Meat and Ouija Boards
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
One of the funnest stages of toddler growth and development is the “why” stage. It can also be the most annoying if certain mental blocks are not put up. Whenever anything happens, the child says: ‘Why’. Then, the game commences. We have a choice how to respond. We could say truly why. Or, we could say “because I said so”. Or, we could make something up. And I confess, sometimes I make something up, or exaggerate. “Why, daddy?” Because we might die. Sometimes, I do indulge in the game too much.
Other times, we can turn the question around. They say something, and we answer “why.” And then, we sit back and see their mind slowly explode.
The “why” stage.
Later, the “why” stage is going to morph. The brain matures to the question: What am I going to do with that? How should I respond? What is the appropriate action?
If the brain never matures to this stage, something is wrong. There are some adults who willingly choose not to live in this stage.
The Corinthians were at this stage with Paul.
Since the beginning of chapter 8, Paul has been exploring the idea of how does one live in a society that is idolatrous, that follows other Gods.
The Corinthians had asked a simple question: What do we do about food sacrificed to idols? Can we eat it or not?
Paul takes that simple question and reveals it for what it actually is: a very complicated question.
He has spent 3 whole chapters answering different aspects of the question, as Francis Schaefer put it: How then shall we live?
It is one thing to say: These are my beliefs. It is another thing to say: These are my actions, based upon my beliefs.
As James puts it:
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
Paul encourages the Corinthians to show their faith in specific ways. He urges them to build their lives on the humility love, rather than the pride of knowledge. He encourages them to temper their actions on grey issues based upon those who might be led into sin.
He takes some steps back, and discusses how our actions should be based upon the Gospel, on a desire to lead those around us to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
He urges the Corinthians to not take part in explicit idolatry.
Now, he gets to the passage at hand. Two scenarios. What do we do with food in our home? What do we do with food in someone else’s home?
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Paul ultimately says: We have freedom, yes. But the freedom to glorify God and seek the good of others.
Today we will look at the Corinthian’s Situation, at the Theological Situation. Finally, at the Practical Situation.
1. Corinthian Situation
1. Corinthian Situation
Let’s look at the situation in Corinth. For those of you who were here in our discussion of 1 Corinthians 8, this is a little bit of a review. For those of you who were not here, this will get you caught up.
At this time, most of the cities in the Roman empire had temples to other so-called gods. In fact, if someone was a worshiper of only one God, like Christians do, that person was considered a pagan. True religious people worshiped many gods. Why limit yourselves to only one?
The city of Corinth worshiped mostly Aphrodite, but they had shrines for religions from throughout the empire there, as it was a multi-cultural center.
The worship of these so-called gods required a lot of different practices, which we won’t get into. The one practice that is referred to here is sacrifice.
We are all familiar with the practice of sacrifice.
Someone brings an animal as a gift to the gods. The animal is killed. The blood is sprinkled on the altar. Part of the meat is kept for the temple. The rest of the meat is sold in the market to earn income for the temple.
This meat which has been dedicated to the false god is pretty cheap. It isn’t the best cut, but it is cheap.
The question is: can I eat it or not?
One said of the issues said: that the only true God is the Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ His Son. The other gods are nothing. Therefore the sacrifice is nothing. Therefore there is nothing special about the meat. It is just cheap meat. If we say that meat is something special, we are actually saying that those false gods are real.
Other’s in Corinth, who were saved out of that idolatrous lifestyle, said, “Wait a minute… that meat is a product of Satanic worship. I don’t want to have anything to do with it, because I would be taking part in that Satanic worship.”
So, you have one side that says: If you were a Christian, you wouldn’t have any problem eating this meat.
And the other side says: If you were a Christian, you would have a huge problem eating this meat.
What do you do? Which side is right?
Paul said: Well, When you are standing in the market, you have the freedom to buy that meat because it is just food. However, you better not lead a Christian back into idolatry because of your action. Love those who are weaker.
Then, he says: now if the meat is at a sacrificial feast. Why in the world would you attend that sacrificial feast? The food is not a problem, the problem is the setting.
In this passage, he addresses the situation of unknown meat in the home. Paul simply says: eat it and don’t ask questions.
Concerning meat in someone else’s house, with the provision that this is not a religious celebration, Paul says: eat it and don’t ask questions.
This passage is the original: don’t ask, don’t tell.
You might ask, “what is the big deal?”
Christians at this time were closely associated with Jews. While the Jews believed that
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
In fact, they used that verse in their prayer before a meal, the Jews carefully questioned the source of their meat.
