Let love be your guide

We know it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Gal5:1) and free from the bondage of sin (Rom6:5-7). No longer under the yoke of the law but now what, what do we do, or not do with our Christian liberty? Paul is going to address a question about meat that was asked by the Corinthians to Paul.

A few points to consider and we get into our passage in a few minutes.

In our Christian liberty all things are permissible but not all things are good (1Cor10:23-24)

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In our Christian liberty we need to consider others (Php2:3-4)

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In our Christian liberty we need to remember love (1Cor13:2-3)

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(Transition) The time, the culture.

Meat sources in the culture then: There were regular meat markets where meat could be purchased, and there were meat markets that were located next to local temples where sacrificed meat could be purchased at a discounted price; these markets were known as “shambles”. Meat sacrifices would be offered on the altar, then a part to the priests, the the rest would go to the market for sale. A problem in the Corinthian church is some struggled with any meat that was offered to idols, others did not for in Christ they recognized no idols. Hence why they wrote to Paul for his advise.

The strong Christians were not impacted by meat offered to idols, for like I said they did not recognize any idol and knew the idols could not contaminate the meat. The ones who struggled were what the passage calls weaker Christians, ones saved out of paganism who cannot understand why anyone why anyone would want to do with anything that was sacrificed to idols. Paul deals with this even more in Romans 14-15. Again the problem is more than meat, the issue can be divisive and about meat, holy days and other things.

(Transition): Paul in response to their questions on the matter brings out three points (oh what a preacher, 3 points).

Paul’s three point response:

Knowledge and love (1Cor8:1-2)

Love and knowledge (1Cor8:3-6)

Love, knowledge and conscience (1Cor8:7-13)

Knowledge and love

Knowledge is good, we are to seek knowledge, but knowledge is not the end all, and knowledge in and of itself can create problems. Look what Paul has to say as we start this section.

1 Corinthians 8:1–2 NASB95

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

The Corinthians are a blessed people (1Cor1:5)

1 Corinthians 1:5 NASB95

5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,

They had been given spiritual knowledge but they were relying on knowledge more than love.

Well, maybe I better back up and keep in context

1 Corinthians 1:4–5 NASB95

4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,

Nothing is nothing without grace, grace given, grace received by faith that enriches.

Let’s take a couple of minutes and step back and ask a couple of questions. (put on your thinking caps, look into your heart where God’s word is written, looking for your answers not particularly a scripture at this time.)

Question: How do we receive grace? (by faith)

Question: How do we come to have faith? (by the word of God, by hearing the word of God)

Question: How do we come to hear so to have faith and receive grace? (Someone shared the word of God with you to give you knowledge about faith and about grace and how grace works with your faith for your salvation; salvation through education, knowledge that brings about a heart change).

Now back to our passage

Question: In looking at (1Cor8:1) what is the subject matter being addressed?

Things offered to idols.

We all have knowledge of things, if it were not have knowledge we would not know what sin is and that we need to be forgiven it. What is the best thing we can know? JESUS, not to know of Him, but to know Him and love Him.

Question: What does Paul say (v.1) about knowledge and love?

Knowledge puffs up; love edifies

Question (not on screen or sheet) Do you think there are things you know, things you believe that can cause division or drive people away?

Knowledge, spiritual knowledge was the idols were nothing, a representation of a false god that only existed in the darkened, non-enlightened minds. It was a logical conclusion that a non-existent god could not contaminate food. But still, there were the weak Christians who were struggling, even when things are logical. Let me offer you an illustration

(Child afraid of the dark picture inserted here)

(Illustration) - not every problem is resolved with logic, take it a young child, let’s say a “baby” that is afraid of the dark, logic means nothing to the child. So knowledge does nothing for the baby, but love does so the baby may grow out of the fear of the dark.

(Transition) Now having used that illustration it is possible to grow in knowledge, bible knowledge, to know of God, but not grow in grace in a personal love relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is important that love works with knowledge and that brings us to our next point.

Love and knowledge

So knowledge puffs us, can bring pride and arrogance, it can make you judgmental. Where then love builds up, edifies and offers grace, so now let’s look together at this next section.

1 Corinthians 8:3–4 NASB95

3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.

1 Corinthians 8:4–5 NASB95

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol 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,

1 Corinthians 8:6 NASB95

6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

A few quick thoughts, reminders

Knowledge when used wrong can be arrogant, self-serving, prideful and divisive

Love when used right is humbling, inviting, encouraging, edifying and inclusive

Knowledge when used properly with love looks outward with agape love; desiring the best for others more than self.

