Does It Build Up? - 1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Structure:
1. Principle: Do not seek your own good but the good of the other person (v. 23-24)
2. Example: When someone invites you for dinner (v. 25-30)
1. Eat everything without questioning
2. For the sake of their conscience don't eat of it
3. Conclusion: Do all things for the glory of God without causing any offense to the people around us but instead seeking their benefit (v. 31-1)
Scripture:
• 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
• Romans 14:19,21 15:2
• Philippians 2:4
• Psalm 24:1
• 1 Timothy 4:3-4
• Mark 7:18-20a
• Gal. 1:10
• Eph. 6:6
Quotes:
• Tom Schriener - "Believers may think they have the right to do so, but the rights of believers are not the only consideration, for one must also consider whether eating such food is helpful for and edifying to others."
• Gordon Fee - Knowledge and rights lead to pride; they are ultimately not Christian values because the bottom line is selfishness - the "right" to do as I please when I please. Love and Freedom leads to edification; they are ultimately Christian behavioral values because the bottom line is the benefit of someone else - that they may be saved.
• Simon Kistenmaker - "Christians must be sincere, honest, trustworthy, dependable, prudent, and efficient in this strife. But the constant pressures on Christians in today’s world test them. Closely watched by the world, Christians are expected to honor their word, maintain their moral integrity, and avoid even the appearance of evil. In business deals, at social gatherings, on special assignments...
Questions to think further:
• What are key factors in my decision making? Do I only consider what the Bible allows or does not allow, or do I also consider how this decision will build others up?
• Do we think carefully about our context and people around us? Do we know our people? Do we understand the people that we work with or that are part of our life?
• Are we respectful of the practices, habits and culture of the people around us?
• Are we speaking truth in love? Do we shy away from hard conversations? Do we go about them carelessly?
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SERMON NOTES:
1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
We are studying 1 Corinthians as a church, and you might remember that in Chapter 8, is when apostle Paul starts a lengthy discussion on Food offered to Idols.
• Our section today is the conclusion that Paul draws before he starts to talk about other things that this church needed to hear.
• So in other words he spent 3 full chapters talking about food offered to Idols.
◦ The reason for that is because this church had divisions on this issue. And so Paul brings this issue to the for front. But in order to answer this question, he introduces a lot of principles that will allows this church to be able to think correctly through this.
◦ In chapter 8, he points to "love" as the ultimate attribute in controversial things.
• He even end by saying "if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won't cause my brother or sister to fall"
◦ In chapter 9, Apostle Paul points to to what drives him to do the work that he does.
• At first glance it seems like he is leaving this topic of idolatry all together. But in reality he want the Corinthians to know that The GOSPEL is the primary motivation for his life.
• That means if we are to pursue something in life, that is to know and share the GOSPEL so that it shapes our lives and the lives of other people.
• Our goal is not to convince people that to eat food offered to idols is wrong. But to bring them the gospel. To praise Jesus, and his work.
◦ In chapter 10, after he emphasized the key principles of LOVE and GOSPEL he tries to answer the question if food offered to idols something a Christian can eat.
• He starts by pointing to the central issue, that we as Believers are to flee idolatry.
• He "you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons".
• Basically he says Christians should not eat food offered to idols, because demons are behind it all.
Now after all of that comes our passage, so let read it: 1 Cor. 10:23-11:1
• Ok we should not eat food offered to idols but what if you accidentally eat food that was offered to idols???
◦ Like buying meat from the meat market and it might have been sacrificed to idols, but you don't know that.
◘ Should you be asking around before you are confidence that this is the food is not idol food before you buy it?
◘ That is what the Jews did.
◦ But even then what about an unbeliever inviting you to eat? Should you just not go?
These were very important questions to the Corinthians. So apostle Paul attempts to answer all these questions. And ultimately through that he uses the opportunity how Christians are to build their lives, and how they are to make decisions.
• The structure of this text is very simple
◦ First he give us the principle
◦ Second we see an example of how this principle is at work.
◦ Lastly he concludes this whole context.
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So let's start with the first point:
I. Principle: Do not seek your own good but the good of the other person (v. 23-24)
This is how Christians are to live their lives!!!!
• We should ask ourselves does my decision build others up?
• Is my living a stumbling block to people?
• Sometimes as Christians we becomes heavy in our brains, we start knowing a lot of things, and realize that we are much more free to live and do things than we thought.
◦ So we make decisions simply because we are free to do them. We may say where does the Bible say I can't do this or that?
◦ But in reality what Paul is saying is that just because the Bible allows us to do certain things, does not mean we should do them.
