Others in Mind 3
Notes
Transcript
Fruit trees
Strong & able to produce fruit quickly
Weak & the weight of the fruit is more than it can bear
Both trees need one thing - nutrients
Laurels in the front - strong and some look nearly the same as when we planted them nearly 3 years ago
There was an argument what should or should not be eaten:
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
In Lev 11 God sets some standards for the Israelites on what they should and should not eat. This was to set apart the Israelites from the customs of the idolatrous nations around them, and to protect them from the unsanitary habits of that day.
God changed this:
On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
God said it was okay to eat these things.
However, the Jews were taught all their life that they were not to eat certain animals. Kosher diet.
They couldn’t stand against what God clearly showed Peter, so they limited what they could eat to anything that wasn’t offered to an idol.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
It was very common for the meat of the animal that was offered to idols to be sold by the priests to the markets where it would then be sold to the public.
This was the debate:
God said all things are cleansed to eat.
The meat was offered to an idol.
This is commonly known as Christian liberty:
Knowing that we are free in Christ, understanding our actions don’t change our standing with Him, and using God’s grace as the reason to do or not do certain things in life.
Today we don’t see this here in our first-world culture (although it is still an issue for cultures around the world).
There are principles here that are very applicable to our culture here.
Watch certain movies
Read certain books
Questionable amusement or entertainment
Dancing
Some would say smoking or drinking, but with this, I personally, think this is an apples to oranges application of Scripture.
The Bible leaves no doubt, if studied objectively and in context of the culture in which it was written, where God stands on alcohol.
The Bible teaches us that are bodies are His temple and we are not to subject our bodies to substances that clearly damage our health, motives, and our relationships.
Guides the Heart
Guides the Heart
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
Exposes the pride
Vs. 1a
We KNOW that we - knowing intuitively and without effort -
1+1=2 - That’s easy
…have all knowledge - knowledge that we have acquired by learning and effort
The Corinthians were asking Paul as a matter of they wanted confirmation of all that they knew. They knew all there was to know about the matter, and they made the decision to appease those that disagreed by confirming their stance with Paul.
We’ll ask Paul, but I know what he’s going to say.
Then we see the following statement:
Knowledge puffeth up
Some think that the first statement was a direct quote from the Corinthians where they asked these questions.
Paul took their statement, used that same word for knowledge they used and relayed exactly what was happening in the church - PRIDE
The word puffeth means to make proud:
Lancaster bomber - 31.09m wingspan
4 Rolls-Royce Merlin engines
Heaviest bomb it could - 1,800kg
Knowledge may be used to magnify one’s own mind or prowess to learn
Knowledge isn’t a bad thing if it’s accompanied with wisdom
Wisdom is the Biblical application of knowledge.
Explains the purpose
Vs. 1c
But charity edifieth
Charity is love, conceived by obedience to instruction.
Charity is the act of love which puts other’s needs and/or wants before our own.
Missionary that comes, he is wearing the same shoes every day. Do you have any other shoes? No. Take him to buy a new pair of shoes.
Charity edifieth - to increase by building up or constructing
Charity builds other’s lives!
Luke 10:30-37
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Priest - had first-class technical knowledge of the sacrifices and ceremonies of Judaism. He knew how to inspect the a sacrificial animal and how to prepare it for the altar. He knew the right thing to do when his turn came to minister in the sanctuary. He had plenty of knowledge, some of it highly specialised knowledge, but he was devoid of compassion.
Levite - Expert in biblical and rabbinical law. He could give you chapter and verse from the Pentateuch, or Hillel’s interpretation of this, or Shamai’s interpretation of that, but he had not a gram of kindness in him for the broken and bruised figure lying half dead by the side of the road.
The knowledge of the priest and Levite did nothing for the wounded man!
Samaritan - he didn’t know what the priest knew about the sacrifices or the ceremonies of Judaism. He didn’t know the fine points of the law like the Levite, but he had something more powerful than the knowledge of them both; CHARITY
Charity builds others!
Exhibits the position
Vs. 2
Balloon prick! Their swelling egos were deflated quickly! You don’t know as much as you claim to know! In fact, you know nothing that you should know!
They knew what they wanted to know, but never gave thought of how love would give them a guiding principle that would change the entire perspective on their position they were claiming.
Vs. 3
Paul uses a subtle expression here that wisely doesn’t feed their pride and carefully reinforces his position on love
COULD have said: If any man loves God the same knows Him.
Feed their pride - I love God, so I know God.
Instead he uses a passive wording here that takes away all premise from themselves and fully puts it on the Lord
The Lord knoweth them that are his
Paul took the position that the only reason they love God is not because of who they are or what they know, but rather because God first loved us and we submitted in humility to that love exhibited by Jesus on the cross.