Someone is selling meat at the market, the Jew is looking them up and down and questioning everything about that meat.
Someone invites the Jew over to the meal, the Jew is questioning them about the source of the meal.
Then, when the Jew is satisfied as to the legitimacy of the food, that it has never been anywhere near a temple, the Jew will bless the meal, thanking God for providing it, declaring:
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
But, truly meaning only that which has been approved by the rabbis is the Lord’s.
So, that is the Jews on one extreme. The Gentiles, the pagans, say: everything is okay!
The Corinthians are saying: Paul, we’ve got a huge disagreement here: where do we fit in the scheme?
What is our theology on this, so that we can adjust our actions?
Actually, they didn’t say that.
Paul says: “Thanks for asking anyway.”
And, he launches into a theology.
2. Theological Situation
2. Theological Situation
Paul has a very liberal understanding of freedom for his age. If he lived today, I am convinced that many Christians would be appalled at what he allowed.
As we discuss the theology of what is going on, I need to remind us that we are not talking about issues of conscience where Scripture is clear.
Paul previously said: run from idolatry. He condemns immorality. Scripture is clear on what a Christian should not indulge in.
However, there are other issues where Scripture is not clear. Great men of God disagree on them.
Issues such as alcohol, or modesty, or tobacco, or movies, or music, or games, or gambling, or any other issue we want to talk about.
We have the freedom to do so many things in our lives, but not everything is beneficial or constructive. What are the boundaries on our freedoms? How then should we live?
Paul presents two tests to answer that question:
A. The Glory of God
A. The Glory of God
He begs us to ask: does this action glorify God.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
There was a book that was published years ago called the Purpose-Driven Life. Great title. Many people’s lives were changed because of that book.
I wish that someone would right the Glory-Driven Life.
Paul says, our actions should be confined by the glory of God.
What does this look like?
Well, you have a slab of meat sitting in front of you. You know that God has given meat to people to eat and enjoy. It doesn’t matter who owned the meat last. It doesn’t matter who raised the meat, butchered the meat, or cooked the meat. Meat is meat and should be eaten.
If anyone is a vegetarian, I am sorry.
You look at that meat, and you say: “Thank you, God, for giving me this meat. I acknowledge that everything we have is because of you. As I eat this meat, I am going to eat it in thanksgiving for your gift.”
That is eating meat for the glory of God.
Incidentally, this is why people pray before a meal. It is not asking God to bless the food, it is thanking Him for giving it to us.
As Paul says:
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
When we are looking at an activity, can we do it acknowledging that this is a gift from God?
Can we do it in a way that lifts God up, that honors him?
When we have this mindset, can I engage in this in a way that lifts God up, we will necessarily, or at least we should necessarily, not do things that are against him.
This doesn’t always work, because of our sin. I knew of a man who was cheating on his wife. Every time he and the other gal went to bed, they kneeled down and prayed together, thanking God for his gift to them.
They were not glorifying God, because one cannot sin a way that glorifies him.
Test one: The Glory of God.
B. Spiritual Good of Others
B. Spiritual Good of Others
Test two: The spiritual good of others.
The scenario: An unbeliever invites the Corinthians over to eat. Since all food is okay, the Corinthian should eat and enjoy everything to the glory of God.
However:
But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.
There is a lot of debate over who is tattling on the meat. Is it the unbeliever? Is it a weaker Christian who is there? We don’t know. I lean toward it being the unbeliever, because of the language that is used.
Either way, the principle is the same. Because of the conscience of the tattler, the Corinthian was not supposed to eat the meat.
Paul explains his reasoning later:
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
The NIV says: cause anyone to stumble. Other translations say “give offense.” Paul is not talking about hurting someone’s feelings, but behaving in such a way as to prevent someone from hearing the Gospel or to alienate someone who is already a brother or sister.
Paul refused to live in a way that would hinder the Gospel. And he insisted that he was following the example of Christ. Christ brought life to others by giving up himself to humiliation and to death. Paul said, that is the pattern he follows and that pattern that all Christians should follow.
He called for Christians to be a third race, neither Jew or Gentile. Focused on sharing the Gospel through words and actions.
Many Christians were angry at Paul’s stance. They didn’t think that someone else’s conscience should control their freedom.
Paul had a different view.
If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
It’s just a meal. The food and the drink are irrelevant! I’m not going to insist on my rights, because I would then make the food and drink significant. Because the meal is irrelevant, I can use my freedom to forbear for the sake of the Gospel.
