrate
Jesus Christ to our world. This means
in that we must examine those things we think we have the freedom to do, and
possibly have the freedom to do, and whether or not that freedom is actually honoring our Savior because this freedom we choose to exercise may bring shame
upon your conscience and the conscience of others. Yes, Paul says you have the right to eat whatever is set before
you and you can use it unless you know that this food had been offered to
idols, not that it would be wrong to eat this food, rather to eat food offered
to idols may cause the conscience of an immature Christian to stumble. We must understand that this principle
applies to everything we do and say in our lives. For instance, are we watching TV programs were by homosexuality,
and same-sex marriages, are presented as normal? Would we actually sit beside Jesus Christ and watch those
programs? If a new Christian was
visiting you and you turn on such programs and saw that you were enjoying those
programs would it not make for them to have misunderstanding how God views
homosexuality? Would not your
Christianity be suspect? When Jesus
told us that we were to deny ourselves are you really doing that or are you
demanding your freedom in Jesus Christ to do what ever you wish to do? We must not allow evil to be spoken of for doing those things that the Bible condemns? This is what it means to change from the inside/out. We are not our own for we have been bought
with a price and that price was by the blood of Jesus Christ upon the
cross. To not hold that sacred in our
lives and allow Jesus Christ to have the priority in our lives then
would not our faith be seen as a poor faith?
Paul makes this so very clear when he says: "But if I partake with banks, why am I evil spoken of for the food
over which I give thanks" (1 Corinthians 10: 30)? How often I've heard that saying question in
regards to the actions by Christians who are trying to give themselves a reason
which is only an excuse for not doing that which God condemns for there is a
forgetfulness what Paul admonishes:
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or what ever you do, do all to the
glory of God. Give no offense, either
to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all
men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the prophet of many, that
they may be saved" (1 Corinthians 10: 31 -- 33). Can this be clear them this that we are not
to give offense to anyone and especially to the church of God just so that we
can be pleased with what we are doing and that doing is seeking your own
profit.
Brothers and sisters, to be a
Christian requires you to be courageous, committed, and not to shirk or
contradict the principles and commands of God.
People may jeer at you, and point fingers at you, and call you even crazy,
and yes that is what you are for you are no longer allowing the culture and
sin of this world to cause you to oppose your Savior Jesus Christ. We are not here for ever! We are not to live as though this is our
final home. Jesus went away to prepare
for you and I a mansion where we will live forever with Him in a world without
sin. Your citizenship is now in heaven
and you are already legally present in heaven so why would we not live as to
who and what we have become by the faith that God has given you to believe upon
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Woe to him who
covets evil
gain for his house,
that he may be
delivered
from the power of disaster!
You give shameful
council to your house,
cutting of many peoples, and sin
against your soul.
Habakkuk 2: 9 -- 10
Praise God! We have heard His voice
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