◘ Freedom should not be the only factor in my decision making. The blessing and building others through my life is what should be a big factor when I make decisions.
◘ We are to learn to seek others good through our lives.
◦ We are free to do many things, but our freedom is there to bless others.
• If you think about it, "sanctification" is the process of growing into Jesus.
◦ Jesus saved us by grace, and we received salvation through faith and now we were "Justified" before God. Our sins are paid for on the cross.
◦ Now we are to change into the image of Christ.
◦ But what is that? What does it look like to be like Christ???? What is this sanctification?
◘ Is it merely self improvement?
◦ It is to be like Jesus, but what does that look like?
◘ Jesus loved people, and cared for people, he healed people, he lived among the people. HE cared about their needs. He spoke things that are difficult to hear so that people would truly believe in him.
• We are not merely focusing on self-motivation, or self-change. But rather it is living a life that will bless others, and build other up and help others.
• Notice your sin is not just against God, but also against people around you.
◦ This means if you grow in loving God, then you are to grow in loving people.
The phrase in v. 23 "Everything is permissible" but not everything is beneficial." Is almost identical to a previous phrase he says in 6:12 of this books, he says:
• "Everything is permissible for me," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me," but I will not be mastered by anything".
• Notice in our passage he says:
◦ "Everything is permissible," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible," but not everything builds up" (10:23).
• In other words, even if some things are permissible to do, we should consider if it "builds up people or not"
◦ We are considering others in our decisions? In our preferences? In our freedoms?
◦ Tom Schriener says it well "Believers may think they have the right to do so, but the rights of believers are not the only consideration, for one must also consider whether eating such food is helpful for and edifying to others."
• Just because you have the right to do such and such, does not mean you should do it, simply because it might impact people arounds you in wrong way.
This principle is all over the Bible:
• Romans 14:19, 21 - "So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and builds up one another. Do not tear down God's work because of food.... v. 21 It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble"
• Romans 15:2 "Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself".
◦ Do we live our lives in a way that will please our neighbors. Or do we simply say I as the citizen of this country have my right and I utilize them as much as I can.
• Philippians 2:4 "Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others".
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After Paul make his point about looking for the others good, then he goes on to show how this works in a specific example:
II. Example: When someone invites you for dinner (v. 25-30)
So what do Christians do about idol food sold in places where you might not know it's food offered to idols?
1. Eat everything without questioning
• A Meat Market - is a place where a normal citizen in Corinth would be able to buy meat.
◦ And often it had no connection idolatry. But It would have food from all kinds of places, including from their temple. So some meat was given as a sacrifice and now it is sold here.
◦ Jews who lived in areas like that were taught to ask the sellers where the food came from, and if it had any connection to the pagan temple they were not allowed to eat it.
◦ But for Christians, Paul says that it's ok to eat that meat, even if that mean came from an idol temple and you don't know about it, you are not participating in idolatry. Because this meat now serve a different purpose.
◦ Outside of idolatrous context, idol food is simply food and it come ultimately from God.
• Similarly: If an unbeliever invites you for dinner and you want to go, then eat everything without raising questions.
◦ Meaning if they are of a different religion, and serve a pagan idol. You can eat their food.
◦ Notice that he gives an option, by saying "and you want to go", then go and eat.
◦ If you feel in your conscience that you can't, then don't, you are not obligated.
◦ But if you go then don't ask questions where the food came, enjoy it from the Lord.
• Paul quotes Psalm 24:1 as support to that idea "the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it"
◦ All of the produce and animals that we have is blessed by God himself.
◘ No matter where the food came from, take it with thanksgiving to God.
◦ In 1 Tim. 4:3-4, we read of a similar argument "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer"
• As Christians we should enjoy all kinds of food with thanksgiving.
◦ We should be not be looking for things that make this food impossible to eat.
◦ Like for example:
◘ Not ordering coffee from Starbucks because it is somehow connected to pagan roots. Because have you seen their logo???
◘ Or buying an Apple laptop because it has an eaten apple sign
◘ Or buying meat that was sold by Muslims or Mormons and questioning if them if they prayed over it.
◘ Or people saying you know why you have these health problems, because you bought your food from this particular store and I was told they practice magic. So you basically brought a curse on yourself.
◘ You need to be cleansed from these evil spirits.
◦ That is all false, God says to us, eat all kinds of food with thanksgiving and don't raise question.
◘ You are not participating in anything spiritual.
◘ There is no unique spiritual connection to food itself.
