Freedom with Responsibility

Paul wraps up this section of his letter by referring once again to a Corinthian slogan, “All things are lawful.” But once again, as he showed in 6:12, Paul qualifies it, demonstrating that these slogans must be examined carefully. Just because I have freedom in Christ does not mean that I have no obligation to serve others. I should be willing to set aside the exercise of my freedom in Christ for the sake of fellowship with God and with other believers.

1. General Principle: Seek the benefit of the other person, vss. 23-24.

Verse 23b - Not all things will be profitable to my spiritual growth or for others.

Verse 23d - Not all things will build up my spiritual growth or strengthen others in their spiritual growth.

Knowledge or wisdom does not authenticate anyone’s membership in the church or their superior “spiritual” status. Paul tests the value of so-called “knowledge” by whether it is beneficial to the church. This is one genuine and true test of whether the statement of the Corinthians reveals true and godly wisdom. Godly wisdom is that which builds up, or spiritually edifies the whole church, not just a segment. So this straightforward command: “Let no one seek his own good (benefit).”

In doing this, Paul is reminding the Corinthians that building up one another should characterize a Christian community. Thus others will benefit from this!

So when Paul comes to his answer to the question of eating food offered to idols, he has reset the issue. It is a broader question that must be asked: “Do my actions build up God’s people in their commitment to the Lord and to each other?”

2. Three examples of Freedom and Responsibility, vss. 25-29a.

A. Regarding food sold in the market, vss. 25-26.

Verses 25, 26 - SO what about the Corinth marketplace, where much of the food sold there had probably earlier been offered as a sacrifice in a temple? If idolatry is as serious as Paul has just taught and if eating of that food is so central to that idolatry and personal identification with the idol, then what about that same food when it moves away from the place of sacrifice and is sold in the market?

Paul is clear that this meat and food can be eaten (v. 26). Paul’s concern about eating such meat is not that at some stage it may have been sacrificed to an idol but the context in which it is eaten. Eating in the temple is part of the worship of that idol; eating in a non-religious context simply as food rather than as the context of a sacrifice is ok—Christians may eat this food. Here is the theological reason why Paul, in principle, is ready to eat this food, drawing upon Psalm 24:1

Psalm 24:1 NASB95

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.

In other words, eating food when not as part of temple worship is simply to enjoy God’s creation, giving genuine thanksgiving to God, who provides all food. This was a very un-Jewish viewpoint coming from a Jew. For Christians there is no distinction between kosher (fit) and non-kosher (unfit) food. The issue was whether was whether certain foods commend us or condemn us before God. They do not.

B. Regarding food at a dinner hosted by an unbeliever, v. 27.

Verse 27 - In the second example, Paul’s answer is with a view to being invited into a home with a pagan unbeliever for a meal. If invited, we have the freedom in Christ to accept or decline the invitation. If accepting, we eat everything set before us, without inquiring where it came from. By not asking questions, we would remove the possibility of unnecessary guilt arising in our mind. We are putting our host before ourselves. So give thanks for God’s good provision and eat!

C. Regarding food given religious significance, vss. 28-29a.

Verse 28, 29a - Paul then sets up another scenario: In a private meal setting, the host tells you, “This is sacrificial meat.” What do you do? It more than likely would be said to warn you. In the early stages of the church age, pagans often associated Christians with Jews, thus assuming that they had similar dietary restrictions. So as a believer with freedom in Christ, you should choose to abstain from eating the meat for the sake of the pagan’s moral conscience. If we went ahead and ate after being informed of the food’s source, our host may conclude that we, his guest, is doing something that Christians should not do. That leads us back to vss. 23-24, where we look out for our neighbor.

D. Understanding the nature of our freedom, vss. 29b-30.

Verse 29b - We may ask the question,” Why should another person’s scruples determine my liberty?” They should because that person’s spiritual welfare is more important than my Christian freedom.

Verse 30 - Gordon Fee comments on this verse:

“The blessing offered at one’s meal, predicated on God’s prior ownership of all things, means that no fellow Christian may condemn another on this question.” (Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 488)

But as a believer, we must be willing to change our behavior for the sake of unbelievers.

3. Do all to the glory of God, vss. 31-11:1.

Here follows two commands:

Verse 31 - What glorifies God? Consideration for the consciences of others and the promotion of their well-being glorifies God. This is contrary to observing the distinctions between foods, the satisfaction of one’s personal preferences, and insisting on one’s own rights. To glorify God is to put God’s preferences, plans, and programs first.

Colossians 3:17 NASB95

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Two questions to ask:

1) Is this non-moral activity edifying? Cf. 1 Cor. 6:12

1 Corinthians 6:12 NASB95

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

2) Will it glorify God?

A. W. Tozer: “It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything.” (The Pursuit of God, pg. 127)

Verse 32 - This is not a matter of simply not hurting someone’s feelings. This is not being a people pleaser. This is to put no obstacle in the path of a person. Do nothing to hinder either a Jew or Greek from coming to faith in Christ; Do nothing to hinder fellow believers’ growth in Christ.

Verse 33 - In the context Paul is writing about, “saved” is meant in the wide sense of being delivered from anything that keeps someone from advancing spiritually.

11:1 - Paul ‘s command draws from his own example of exercising and limiting his Christian liberty, glorifying God, giving no offense to others. and to follow his example in other areas of life. As he seeks to follow the example of Christ, we are to imitate Paul in the same way.

In these chapters dealing with eating food offered to idols, Paul has given four considerations:

(Chapter 8) Balance your knowledge with love.

(Chapter 9) Balance your authority with discipline.

(Chapter 10:1-22) Balance your experience with caution.

(Chapter 10:23-11:1) Balance your freedom with responsibility.