THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE – 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Posted by Angella Diehl, Webmaster on May 26, 2019 under 2019 |

Bethany Bible Church Sunday Message; May 26, 2019 from 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Theme: If we will remember certain truths about the Lord’s Supper, we will observe it together in such a way as to truly love and honor Him.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

This morning’s passage calls upon us to do something that I suppose—especially for people living today—may be one of the most counter-intuitive things anyone can be asked to do.

We live in a ‘free society’; and for many people living in our times, the exercise their freedom to do whatever they want is among their highest moral principles. In fact, many people find a great sense of purpose in this world through fighting for the rights of others to do whatever they wish. It would be unthinkable to many such people that anyone should ever have to give up their liberties in a free society in order to accommodate someone else’s moral sensitivities or scruples or religious principles.

But this morning’s passage is a call to us, as followers of Jesus Christ, to do just that. It’s a call to be strategic about how we use our rights; and—from out of a higher motive—to be willing to refrain from exercising those rights in order to serve the moral sensitivities and conscientious concerns of someone else.

It’s basically a call to put the love of the Lord Jesus—and the love of other people—first in our lives; and in such a way that we only exercise our rights and freedoms to the glory of God.

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Now; the idea of ‘not exercising one’s rights’ would be a real challenge to people living today. It would be a challenge even to those of us who call ourselves Christians. It was also a very great challenge to the people living almost two-thousand years ago—and to the Christians to whom the apostle Paul wrote.

Many of those Christians who lived in the ancient city of Corinth had a strong commitment to the right to buy and eat meat that had been served to idols in a pagan temple. They reasoned—and I would say that they reasoned correctly—that there is no such thing as an idol; and that nothing about the sacrificial meat had been morally affected by its having been offered. It was perfectly good meat—free to be enjoyed by Christian or non-Christian alike.

But many other Christians in this ancient culture felt that it was wrong to do such a thing. They reasoned that it was meat that had been offered to a false god—and that it had therefore become spiritually defiled. To eat of such meat was to involve one’s self in something immoral. They had a sensitive conscience in the matter. It may be that in time, their consciences would become more mature and more informed by the Scriptures; and that they would come to realize that there truly wasn’t anything wrong with the meat—that they themselves could feel the complete freedom before God to eat it if they wished. But at that time in their walk with the Lord Jesus, their consciences would still have been sensitive to the matter; and they would have felt morally uncomfortable with the idea of eating something that they thought was wrong to eat.

So; here were these Christians living together in one community of faith—and in the midst of a pagan and idolatrous culture—with two very different levels of sensitivity to the matter of eating meat that had been offered to an idol. And sadly, the Christians who felt the freedom to eat were being insensitive to the needs of their brothers and sisters who did not. These ‘free-to-eat’ believers didn’t want anyone taking away their right to do as they wished. They didn’t see why they should have to give up their liberty in order to comply with the consciences of those who felt uncomfortable. Why should they have to give up something that they had the freedom to enjoy, just in order to accommodate someone who was morally confused about it? Why should their right have to be restricted because of what someone else thinks?

Now; Paul had spent a long time dealing with this problem in the New Testament letter of 1 Corinthians. And in our passage this morning, he brought all that he had taught them to a close. He wrapped it up with a very practical set of instructions. In 1 Corinthians 10:23-33, Paul wrote;

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever 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? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever 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 profit of many, that they may be saved (1 Corinthians 10:23-33).

And even though there’s a chapter division at the end of those verses, I believe the first verse of Chapter 11 belongs with these words of instruction too:

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ (11:1).

These are important words for you and me to hear, dear brothers and sisters in Christ; especially in as much as we live in a ‘free society’. It helps us to know how to exercise our legitimate rights in such a way as to not harm one another person’s conscience. I see a guiding principle in verse 31; “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” As this passage shows us, we need to exercise our liberties and freedoms to the glory of God. And if we seek to glorify God in our the exercise of our rights, we will never harm another person in the process.

Now of course; this means that our behavior won’t look like what everyone else’s behavior looks like in this ‘free society’ of ours. But it does mean that we’ll be looking like Jesus while we’re living in it. We will be doing as He did—and we will be exercising our rights to the greatest possible good. We’ll be using our freedoms in such a way as to love and serve others to the glory of God; and all so that others might place their trust in Jesus and be saved.

