Christian Liberty
1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted
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What is the Gospel?
What is the Gospel?
The Practical Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling (Gospel)
Sometimes the good news is obscured by those who load all sorts of baggage on it. Paul defined the gospel clearly and succinctly in 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 as consisting of two points; those two points were also preached throughout the book of Acts. What are they? First, that Christ died for the sins of His people and, second, that God raised Him bodily from the dead. Both facts, Paul affirmed, were according to the Old Testament scriptures. He was thinking of the prophecies and the types and ceremonies.Those who believe (depend upon) this message for salvation are Christians. Those who believe something else, are not. Sometimes works and ceremonies are added to the gospel. Paul vigorously fought against all such things in Galatians. He carried the problem to the Jerusalem council, where the matter was settled in his favor. Never allow counselees to become confused about what the gospel is. It is not good works to be performed; it is good news to be believed. News is not something to do; it is the report of something past—something that has already been done.
Why is the law not enough to save God’s people?
Why is the law not enough to save God’s people?
Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition Law and Gospel
law and gospel. This phrase describes the relationship between the Old Testament—more specifically the will of God as communicated in the Torah and Ten Commandments—and the New Testament and the good news of Jesus. Historically, *Lutheran theology favors a more distinct division between condemnatory law and justifying gospel, whereas *Reformed theology emphasizes a positive third use of the law for Christians under the gospel, whereby the law does not simply show us our sin but also helps us know how to live our lives before the holy God. Furthermore, whereas Reformed theologians make this distinction, many also recognize that the law itself is a gift, and thus God’s grace precedes the law and enables both freedom from the law’s curse and the ability to obey.
Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition Law, Three Uses
law, three uses. A distinction made by many Reformers, notably John *Calvin, between three different functions of the moral law as revealed in Scripture. The first or civil use of the law is its role in restraining *sin and promoting order within society as a whole, to the extent that civil laws are based on God’s moral law. The second or pedagogical use is the law’s power to convict sinners and drive them to Christ for mercy and forgiveness. The third or normative use of the law is its ability to provide a beautiful blueprint for holy living, and is therefore an entirely positive function.
English Standard Version (Chapter 8)
1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
What is Paul doing here? He is responding to questions from the Corinthian church. He did the same in the beginning of chapter 6.
English Standard Version Chapter 15
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
What is said at the Jerusalem council through the Holy Spirit? There are 4 things that those who follow Christ must abstain from in order to be a part of the body or assembly of Christ. 1 Cor 8 could be portrayed in contradiction to the 4 things commanded by the Apostles and elders to abstain from. The most important factor here, as in most of the new testament and covenant, lays in the heart and conscience of the Christian believer. If the Christian devotes time or money to things that his conscience tell him are idols - he is in dangerous territory. But just like sex outside of God’s design is always sexual immorality - that does not preclude us from having God designed sex in marriage. Likewise - just because something is idolized by the world (e.g., like sex) doesn’t make it so for those mature in the faith.
English Standard Version Chapter 8
2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
What type of knowledge is written about? A mature knowledge of God without the love of God.
Our knowledge vs God knowing us? What is the fruit of God knowing us? These are two separate things - God knows us intimately just like Adam knows Eve in Genesis. When we love God, he abides in us and knows us. John 14:15-17
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Why is knowledge essential but insufficient?
English Standard Version Chapter 8
4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Does an idol have real existence? Are there many small g gods and lords? Who posses the knowledge that there is just one Lord?
Read
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
What is meant by idols? What are these small gods and lords? What type of idols surround us today?
Examples of idols that corrupt the weak Christian and and are worshiped by the modern world - Your vocation, Money in your bank, What other people think of you, Sex, Worldly things you covet like houses and cars and phones and vacations or, Movies, Entertainment, food, and lastly your health. These things unto themselves are powerless - deaf, dumb, and dead. These things we make into idols, often times are good things created through God’s providence.
It is sometimes hard to understand how idols, which in this passage are relating to temples or carved images, can still affect us in the world today. God has given us dominion over all things on earth- but in our fallen state we pervert these things and make idols of them when we worship them. Often we spend more time and effort devoted to the created things than to the creator. No longer do we setup temples like in Corinth, but we can spend just as much time devoted to buying a bigger house or new car.
God has a purpose for each one of us and has set us out each in a specific vocation. But how many of us find our identity in that vocation instead of in Christ? When asked by someone to tell them about what you - what do you say first? Is what you do, or your vocation, the first thing out of your mouth? When you stand before Jesus at the final judgement, will you say you had the coolest or most prestigious career? Will you tell Jesus how you climbed the career ladder?Will the book of life be opened in revelation? Or will the book of most talented - fill in the blank job? Our jobs and duties are God given, but they do not define us. More so - does this assembly of God need you to be the next Audie Murphy, Samuel Allito, or Steve Jobs or to be a dutiful follower of Christ? To often we sacrifice our faith and Christian identity on the alter of job title.
God has likewise, through His providence, given you an inheritance to include a house and a car. Ps 16:5-6
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
The world and the immature Christian can idolize this beautiful inheritance. How much time is spent thinking about the better house - the better location - the better car. This is covetousness and goes against the moral law of God. We once again raise created things above God by devoting our mind to attaining them or constantly wanting them.
One last example of modern idols before we move on. How much time do you devote to entertainment? Binge watching a new streaming series once a week or month? How antithetical to God is media you consume? What does it seem like the actors are worshiping?
What about catching every big game all Saturday or Sunday in the Fall and all of March Madness in the spring?
What about video games for hours a week that give you a sense of dominion over a counterfeit reality?
Do you spend more time on sports for you or your kids during the week than you do with followers of Christ living life together?
Do you spend more time listening to your Spotify playlist than you do listening to Gods word?
Lastly - your money - when Jesus looks at your bank account and how you spend your money what does he see? This is not definitive but usually a very good indicator about what we worship. Do you spend more yearly on vacation than you do supporting Jesus’ great commission? What about your cars?
English Standard Version Chapter 8
7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
Will food commend us to God? No - nothing we eat or drink or do or say will commend us to God. We must abide in God and his word. John 15:1-7
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
What happens to those with weak conscience when Christian liberty is exercised? Read 1 Cor 8:11
And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.
Who does the mature Christian sin against? Read 1 Cor 8:12
Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
Are all believers at the same level of knowledge and maturity? v8 Will knowledge save you? Will the law?
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.
Is it lawful for mature Christians to do things with a clear conscience? Is it loving if it makes another stumble?
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In Summary:
Are your brothers and sisters in Christ at different levels of maturity? Yes, we who believe in Christ for salvation are at different points in our journey and have different levels of maturity.
Does food commend you to God? No - John 14:23 Does the law? Does your knowledge? What commends you to God?
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Our Christian liberty frees us - but should not define us. What is the danger of engaging with a perceived idols? To us? To them?
Application Questions:
What is the new commandment given specifically to the disciples in John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Are you weak in your faith, what idols do you keep?
Are you mature in your faith, is your Christian liberty a stumbling block to the weaker brothers and sisters who walk around you? Do you talk about how cool your job is or how well you have done for yourself? About the vacations and things you might have?
Is our church lovingly admonishing one another whose Christian liberty is causing brothers and sisters to stumble?
Is our church preaching the law? Is it preaching all things are permissible? Is our church preaching the Gospel? Is it abiding in God’s Word?
End with reading Col 3:1-17
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Take Communion 1 Cor 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.