◘ Even Jesus says to his disciples "Don't you realize that nothing going into a person from the outside can defile him? For it doesn't go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated. And he said 'what comes out of a person is what defiles him" (Mark 7:18-20a).
But what if someone informs you that this food is from a sacrifice
2. For the sake of their conscience don't eat of it
So what changed? - Well the person who is telling you this is convinced that eating this food would be wrong for you.
• Even though you know that it's ok to eat this food and you give thanks to God for it, but because of their "conscience" you should abstain from it.
• Apostle Paul goes on to say that to eat food that others think is not right is not right in front of them. But generally we can eat food even if some think we should not.
◦ But if our freedom impacts them, we should stop doing what we were ok doing.
• This means we consider the other person, and we respect their views.
◦ Even if they might be wrong, it is not our position to argue with them about something that they might think is wrong to me.
How does that relate to us???
• We might not think drinking alcohol is a big deal. But what if a person that we are with does think it's a big deal. What if they had problems with alcohol in the past. Or if they where raised with the idea that Christians are not to drink.
• What if some in my neighborhood think that having a very nice car is not right for a Christian, and they are convinced. That only a prosperity preachers have nice things, and they know all about TV evangelists, and how much money they make. But they met you, and they start realizing that there are different Christians
• Here is another example: do you give tips at a restaurant???
• We are all in different kind of circumstances and places. We should be conscious of how our decision will impact people.
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III. Conclusion: Do all things for the glory of God without causing any offense to the people around us but instead seeking their benefit (v. 31-1)
Apostle Paul concludes with these famous words:
• "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God" - v. 31
Notice that this phrase is often taken out of context, because the whole time he is empathising that you should be conscious of other people.
• So if you read this text and say, and focus on how you are to relate to God, without considering other people, you are misunderstanding what he saying.
• That is why he goes on to say "Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved."
• Us living for God's glory is inseparable from living for the good of the people around us.
◦ Notice what Paul is saying, he is pointing to Jews (who were religious people) They had concern for tradition, and for laws and rules and regulations.
◦ He says Greeks(these are pagan people, people of this world) - these people live without God, and serve their stomachs. These are the "democrats", the people of other religions and the Gnostics.
◦ He also says the church of God - that means us, the saved people. We can still be negatively impacting our brothers and sisters in how we live and what decisions we make.
• Wait a minute? - Is apostle Paul a people pleaser???? he says "I try to please everyone in everything"
◦ We know that he never shies away from saying hard things, We read him writing:
◘ Gal 1:10 "...am I striving to please people? if I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ"
◘ Eph. 6:6 "Don't work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God's will from your heart"
◦ This is important to define.
◘ Should we never say truth to people because they might be offended? - of course not, Jesus said that you will be persecuted for the message, people will not want to accept it.
◘ Sometimes we are too afraid of what people will think of us when we start sharing about Jesus. SO we need to be courageous to have hard conversations.
◘ But it also means, that we are not careless for people.
◘ If I am telling them the gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are obviously not receiving it and saying that I should stop and leave. But I am raising my voice so they can hear better, because their soul is on the line for this?
◘ Here is a real example: I am street preaching by a Hindu restaurant and they asked me to move somewhere over there because we are scaring people and they are losing business, but I am committed to preach the gospel.
◘ We should speak TRUTH IN LOVE!
◘ We can be very stuck up and right all the time. But we should humble and hear them and listen to them, and be able to speak to them, not past them.
◘ This is pointing to the state of our hearts,
◘ Are we humble enough to hear and listen to people.
◘ Or are we on our agenda to "do the right thing"
Gordon Fee - Knowledge and rights lead to pride; they are ultimately not Christian values because the bottom line is selfishness - the "right" to do as I please when I please. Love and Freedom leads to edification; they are ultimately Christian behavioral values because the bottom line is the benefit of someone else - that they may be saved.
Simon Kistenmaker says: "Christians must be sincere, honest, trustworthy, dependable, prudent, and efficient in this strife. But the constant pressures on Christians in today’s world test them. Closely watched by the world, Christians are expected to honor their word, maintain their moral integrity, and avoid even the appearance of evil. In business deals, at social gatherings, on special assignments...
Questions to think further:
• What are key factors in my decision making? Do I only consider what the Bible allows or does not allow, or do I also consider how this decision will build others up?
• Do we think carefully about our context and people around us? Do we know our people? Do we understand the people that we work with or that are part of our life?
• Are we respectful of the practices, habits and culture of the people around us?
• Are we speaking truth in love? Do we shy away from hard conversations? Do we go about them carelessly?