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So then; let’s walk our way through these words of Paul verse by verse; and let’s learn from them what the Holy Spirit wants us to know. The first thing we see is …

1. WHAT WE ARE TO DO WITH OUR ‘RIGHTS’.

Paul starts off in verse 23 by saying, “All things are lawful for me …” And that is an important affirmation to make. It doesn’t mean, of course, that absolutely all things—without any qualification whatsoever—are lawful for us to do. We are still under obligation to the moral law of God as it has been given to us in the Ten Commandments. But in terms of the things that are not addressed in those commandments, we are free. We can eat what we please, drink what we please, wear what we please, go wherever we please, and do whatever we please—so long as it is not something contrary to God’s good moral law. That is great freedom! It’s a freedom that is ours through the grace shown to us in the Lord Jesus—and we should thank God for it and rejoice in it every day.

But do you notice what Paul says about the use of this freedom? He says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” It’s true that I have great freedom in the Lord Jesus to do whatever I want; but not all things—even the most legitimate things—are necessarily good, or wise, or beneficial, or constructive to do. I have to use good, sanctified ‘common sense’ in the exercise of my rights.

I often think of it this way. I have freedom—in a practical sense—to sit down in my car, press the gas pedal as hard as I wish, and turn the wheel in whatever direction I want the car to go. But it isn’t necessary “helpful” or “edifying” to do so indiscriminately. I have to think of the car that may be in front of me, or the car that may be behind me, or the design and conditions of the road that I’m driving on, or the different lanes or intersections, or the posted speed limits and traffic laws; or even the tree that may be off to the side. I really wouldn’t want to ride in a car that was driven by someone who insisted on driving with absolute, unqualified, indiscriminate, unrestricted “freedom”; would you? Good driving is a matter of negotiation with whatever else is going on. And so also is the exercise of my rights in the Lord Jesus.

And so; Paul then goes on to say, in verse 24, “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.” I am free in the Lord Jesus; but the best and wisest way to use that freedom is to exercise it with concern for the good of others around me. My freedom is not just for my own good alone. It is for the good of others also.

The apostle Paul said this same sort of thing in Philippians 2; when he wrote;

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1-4).

That’s the way that the Lord Jesus behaved toward us, by the way. Even though He had a right to be honored and glorified as God, He laid aside that right, became one of us, and died on the cross on our behalf—and all so that we, who have placed our trust in Him, would be glorified along with Him.

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So; that’s what we’re to do with our rights in the Lord Jesus. We’re to be like Jesus in our use of them; and seek not our own interests alone; but also the interests and well-being of others.

But what does this look like in action? As we read on, we see …

2. HOW WE ARE TO DO THIS.

In writing to the Corinthian Christians about this—and in the specific context of eating meat served to idols—Paul describes some ‘case study’ examples that show us how the careful exercise of our liberties in Christ should work out in actual practice. First, in verses 25-26, Paul wrote, “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.’”

Paul was quoting here from Psalm 24:1. And he was stating a very basic principle that is affirmed in that Old Testament verse: All things on this earth are made by God. There is nothing of God’s creation that is ‘evil’ in and of itself; and whatever He has made, He has made for the good and enjoyment of humankind—if used properly and in accordance with His design. And so; there would be nothing wrong at all with meat that had been offered to an idol in a pagan temple. It was just plain ol’ ‘meat’ that was meant to be eaten. It had been offered to a ‘nothing’; and it was still perfectly good for food—free to be enjoyed by whoever wished to eat it. As Paul has already said in 1 Corinthians 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. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 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 (8:4-6).

And so; Paul told the Corinthian believers that when they went to the local market to buy meat, they shouldn’t ask the butcher, “By the way; I was just wondering… was this meat offered to an idol at any time?” They shouldn’t even bother with such a question as that; because it only raises unnecessary and irrelevant concerns of conscience. They were to just buy the meat and enjoy it. And I believe that the same is true for the things that we are free to enjoy in Christ. Don’t raise unnecessary questions about them. Don’t stir up controversy within yourself or within the minds of others. If God has not forbidden it in His commandments, then take it home and enjoy it. It’s a part of His creation; and what He has made is good.

Now; that has to do with what we do on our own. But then, Paul set forth another ‘case study’ scenario. In verse 27, he wrote, “If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.” If a non-Christian neighbor or work associate or relative was to invite a believer over for dinner—and if the believer felt comfortable about going and accepted the invitation—then he or she should just eat whatever was placed before them without concern.

I will admit to you that I had a struggle with what was placed before me once—but not in a moral sense. I was helping to teach in a Bible school in Eastern European city of Minsk many years ago. And I and another teacher was invited to be a guest for dinner at the home of one of the students. They made a great feast for us—and it was all good. But near the end they brought out the sandwiches with the whole sardines hanging out of the edges. I wanted to be a brave and courteous guest; but when I brought the sandwich up to my mouth—and then saw those little eyes—I’m ashamed to say I just couldn’t do it! I just can’t bring myself to eat something that’s looking at me so sadly. I patted my belly and said, ‘No thank you’. But it wasn’t because the sardines had been offered to an idol.

