1 Corinthians 8

Saturday, 23 August 2014

But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 1 Corinthians 8:8

Taken in context with what Paul has been saying concerning “things offered to idols” this verse should be perfectly clear on several levels. And yet, it is astonishing that so many Christian sects and even aberrant cults fail to grasp the simple and clear language of his words. Here he starts with the word “but.” It is then a contrast to what he just said, “…for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.”

The weaker in doctrine and understanding, the less informed in what Christ did, and those who are not yet properly instructed in the word may have reluctance to eat some type of food because it is perceived to be defiled and thus unclean. But that is not the case. There is no unclean food for the Christian. As Paul will later state in chapter 10 –

“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.'” 1 Corinthians 10:25, 26

It is the Lord’s earth and He has granted the things of the earth to man to eat. Only a particular group of people, and for a particular set time and purpose, were given dietary restrictions. That time and purpose was fulfilled in Christ Jesus and is now set aside and obsolete. There are no dietary restrictions imposed by the Bible for those in Christ. Paul explains why when he says, “food does not commend us to God.”

It is not worrying about what we eat that is pleasing to God, it is a pure conscience, a right walk, and a heartfelt adherence to His word. Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses and we are to trust in His work, not our own. Concerning foods, the truth is that “for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.” Whatever we eat cannot harm our relationship, nor can it make it for a closer walk with Christ. It is a neutral matter.

If a thing sold in the meat market which had been sacrificed to an idol is not unclean, then this shows us that no foods are unclean. Pork is the typical example used by nutty cults and sects as being a “no no.” And yet, it is certain that “whatever is sold in the meat market” includes it and any other type of meat. The pagans didn’t care what meat was hanging in the market. They had no idea what the Law of Moses included. It is absurd to think that the act of sacrificing an animal to an idol didn’t include pigs, dogs, horses, or any other unclean animal. Those sacrificing didn’t pull out a copy of the Torah and search to see if the animal they were about to sacrifice to an idol was clean under the Law of Moses before defiling it by sacrificing it to an idol!

Life application: Think clearly on biblical issues! Don’t be led astray by people with crazy agendas or ideas. If one doesn’t eat pork because they are trying to please God, then anything else under the Law of Moses must also be adhered to. It is an illogical thing to pick and choose Scripture in order to make a point which actually doesn’t exist. Instead, it only causes one to revert back to the need to fulfill the law in its entirety, an impossibility!

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do
Do all to the glory of our great God
Give no offense, as the Bible instructs you
To the Jews or to the Greeks in this life that you trod

Nor to the church of God, and those in it
Instead attempt to please all men in all things
Therefore, don’t seek your own profit
But the profit of many in all your doings

This, so that they may be saved
By seeing your actions and how you have behaved

Yes Lord, I need help in this one for sure! Give me the right attitude to not be an offense to those who see my actions. Help me to use my obvious liberties in Christ for good and not for harm. The knowledge I have is less important than the love I display if that knowledge is used in a way which causes a stumblingblock to others. So, Lord, help me to think clearly on the delicate issues of the faith and then to act wisely in my exercising of them. Amen.

Friday, 22 August 2014

However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 1 Corinthians 8:7

Paul has been speaking of “knowledge” “concerning things offered to idols” for the past two verses. He now enters into the fact that “not everyone” has that knowledge by stating “however.” This then is in contrast to what should be obvious, but it is knowledge which is lacking in some for whatever reason. And so he continues by saying that “for some, with consciousness of the idol.” There is a definite hindrance in their ability to accept anything offered to that idol, even though it is actually nothing at all.

Their conscience tells them that if something was offered to an idol and they were to “eat it as a thing offered to an idol,” then they have somehow done something wrong. As an understandable example, suppose you were to go to the local Buddhist temple because they have a great farmer’s market there. While there, you see meat being sold too. Because you’re a big fan of steak, pork chops, and lamb cutlets, you decide to buy a few of each. But then you hear that the animals were sacrificed first as an offering to the idol at the temple, is it ok to buy that meat now or not?

Paul has just said that “an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.” After that, he clearly explained what he meant in the next two verses. And so the answer is “Yes, you may buy the meat.” Your conscience tells you that there is no God but one and you know that the sacrifice has no validity at all. Therefore, your conscience on this matter is undefiled and your devotion to God through Jesus Christ is unhindered when you buy and eat those tasty delights.

However, there is another consideration to be made. Those who have a conscience about the idol, not understanding that it is nothing in all the world, may not recognize your liberty in Christ. This is because “their conscience, being weak, is defiled.” If you buy and eat meat in the presence of someone like this, what will be the result? Paul will continue to analyze this situation, explaining that love for that weaker brother is more important than your correct knowledge of the matter. He will also further address the issue later in the book. As he said when he began this chapter, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”

Life application: If you find yourself in a situation where you may harm the conscience of a weaker brother, what you need to do is first act in love and not do what would cause them greater confusion. After that, you should take the time to properly instruct them in the matter, showing them directly from the word of God what is correct. Once you have done this, you have shown love and respect for them and validated the stand by God’s standard. If after that, they still disagree, you can do no more. They have willingly failed to see the true intent of the matter because there is no higher authority than what God has presented through His word.