Paul here was using his knowledge through love to confront this difficult and explosive situation. The instruction wasn’t just instruction but the very means by which a guided heart can rectify their very question!
Love finds a way!
Guides the Mind
Guides the Mind
We have amazing volunteers that want to be a part of the work of the Lord.
Would you be willing?
Here’s what you need to know.
Those that grow into a leadership position are those that excel in growing in the heart for God and grasps the knowledge that God teaches them.
Acknowledges the Truth
Vs. 4-5
The situation
Vs. 4a
People would sacrifice animals to many different idols.
The leaders or priests of this idol worship would take the sacrifice that was given to them, save part of the sacrifice for their meals, and then sell the rest to the market.
The public then would go to the market and purchase the meat for their meals.
The question by some in this church at Corinth was whether or not it was okay to eat the meat knowing that it originally was offered to an idol.
Today we don’t see this here in our first-world culture (although it is still an issue for cultures around the world).
There are principles here that are very applicable to our culture here.
Watch certain movies
Read certain books
Questionable amusement or entertainment
Dancing
The truth
There are idols
Vs. 4b
Isaiah 44:6-20
Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, And his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; And beside me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, And shall declare it, and set it in order for me, Since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: Have not I told thee from that time, And have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; And their delectable things shall not profit; And they are their own witnesses; They see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image That is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: And the workmen, they are of men: Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; Yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, And fashioneth it with hammers, And worketh it with the strength of his arms: Yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: He drinketh no water, and is faint. The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; He fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, And maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; That it may remain in the house. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, Which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a man to burn: For he will take thereof, and warm himself; Yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; Yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; He maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; With part thereof he eateth flesh; He roasteth roast, and is satisfied: Yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: He falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, And saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. They have not known nor understood: For he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; And their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, Neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; Yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: And shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: A deceived heart hath turned him aside, That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
People beginning with Cain have made idols out of stone, gold, wood, metals, gems, and so much more.
1 Kings 18:22-29
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
Every continent on this earth has idols of some type:
Statue
Job
Money
Hobby
Identity
An idol is what we invest our treasure and heart into that is apart from the one true God.
There is one God
1 Kings 18:30-39
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
Deu 4:35
Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him.
Deu 4:39
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
Ps 86:10
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.
Acts 14:15
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
God desires for people to turn to Him from whatever their heart has been deceived to believe in.
The truth this morning is that there is one God! He is God and nothing anyone has ever said or will ever say will change this indisputable fact that God is God alone! There is none else!
Acknowledges the belief
Despite the truth that there is one God:
People believe in many gods or lords
Vs. 5
The sad truth is that there will always be people that state things contrary to the truth of one God.
This is why Jesus Christ came!
Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
A child of God believes in one God
Vs. 6
Paul here gives us the parts of the Godhead:
One unit - 3 parts
Football team - offense, defense, goalkeeper
Father -
Rom 11:36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Eph 4:6
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Son
Lord Jesus Christ
John 1:3
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Spirit
1 Cor 2:10-12
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
The HS taught Paul the knowledge of God
In Him
This is a positional statement
When one gets saved, puts their belief in the one true God for salvation, we are then placed in Him.
Like becoming part of the team of God
Acknowledges the misunderstanding
The misunderstanding
Vs. 7
Some do not understand the purpose of meat
Conscience - conscience n. — the psychological faculty that distinguishes between right and wrong; either afflicts or comforts the person depending upon their actions.
Some eat the meat of an idol with their mind flooded with years and years of false teaching that meat can somehow connect man with God
When he eats the meat, his heart is defiled as he thinks about the meat that is connecting him with an idol when he wants his heart to be fully the Lord Jesus Christ’s.
The understanding
Vs. 8
Commendeth - to cause to be present v. — to cause to be in a specified place or in near proximity to something else; often in order to be at someone’s disposal.
Rom 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 5:8-11
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Meat cannot save us - what meat we eat or do not eat cannot bring us closer to God or further away from God
Paul was trying to help those that were engrained to think that the meat they ate gave them favour in God’s eyes was false.
This is what so many religions teach today - Believe in God and now DO! Perform as if what I do has any bearings on whether or not God loves me or gives me grace.
I did nothing to earn God’s love, and I can do nothing to lose His love.
His grace was given freely to me and that marvelous grace comes without conditions!
Israel:
They followed God, they saw and experienced the grace of God.
They stopped following God, they saw defeat and troubles.
Guides the Actions
Guides the Actions
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
Paul now transitions to the strong believer that has come to terms with this truth that meat cannot connect or disconnect us to God.
The strong believer knows it’s okay to eat meat, and then takes liberty to do as he pleases no matter who is around.
He has the knowledge
Now he needs love
Take heed - to watch carefully v. — to be vigilant, be on the lookout or be careful.