In the words of Gordon Fee:
“So as not to offend that person, nor his/her moral expectations of Christians, and precisely because it is not a matter of Christian moral consciousness, one should forbear under these circumstances.”
I feel like I have talked in circles.
So, let’s think about some examples.
3. Practical Situation
3. Practical Situation
I realize my examples might cause some tension. Hear me out.
Someone invites you to do yoga.
Even now people are beginning to sit up in their chairs.
Yoga is a system of exercises and stretches that has physical benefit, but was began as religious exercises by the Brahman’s in India. We know about Yoga because it was passed down through the centuries through their religion’s Scriptures.
The positions of Yoga were to bring relaxation and release, healing the body from bad energy, etc, until through Yoga, the practitioner could finally achieve enlightenment.
Today, there is many different types of yoga. Hot yoga, cold yoga, mystic yoga, atheist yoga, Biblical yoga. All sorts of yoga.
Let’s apply the principles presented. Exercising is not bad. God has given us bodies to use. We can exercise for his glory, whatever positions we use.
Someone invites you to do yoga. Technically, there is nothing wrong with it.
Enjoy and glorify God with it.
However, your friend says that this practice allows her to center herself and release bad energy from her body. She has now transformed the exercise to religious ceremony. And is inviting you to idolatry, joining the worship of the god of Eastern mysticism.
For the sake of her soul, you should not take part in yoga.
You could say, but I have the freedom to do it. Yes, but by your freedom, you are letting your friend think it is okay to take part in a false religion. Which is more important?
Let’s talk about Ouija boards, and other spiritualistic exercises, ways of contacting the dead or spirits to find out knowledge and locations.
Scientists say that there is nothing spiritual going on, but the activities are driven by our non-conscious mind.
I don’t know.
The question is: does these activities glorify God or do they glorify something else?
Can we exalt God and thank him for his gifts? or is our mind exalting someone or something else? Are we filled with spookiness or praise.
In the case of the Ouija board, it was a “harmless” game in the 90’s. Many kids played it without any concern. But, some people put worth in it and it is a religious exercise.
For all spiritualistic exercises, if someone is a worshiper of spirits, instead of God, those exercises play into their worship, instead of our freedom. For the sake of their soul, maybe we should abstain.
How about other grey areas, that don’t have to deal with religion or spiritualism?
Should we talk about alcohol, gambling, movies, music, or modesty?
We just got back from the beach. It was great. The beach is a fun place to visit, but a horrible place to live. I could talk about the sand. I could talk about the sea shells. I could talk about the jellyfish washing up onto the shore. I won’t.
I’ll talk about the swimsuits. Modesty is a hot topic. It is a grey area, because the Bible doesn’t define it, and every culture has a different understanding of it. Every area has a different understanding.
What does it mean to have freedom? And in our freedom to glorify God and work for the spiritual good of those around us?
Sometimes that means limiting our freedom. Sometimes it means expanding our freedom for the sake of the soul in front of us.
As one person observed:
1 Corinthians Contemporary Significance
More central to this section is Paul’s preference for freedom over restraint when commending the gospel to unbelievers. Non-Christian stereotypes of conservative Christianity consistently characterize us as dour, legalistic joy-killers. And at least part of this caricature is deserved. Evangelicals often do argue over where to draw the boundaries in morally gray areas. Fee correctly observes that “conservatives on these issues simply fail to reckon with how ‘liberal’ Paul’s own view really is. Hence Paul is seldom heard for the sake of traditional regulations.”
If someone was going to be offended by what Paul did, he would rather it be a fellow Christian, who was already secure in their salvation, than an unbeliever who might turn away from Christ for entirely the wrong reasons.
We could apply this to alcohol, gambling, movies, music, and all sorts of other issues.
The glory of God and the good of the other.
Wrapping up these past several chapters, I appreciate what Warren Wiersbe says:
Out of these chapters come several “tests” we may apply to our own decisions and activities.
“All things are lawful,” BUT—
1. Will they lead to freedom or slavery? (1 Cor. 6:12)
2. Will they make me a stumbling block or a stepping-stone? (1 Cor. 8:13)
3. Will they build me up or tear me down? (1 Cor. 10:23)
4. Will they only please me, or will they glorify Christ? (1 Cor. 10:31)
5. Will they help to win the lost to Christ or turn them away? (1 Cor. 10:33)
The way we use our freedom and relate to others indicates whether we are mature in Christ. Strong and weak Christians need to work together in love to edify one another and glorify Jesus Christ.
How then shall we live? We have freedom to glorify God and seek the good of others.