1 Corinthians - Chapter 8:1-13 Food offered to idols. Only One God.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 8:1-13 Food offered to idols. Only One God.

Paul will now address a question regarding food offered to idols. Paul will address this real concern and question from the Corinthians, a lot of the meat was offered to idols and then sold at the meat market, or eaten in the idol’s temple as part of the worship. (Also at The Isthmian games and guvnor will sometimes invite all for a meal).

Paul will explain that there is more at stake that to eat or not to eat. Knowing and loving God. And love for the people Christ died for.

Paul will also clearly state that there is only one God. And if anyone loves God that person is known by God.

Paul will again address knowledge – and addresses a or some slogans again as Paul did back in chapter 6 and 7 and will in chapter 10. The Corinthians was using the slogans as reasons to justify behavior and or sin. The slogans could have come from the world – society, or made up in the fellowship. Paul points out what also seems to be true today, - that people that have some knowledge of different “things”. Have a way of looking down on people that don’t know these things. As people we seem to have a brokenness that leads us to look down on people we don’t see as equal in understanding and intelligence. (That is true about many if not all subjects – what you don’t know, that or how to do this, wow everyone knows this – great examples that knowledge puffs up, as a popcorn. Imagin if Jesus did this when he lived on earth – He would have to look down on all people and see them as utter fools and dumb, with no value, the same with God, if God would treat us as we treat God and others, oh, we would all be death and or lost and God would have given up on us long ago.) Then knowledge is not enough, in some sense it could even make us less like Jesus, if not lived out in Christ. Then what is more important for Paul, it is wisdom to apply knowledge, not just to have it, but live it out in Christ whit the love for God and the people who Jesus Christ died for. Then what we can use to apply what we know is love that builds up. Instead of puffs up, it builds up, as we see in Jesus, and Paul lives. (This is Paul’s concern).

Verse 2 is a reminder to humble look at one self and with a sober judgment, and not comparing oneself to others, but to God, and then see what is it that I am proud of? Is it my wisdom? Paul is encouraging the Corinthians again to look to Jesus’ life, and see how he lived a life, where he loved God and did not live a life where he pointed to his own intelligence and pride in life. Jesus pointed to God, and obeyed and did what God had for him. Always giving God glory, and did not even when he knew many things puffed himself up. No, the other way Jesus gave himself to he lifted up, on the cross, because the Corinthians and you and me and many people get puffed up in ourself and look down on others and God.

Paul writes in 3 that if anyone loved God, he is known by God. Much better to be known by God, than being puffed up, - known by God we have all the best knowledge, we need, we have found true wisdom in loving God. – True life, wisdom. And we would know that there is only one God.

4. Paul will write as Isaia did idols made by men are no Gods, all the idols have no real existence, it is all made up by people. (some say the Corinthians used this statement to justify eating in idols temples).

There is only one God, do you love him? Then God knows you. Paul will speak to their context and write yes there are many temples to so-called gods, some are worshiped at they live in heaven others as they are on earth – and there are many that live like they are gods and there are many lords – on earth – emperor, kings and rulers, - 5 but there is only one God, the Father, and form whom all things and for whom we exist, (God has made all (God is and has made all), and we are made by God and for God, - This gives meaning and purpose) and one Lord, Jesus Christ.  Paul worships and praises God as he calls the Corinthian’s to look to God and passed all the small god and lords that demand many different things, offerings and sacrifices worship and loyalty, bowing down serving. They are not God, no God made all things, God is very being and from him all beings came, and we/you are made by God and made for God. And there is only one Lord – his name is Jesus Christ, and as in Hebr. Paul writes that all that God made was made by Jesus and for Jesus, that we were created by God trough Jesus and we exist because of Jesus and for Jesus’ sake. Jesus also sustains us with his word as we read in the beginning. (Paul shares the gospel and creation and redemption in this way as they were seeking advice about food, but it makes very good sense, because everyone did not and do not have this knowledge and instead of looking down on them Paul writes to explain. – The same with us, do we share the Gospel, when people don’t understand something or do, we just get annoyed and look down upon them?). (Behavior and wisdom comes from understanding the Gospel – not only gaining knowledge -knowing how to live it out in Jesus Christ).

Paul will explain, in 7 not all understand what he just wrote, - because of their background, - they eat food as really offered to an idol, and they are not able to eat in faith, so their conscience stops them from being able to eat with joy, and thanksgiving to God, and participate in eating in the idol’s temple.

8. Paul again as Jesus, will explain it is not food that will make us right/make us stand with God. It does not matter if we eat or we don’t.

9. But take care. That your knowledge and right dose not cause the weak to stumble.  (Freedom in Christ is never so you can make others stumble).  (You are your bothers keeper.) Love lived out, - Think about what example you are setting. Paul addressing the ones with knowledge and freedom in Christ, to live out their faith in love for the other people that might not have the knowledge and freedom. But the mature has freedom to love others as Christ has loved them. In this case, it might not be great for you to eat in idols temples, because of the ones from the fellowship that came out of that cult, - if they look up to you and your knowledge, and the being week is destroyed a brother who Christ died for. 12 Paul write that it is sinning against your brothers and also against Jesus Christ. – Paul comes to the conclusion; it is better not to eat if it makes my brother stumble. (Meat offered to Idols, drinking, movies, social-media, Halloween, Nisser, Yoga, meat, pork, beef).

Knowledge without love and understanding leads to sin against other Christians and against Jesus Christ.

Knowledge with love = we can love as Jesus loved us. And we can know God made all things and us, for himself and we were made by God through Jesus, and to Jesus. Jesus sustains us with his word.

All knowledge we get form God is a responsibility to live out our life in love so other can see Jesus.   

In Christ Jesus our rights and freedoms are given up, to be like Jesus Christ, we should not appeal to rights, we have died with Jesus Christ and we have the right to suffer with him in joy for the Priase of God and in Christ Jesus by the power of the holy Spirt.