9 United In Rights

Introduction

Paul started in 1 Corinthians 1:10 by addressing division among the church and is dealing with the issues causing division.

Chapters 1-4 disunity caused by polarizing around leaders and reviewing their identity in Christ as the body.

Chapters 5-7 dealing with sexual immorality and marriage relationships.

Next section, chapters 8-10 coming together in unity around the exercise of rights and freedoms, in the context of their question about eating food sacrificed to idols.

A little background on the issue they asked about. Meat not common for those who were not well off. Meat was frequently part of idol worship and served in pagan temples at events. Also sold in the market and believed to be at lower price.

Knowledge or Love?

1 Corinthians 8:1 NIV

1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

regarding the question – “we know” but knowledge (or thinking you know) just adds arrogance, love is what builds up and helps.

1 Corinthians 8:2–3 NIV

2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

if you think/imagine that you know, you still do not know what you should. Love God, known by God.

So this shows that knowing makes you think you know more than you do (plus you don’t know what you don’t know) but love builds up, love is a relationship, love means you are known. The important part is not the knowing but the relationship in love. Theology vs. Relationship

1 Corinthians 8:4–6 NIV

4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

quotes about what they know – idols aren’t real gods, only one true living God who created and Jesus through whom we exist.

1 Corinthians 8:7–8 NIV

7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

but not everyone knows these things yet. Understand, experience. Coming from a pagan background they still sense the connection between the food and idols and cannot partake. You know food doesn’t make you better or worse with God.

1 Corinthians 8:9–13 NIV

9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

But don’t let your right to eat trip up those who are still weak in their faith. You exercising your right could cause another to fall and then you have sinned against Christ.

Simple example of this is drinking and the recovering alcoholic. Don’t let your drinking trip up those who are still growing in their faith. Or restate v.13

Now Paul gives an example of his own rights and how he handles them.

I Have Rights

1 Corinthians 9:1–6 NIV

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?

example of other apostles and servants – Paul demonstrating that he has lots of rights.

1 Corinthians 9:7 NIV

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?

other examples – soldiers and farmers are paid and enjoy their fruit

1 Corinthians 9:8–12 NIV

8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

not just human example but from Scripture. God’s principle of caring for the worker. So in our work among you we also have a right to gain.

1 Corinthians 9:12b–14 NIV

12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

we do not use this right but endure all rather than cause you to miss the Gospel. Serving in temple and proclaiming Gospel the Lord proclaimed they should get their living by the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:15–18 NIV

15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.

again stated he does not use this right. rather die than lose grounds for boasting about God’s provision.

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 NIV

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

free from all but serving all by becoming like all for the sake of the Gospel and to share in the blessing.

This is key - for the sake of the Gospel. Sharing in the blessings of the gospel.

Conclusion

Summary. So the point of chapter 8 is that knowledge and rights do not take the place of love and relationships. Be willing to set your rights aside to build up others.

Summary: Chapter 9 is Paul’s examples of his rights that he set aside to benefit them and others, running to finish well.

Christian freedom is not a freedom to do as we please but a freedom to control our actions for the benefit of others.

It is not sufficient only to ask, ‘Is this action right?’ We must also ask, ‘Is it best for my neighbour or brother?’

In the case of eating meat sacrificed to idols - is it right or wrong? No. Whether it may be right, is it really best to do that if it causes harm?

Big Idea: Rights and knowledge breed arrogance, but love sets aside rights to benefit others.

What About You?