To understand this, think of an issue from the US Constitution, owning a gun for example. If you have a gun and another person says, “You shouldn’t own a gun; that is just wrong.” All you need to do is take them to the 2nd Amendment and read it to them. After that, you show them your permit which authorizes you to own the gun within whatever state you belong to and maybe you even take time to show them your bill of sale. If they still say (and most lefties will) that you shouldn’t own a gun, then disregard what they say. You are no longer under any obligation to be concerned with their conscience. It was defiled, you attempted to show them the valid proofs of their error, and they rejected the proofs. You can do no more. Go enjoy target practice without them.

O precious heavenly Father, how I cherish my time talking with You. When I get up, I know You are there… “Good morning, Lord.” When I head out, You are with me… “It’s a glorious day, Lord.” When I see a beautiful rainbow in the clouds… “Why thank You for that, Lord.” When a friend who hasn’t called on You comes to mind… “Lord, show them the truth of Your Son.” Throughout the day, You are with me… “Whoo hoo, Lord! A dollar on the sidewalk, thank You.” During each meal, “Gracious God, thank You for this food.” And as the day ends I know Your hand is still upon me… “Thank You for the wondrous life You have blessed me with. Good night Lord.” O precious heavenly Father, how I cherish my time talking with You. Amen.

Thursday, 21 August 2014

…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.1 Corinthians 8:6

Continuing on with his “knowledge” portion of “things offered to idols” Paul finishes up with this verse. He has just noted that “there are many gods and many lords.” In this, he meant in perception, not in reality as can be seen in this verse. “Yet for us there is one God.” Unlike the rest of the unregenerate world, we possess the knowledge of the absolute truth that there is one God. This is then in contradistinction to the lie that there are “many gods.”

This one God is “the Father.” In this, Paul is not speaking of the Father within the Godhead as separate and distinct from the Son and the Holy Spirit. Rather, he is using the term “Father” when speaking of God in the absolute sense. This one God is our Father. We know this is the sense in which he is speaking because he does not use the term “Son” when speaking of Jesus in the coming words. Instead, he will speak of Jesus in parallel thought. Therefore, “one God, the Father” is God who is the Father, “of whom are all things.”

God our Father is the Source of all things. They exist because He wills them to exist and nothing exists apart from His will. There is no other God and all of creation was created by Him, “and we for Him.” This refers to His faithful believers who have put their hope in the Messiah. We were created for Him and by Him to be a praise and a glory to Him. God so intended this and His will is effected in our existence and in our state in Him.

In parallel to that, Paul continues with “and one Lord Jesus Christ.” It is important to note the absence of the word “Son” to understand properly. It is parallel to, not in addition to, his prior words concerning “the Father.” Again, his previous verse noted that “there are many gods and many lords,” a set of parallels – “gods” and “lords.” He first addressed “gods” as opposed to the one “God.” He now addresses “lords” as opposed to “one Lord Jesus Christ.”

Understanding this is important because aberrant cults, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, try to subordinate Jesus by inaccurately analyzing this verse… “See there is one God, the Father, and so Jesus isn’t God.” Such misrepresentations fail to accurately handle God’s word issued through Paul’s hand. This “one Lord Jesus Christ” is “through whom are all things.” It is set in parallel with the note about the Father “of whom are all things.” God is the Source and Jesus is the member within that Source by which all things came into being; He is the Word of God (see John 1:1).

Finally, Paul says that it is the Lord Jesus Christ, “through whom we live.” This is parallel to the thought concerning God the Father which said “and we for Him.” Jesus is the Creator and He is the Re-generator. We exist physically because of Him and we are spiritually quickened by Him when we receive Him. All is a work of God and all is by Jesus Christ.

Life application: When you pray to Jesus, you are praying to God. When you pray through Jesus, you are praying through our Mediator to the Godhead. Jesus is God and Jesus is our Lord. By carefully examining Scripture in its intended context, we can see that there is no division between Jesus and God, and yet there is a Godhead in which the three Persons of the Trinity exist.

Heavenly Father – gracious, glorious, and almighty. Thank You for Your divine hand of grace which showers down upon us every wonderful blessing. You water the earth so that we are fed and re-nourished. You change the seasons for our enjoyment and for the flowering of different parts of Your creation. You heal the scars of the earth which come from time to time and You heal the wounds of our souls through the grace of Your own hand in the Person of Jesus Christ our Lord. In Him, we have the certainty of every spiritual blessing and the wondrous prospect of eternal life in Your presence. Thank You for Your attentive and divine hand of grace. Amen.