When these Corinthian Christians went to be the guests at a home, they were not to ask the host, “By the way … was this meat offered to an idol at any time?” To ask such a question would be to raise an unnecessary controversy. If you were going to be that concerned about it, it would have been better not to have accepted the invitation in the first place. The best and most morally-consistent thing to do would be to accept what is placed before you and eat it gratefully. It is part of God’s creation; and what He made is good—whether you eat it at home as the guest of another person’s table. (And yes; I’ll say it … even if it’s got whole sardines in it.)

But look at what Paul goes on to say in verse 28. Suppose you’re at the dinner table of a non-Christian friend; and suppose the food was set out before you; and suppose you were about to take a bite. “But if anyone says to you, ‘This was offered to idols’ …!” Some have suggested that it would have been the non-Christian host that would say this. But personally, I think it would be someone else; perhaps another Christian guest had a sensitive conscience about such things, or perhaps a non-Christian who would be amazed that a Christian would eat such a thing. What do you do then? Do you say, “So what? Don’t I have the right to eat it if I want to?” No! Paul says, “do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake …”

Some Bible translations—including the one I’m using—have it that Paul then repeated the words from Psalm 24:1; “for ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.’” It appears, though, that these words were added to the text later in history—being taken from verse 26. It’s best, then, to read this as if Paul had gone on without a break, into verse 29, to explain; “do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake … ‘Conscience,’ I say, not your own, but that of the other.” In other words, I may have the right to eat the meat; but it is not my right that is the most important thing in such a case. Rather, the most important thing is my concern for my brother or sister in Christ—or for a sensitive non-Christian—and how I might best minister to their conscience. I must not let my ‘freedoms’ or ‘liberties’ bring harm to my brother or sister in Christ or to my witness for the gospel.

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Now; that’s not the kind of priority we often see demonstrated in this ‘free society’ of ours. Doing what Paul says will make us stand out as different. It will make it clear to others that we follow a different set of priorities than this world.

Notice, then …

3. WHY WE ARE TO DO IT IN THIS WAY.

In verse 28, Paul went on to ask, “For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?” And what I believe Paul means by this is, “Why should I so behave that my liberty—that thing that I have the freedom to do in the Lord Jesus without wrongdoing—become judged as a wrongdoing in the sight of God because of the careless harm I caused to another man’s conscience?” This would be like what Paul said in Chapter 8;

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

If I allow my liberty to hurt my brother or sister in Christ, then I will have sinned against the Lord Jesus Himself; and the exercise of my liberty will be rightly judged a sin. Paul went on to say a similar thing in verse 30. “But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?” After all; how could I sit at a table and give thanks to God for food—even food I have the right to eat—if by doing so, I harm another person’s conscience?

Paul sums this up for us in verses 31-33; “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever 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 profit of many, that they may be saved.” Paul’s great motive in all that he did was whether or not it would bring glory to God, and advance the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and make it possible for others to place their faith in Him. And if we make that our motive also, we will never use our liberties to the harm of others.

This isn’t the only place where Paul says all this. There was a similar problem that Paul was dealing with in the Book of Romans. He spoke of this problem in Chapters 14-15; and here’s how he summed things up there:

I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me” (Romans 14:14-15:3).

We really couldn’t find a better commentary on the kind of care we should show to one another than what we find in those words; could we?

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And do you notice how Paul spoke in that passage from the Book of Romans about how even the Lord Jesus Christ did not please Himself? That leads us to one more thing from our passage this morning about exercising our rights to the glory of God. You find it in the first verse of Chapter 11; and it’s …

4. WHOSE EXAMPLE WE’RE TO FOLLOW IN DOING IT.

Paul said—with simple eloquence—“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (11:1). Paul did things this way; but he was following the example of the Lord Jesus when he did so.

When you get right down to it, God has made us free in Jesus so that we might be able to now live like Jesus lived! So then; as we walk through life in this so-called ‘free-society’; let’s be a different people. Let’s not demand our rights; as so many people in this world do. Let’s enjoy the good things that God gives us; but let’s always keep our eyes on Jesus Himself. Let’s be so concerned for the glory of God—and for the love of one another—that we’re ready and willing to lay aside our rights for the good of another … just as our Lord Jesus has done for us.

If we will do that, then we’ll never exercise our rights to the harm of anyone else … and we’ll truly be good and faithful witness in this world of the Savior.

EA