Liberty - freedom
Stumblingblock - an obstacle against which a person might catch his foot
Man has a right to eat or drink what he wants.
Paul understood this, but he also understood the struggle a new believer may have in trying to re-programme his thinking after being told for so many years that the meat he ate connected him to the false gods.
A man does not have the right to encourage others, by our example, to do something that might be against his conscience.
This is not the deliberate tempting of a weak brother to do something that he believes is wrong, but rather carelessly setting an example that might end up being harmful to someone else.
Paul then illustrates the problem:
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
A man is invited by someone, maybe a relative or friend he is genuinely trying to reach with the Gospel, to a meal. This meal is at a temple of an idol. Before the meal a moment of “saying grace” in honour of the god or idol would be given.
The believer knowing it is just meat justifies his position of the meal and the setting.
This would be like a man going to see an 18 rated movie with his friend because he hopes to share the Gospel with him.
Like the man eating in the temple of an idol, this would be taking Christian liberty quite far.
The weak believer sees what is happening and is hurt by what he sees.
Exploring 1 Corinthians: An Expository Commentary Part 4: Difficulties in the Church (1 Corinthians 7:1–14:40)
Paul does not approve of going to such lengths to demonstrate one’s liberty is hinted at in the word he uses for the idol’s temple. The word is eidōlion, which should have raised a warning flag in the minds of his readers. It was not a word used by the pagans but, rather, a word coined by the Jews and one which contained a taunt. Where the Greeks spoke of the Atheneum or the Apolloneum or the Posideum, linking the name of the temple to the name of the god, the Jews spoke of the idoleum. The very word eidōlion implied something shadowy and unreal. Doubtless those believers who accepted an invitation to a banquet held in an “idoleum” could find arguments to justify their behavior. Paul finds an argument to condemn it—the weak believer’s conscience and the harm that might result to him if he followed such an example.
Emboldened - Building up
Bench press 100kg in the garage - Samuel, my 5 yr old son, sees me lift the weight
I leave the garage and Samuel goes out afterwards, and says, Daddy can do it, so can I! He gets under the weight and begins to try to lift the weight
What happens?
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
Disaster!
The weak brother becomes confused and becomes an unfruitful Christian that stops growing in his relationship with God!
Tragedy!
The liberty that one Christian expressed, and has led to a child of God becoming confused, dismayed, discouraged, and disheartened.
Although this exact practise of eating meat believing it connects one to God isn’t prevalent in our culture here this is principle is still a problem today!
Too many believers try to justify a position and practise today! Believers trying to use a Christian liberty to justify a position that is harmful to a believer.
Alcohol - believers that try to justify drinking when a weak believer who is trying overcome an addiction to alcohol that has torn his family apart.
Finances are a wreck
Marriage is one the verge to become better
Children are beginning to put their trust again in their father
They celebrate and go to a pub with a meal out, and while there they notice a believer that is very knowledgeable in the Bible at church drinking. The struggle is real. a week goes by and the opportunity to spend time with friends comes. The thought occurs, the one man in church drank alchohol, surely it would be okay for me to have one drink.
A month passes and alcohol is again ravaging the home of the weak believer.
Finances are worse. His marriage that once was mending is now in falling apart. His children are fearful when he comes home now.
The Complaint
1 Cor 8:12
But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
Paul lays a charge at the brother who caused the wound in the weaker brother
You have sinned against him!
You have violated that which is right, and have brought confusion to the family of God.
Christ died for your sins and his sins! You have no right to bring a stumblingblock and sin into his life because you think you are strong enough to handle it!
Peter did when he denied Jesus while Jesus was being questioned before the crucifixion
Imagine those that heard Peter deny and sware against Jesus.
This surely brought doubt, confusion, and even drove some away from Jesus!
You have sinned against Christ
Jesus stated in:
Mat 25:34-40
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Jesus taught a principle here that blessing His family right is in doing right towards God.
Remember VERSE 6
People giving to my sons
Doing it to me
The Conviction
1 Cor 8:13
Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Paul had a conviction based upon the principle of love - if someone would be offended by him eating meat, he would rather go hungry than to offend
Offend - causing to stumble or a snare
Paul says he would eat no flesh - no meat or anything related to meat to avoid causing a brother to be caught in a snare that he carelessly sets
Some Christians look for an excuse to use someone else as a reason why they can or cannot do what they want, but the Bible speaks of a brother holding another one “hostage” because of his current beliefs or convictions.
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
A religious bigot who uses their inhibitions to just get their way is wrong.
Just as it is wrong for one to offend the weaker brother, it is wrong for the weaker brother to use their weakness as a weapon to get what they want.
We all should be growing in the Lord, and our point of growth in the Lord should not inhibit another’s walk with the Lord
Roller coaster - Holly loves them - I hate them