Jesus was the perfect example of that as noted in Php2:5-8; Jesus was willing to suffer on our behalf, that is only one of many scriptures that demonstrate that.

May we remember that Paul is addressing believers, they are all believers, they all love God and belong to God through obedience, they are the church, but yet there is issues. They are striving together, heading in the same direction their heavenly home, but yet there are issues.

(Transition): Now let’s look at how Paul addresses this.

Question: What does Paul say about idols (v.4)?

There is no such thing as an idol

The reason he says that is there is no God but one (v.4).

So idols are not true Gods (v.4) and then when you look down at (v.6) see what more we can learn

Question: Beyond one God, what else does Paul tell us in (v.6)?

We exist for the one God; and exist through Jesus Christ (implied).

Love given through God so we can exist through Gods love, Jesus who was given to redeem us. Paul is speaking in love (another good example is Eph4:15)

Ephesians 4:15 NASB95

15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

It has been said

“Truth without love is brutality, but love without truth is hypocrisy”

The legalism that seems to be displayed that Paul is addressing is not the mature being legalist it is the immature, the weaker saints who are offender by people practicing their Christian freedom, liberty. It is the weak who need the security of the law, who are more apt to judge and criticize strong believers and to stumble by the liberty that they practice.

Think back to (v.1) love builds up, and that is what Paul is wanting, them to love first, love, consider others first. Stronger consider and think of the weaker, be willing to give up some Christian liberty for the sake of the weaker.

(Transition) Knowledge must be mixed, balanced with love so each can grow to the fulness of Christ together, for now we have looked at love and knowledge as well as knowledge and love and still one more point to consider, the next part of our passage.

Love, knowledge and conscience

Conscience is knowledge, truth, love mixed together, considered to act on or not act on. Conscience has to have knowledge, and the knowledge should be of the truth, and truth needs to be seen with the eyes and hands of love.

Commentator Warren Wiersbe said:

“Conscience is that internal court where our actions are judged and are either approved or condemned (consider Rom2:14-15)

Romans 2:14–15 NASB95

14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,

Question: In looking at Rom2:14-15 what does the conscience bear witness of?

It bears witness of their thoughts, either confirming (defending) or condemning (accusing)

So, now may we look at our passage together.

1 Corinthians 8:7–8 NASB95

7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.

1 Corinthians 8:9–10 NASB95

9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?

1 Corinthians 8:11–12 NASB95

11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

1 Corinthians 8:13 NASB95

13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

There is the word however in (v.7) and that is very similar to the word “therefore” it is a link between what was being said previously and what is being said now. - previously it was that there is one God we live for and One Lord Jesus Christ we live through. And now it goes on that no everyone has the same knowledge (in this case is understanding)

Question: In (v.7) What is the the conscience of the person here?

The person eating here has a weak conscience for believes they are defiled by eating food offered to an idol.

See 1Cor3:1-4; Heb5:11-14 for examples of weak conscience (implied)

So why do some have a weak conscience? It can be that they are a baby, immature Christian, not saved very long and have not had the opportunity to grow. Others because they refuse t grow and stay in state of infancy which you can look at 1Cor3:1-4; Heb5:11-14 for examples of that.

Question: In (v.8) either eating or not eating food makes you neither what?

Food eaten or not eaten does not make you better nor worse for eating (i.e. MK7:18-21) Food does not defile a man.

We know that food will not bring us closer or keep us further from God, that is knowledge, but knowledge needs to be coupled, linked with love so not to stumble our brother.

(man sitting in bar picture inserted here) - story me, bar, etc.

Look again at (vv.9-10) we don’t want to be a stumbling block to anyone

1 Corinthians 8:9–10 NASB95

Question (not on screen or handout) so, can you see how the issue is bigger than food? Can you think of things that could be a stumbling block to others?

I think there is another very important thing we need to grab from this passage.

1 Corinthians 8:11–12 NASB95

Question: in looking at (v.12) what is the sin and who is the sin against?

By exercising your liberty you may ruin your weaker brother. In doing so you are sinning against the brethren and against Christ.

Don’t be a stumbling block to your brother, even though all things are permissible, all things may not be good for the sake of others.

(Transition) - We have seen the weak conscience

The new Christian who has not had time to grow

The spoiled child Christian who refuses to grow

The scared one who is afraid to go.

The solution is that true knowledge needs to be shared, shared with love and we must be willing to give up some of our own liberties for the sake of others so not to stumble them. You can see that in (v.13)

1 Corinthians 8:13 NASB95

13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.