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords)… 1 Corinthians 8:5

Continuing on with his thoughts concerning knowledge and love, Paul introduces a hypothetical argument using words translated as “for even if.” It is important to understand that Paul is not implying that there truly are other gods, but that this is what people may think in their confused world view. Even the Old Testament speaks in this manner. From the law itself, Moses shows that there are “many gods and many lords” –

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.” Deuteronomy 10:17

People all over the world bow to things they think are “gods” even though they aren’t. The words in the Bible, including the quote from Deuteronomy and from Paul’s words here, are meant to indicate the belief by some that these gods exist, but not that they actually do. They are no more real than the imagination of those who follow them. These “so called gods” are everywhere in the world and are to be found in all cultures. Some are found in “heaven” in the minds of those who follow them.

In this thought include the “gods” of Greek and Roman culture such as Zeus, Apollo, Hermes, etc. Also there are the heavenly gods in the stars and constellations, and so forth. Then of course, there were (and still are) representations of them on street corners and in temples in every location. These would be the gods “on earth.” But there were other such earthly gods – Caesar was proclaimed a living god; trees were believed to be divine; and certain mountains or valleys may have been believed to be places of divine presence. Even Paul and Barnabas were proclaimed gods after performing a miracle in Jesus’ name –

“Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!’ ¹² And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.” Acts 14:11-13

The apostles obviously argued against this, stating that the people “should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.” (Acts 14:15). This is the type of thing Paul is speaking of in verse 8:5. As noted, he is merely making a hypothetical argument. He is not arguing for the validity of such “gods.”

He is relaying that some believe that there are other “gods” for a reason which will become evident in the coming verses and his thoughts are directed toward a loving attitude concerning our handling of delicate issues in the presence of those who still struggle with these things. As the thought progresses, keep in mind that “knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”

Life application: When reviewing verses in the Bible, context must be carefully considered. Jesus quoted a verse from the Old Testament about “gods” which is often misused even from the pulpit today to indicate that we are divine beings when we come to Christ. Such is not the case, but error can creep in easily when individual verses are taken out of their intended context.

Lord God, though I may lack intelligence in many ways, there is one thing I am perfectly confident of – You are God and the word You have given us is without error. There are no contradictions in it and it is the perfect guide for my instruction, my walk with You, and as a tool to train others in those things as well. May I never “pick and choose” which verses apply and which don’t. Instead, help me to understand them in context and then to be obedient to them. Guide me in Your word. Amen.

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

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. 1 Corinthians 8:4

“Therefore” begins the main discourse of the subject at hand, and yet it is relying on the parenthetical statement he just finished. The thought process thus far goes as follows:

1) Now concerning things offered to idols:
—–a) We know that we all have knowledge.
—–b) Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
—–c) (linked to 1a) If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
—–d) (linked to 1b) But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
2) Therefore…. (after considering 1a-1d)

When the Bible gives a “therefore” it is always important to go back and see what it is there for.

And so to begin his discourse on the subject, he reiterates the first half of verse 1 again by saying, “concerning the eating of things offered to idols.” In essence, “Now that I have explained to you a more important issue which is directly connected to your question, I will now answer your question.” And he does so immediately by saying, “we know that an idol is nothing in the world.”

In this, his direct response is tied to “knowledge” as mentioned in 1a above. Everyone who has called on Christ should intuitively realize that an idol is nothing. It is a part of the creation and has no ability to change the outcome of anything. If something is sacrificed to it, it has no more ability to respond to the sacrifice than does a handful of dirt or a cup of water. Because this so, then the sacrifice has no meaning either. It was a futile gesture to a futile non-god. And this is all the more certain because, “there is no other God but one.” This short phrase was preceded by “and that” which again ties it to 1a – “and that there is no other God but one.”

This is knowledge which every believer should certainly possess because they have rejected all other religious systems and have called on Christ as Lord. If He is Lord, He is God and there is none other. This is knowledge that should be certain. But though understood in some measure by all true believers, it may not have been properly processed by all of them. This will inevitably cause a conflict in them when considering the issue of food sacrificed to idols. When it does, their faith may be challenged. Before addressing this though, Paul will continue to speak concerning “knowledge” for two more verses.

Life application: When reading the Bible, it is a good habit to reconsider what was previously stated when coming to prepositions such as “for,” “and,” “but,” “therefore,” and etc. If the context is still unclear, try mapping it out in a simple manner and re-considering the context. This will often open up the passage to what is intended by the writer.

Glorious Lord God! Today I am overflowing with joy in my heart simply because I know You personally. The world is spiraling into chaos. False religions are taking the upper hand all around us. There is insecurity, trouble, trial, and sadness everywhere… and yet, despite all of this, I have a more definite hope than these things could ever destroy. I have the surety of eternal life because the grave was defeated for me by Christ Jesus. What can man do to me? I am safe, secure, and serene because of Your Gift, my Lord Jesus. Hallelujah and Amen!