The Topmost Aim of Every Believer’s Life!
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Introduction
Introduction
Today we continue our journey through 1 Corinthians. That journey leads us to the second high point of chapter 10.
If you recall, I mentioned last week that there are two high points of this chapter. The first was 1 Corinthians 10:13
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
In this verse, the Holy Spirit helps us understand the temptations we face and how God views them. With God’s help, we can overcome anything that stands in our path. However, the key is that we do it His way, not ours.
The second high point comes in our text today. Look in your Bibles and read with me 1 Corinthians 10:29-33
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Last week, the Holy Spirit identified five assessments we can use to determine if we should or should not do certain activities associated with the world. At the heart of those five assessments was this. God created us with a brain by which we can think and do. The brain provides cognitive reasoning and understanding that supersedes all other animals here on earth. We often say we have a mind to do this or that. In fact, our minds associated with our brains are how we make immediate decisions. Right now, some of you have the mind to listen to me, and others have already turned to think of what they will have for lunch when I am done. The mind is a beautiful thing. The ability to reason, think, and then act is incredible. In our text last week and today, we have the word “conscience.” In our text, it is used five times.
Doing a closer study of the word “conscience,” we find this.
In Greek, it means “knowing with.” Essentially, it is used to indicate co-knowledge.
Conscience is the witness within one’s self which drives us to act.
Another implication is this.
Conscience is the faculty by which we, as believers, apprehend the will of God allowing it to govern our lives.
Here is how I have come to understand it from studying Scripture. Before salvation, men and women are spiritually dead. When a person places their complete faith in all that God has done through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (His death, burial, and resurrection for our salvation), God resurrects them spiritually, making them alive unto Him. At that exact moment, He places His Spirit within them.
As a result, God’s Spirit, in conjunction with His Word, utilizes our conscience as a spiritual indicator. If there is sin in our lives, we feel guilt. That is warning sign that something is wrong in our relationship with God. We must not ignore it. However, when we live in harmony with Him through obedience to His Word, our conscience is at ease.
Last week’s text taught us that our “conscience” is a significant player in our decision to do things associated with the world. There were two key verses.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
In verse 25, we are encouraged to eat anything that would not violate our conscience. In other words, if you want to eat the pagan sacrificed meat sold in the meat market, eat it. It is just meat.
However, in verse 28, if you are with another believer who strongly believes in not eating such meat, then don’t eat it.
Here comes another argument presented in verse 29 of today’s text.
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
I do not eat the meat for my conscience’s sake; instead, I do it for my brother’s. So if that is the case, why should I allow another person’s conscience to judge what I am eating, drinking, or whatever I do?
It is a great question. However, before we get to the answer, let’s look at the next verse.
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
This question is a little more challenging. Note the phrase “if I by GRACE be a partaker.” Essentially, the question is argued on the point of grace. This is not a direct reference to God’s grace. Grace, defined on a very literal level, focuses on two things. It indicates favor on the part of the one giving and on the thankfulness of the one receiving. Remember now the context here. Returning to verses 27 and 28, we are sitting with another believer who strongly opposes eating pagan sacrificed meat. Both of us are partakers of God’s grace. God is the One Who provides all things, including our salvation. The Holy Spirit reinforced this twice by proclaiming “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof” in verses 26 and 28. Thus, the essence of the question in verse 30 is a complaint. If I have the liberty to enjoy God’s many bountiful blessings (meat, drink, etc) of God, why then should someone speak evil of me? In other words, why should I give consideration to someone else (believer or nonbeliever) in anything I choose to do as long as it doesn’t violate my conscience? That is the real heart of the matter.
You can really boil it all down to this. A strong believer should carefully weigh their actions regarding a weaker brother or sister. At the same time, the strong believer must not let the opinion of others restrict them from doing what they know is right before the Lord. In the end, each of us has a responsibility before the Lord to please Him.
When it comes time to stand for the things of the Lord, we must stand with confidence regardless of any person’s opinions - strong or weak, believer or unbeliever.
That is the essence of the coming answer from the Holy Spirit.
Here comes the Holy Spirit’s answer. He begins with our number one objective in life as a believer.
Our Objective - Glorifying God!
Our Objective - Glorifying God!
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Here is the second high point of this chapter. Everything in our life, as believers, must be done with God’s glory as our aim.
The Holy Spirit is particular here.
If you eat, drink, or whatsoever you do, do all...
I am not sure how you can get around this verse. It is pretty explicit in its instructions. It is not about our glory. Anything we put into our body and any action we take with our body must be about God’s glory. Our desires, pleasures, and interests must be set aside, and His glory must be preeminent.
In the end, all issues regarding what we do in light of believers and nonbelievers boil down to this question, “What would Jesus do?” No person ever lived on earth that ultimately glorified God in all He did or said outside the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our ultimate example. This we see clearly in Christ’s great prayer in John 17.
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Our primary responsibility is to follow His example.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Going back to Matthew 5:16 we find the hope in our objective. We are to live as reflective lights of the Light of the Word, Jesus. Doing good works (aka obeying Christ’s commands) is how others see His light through us. As we do, we “glorify” God the Father. All of which leads us to the next point of our text.
Our Hope - Rescuing Souls!
Our Hope - Rescuing Souls!
Why should we be concerned about our testimony before others? What is the overall hope of becoming all things to all people?
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
That is the aim. We do it so that folks might be saved. I will come back to that in just a moment. However, for now, go back to verse 32.
We are instructed to-
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
Here we find the word “offense.” In its original sense, it means “not causing to stumble.” The essence of its use in verse 32 is that we refrain from doing anything in leading someone astray. That verse, in conjunction with verse 33, speaks to the fact that we must be cautious in our testimony to unbelievers. The Holy Spirit even gives us the extent to which we must maintain our testimony. Look again at verse 32.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
Here the Holy Spirit gives us the three main groups of all mankind in the sight of God.
There are the Jews. Many Jews, even today, still do not accept Christ as God’s Son.
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
God utilized His people for our blessings. Through them, we have His Word. Through them, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ came as Messiah and Savior for all men. Unfortunately, many Jews have a distorted view of Christianity and are suspicious of local churches. However, our responsibility is to love them. Our job is to glorify God in all we do so that we might have opportunities to reach them.
There are the Gentiles (us who are not Jews). Gentiles make up the vast majority of the world’s population. Every person, regardless of race, skin color, or worldview, is to be reached with the Gospel of Christ. We then must glorify God with our lives so that we do not cause offense but instead opportunities to share God’s love with them.
We are to see both Jews and Gentiles as Christ sees them.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Then there is the local church. Look again at verse 32.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
We are to glorify God so that we might “edify” one another. Our duty is not just to the lost around us but also to our fellow believers.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
That last verse leads us back to our hope - the rescue of lost souls.
Our primary mission as believers and a local church is given in the four Gospels and the book of Acts.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
This commission from Christ is underscored by the last verse of our text.
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
The Holy Spirit, through Paul, expresses the one thing that should drive our efforts with all men. Everything we do, we do not for our own interest, profit, gain, or desires. Instead, we do it for the profit of many.
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
We glorify God by living lives that are pleasing unto Him so that we might be valuable instruments in reaching others seeking to rescue them, as our text indicates.
The word “saved” means delivered from danger and suffering. Undoubtedly, people all around us are on the path to eternal torment. They are in trouble right now. We hope that by pleasing God with our lives, He can use us as lifelines. Our desire should be the same as the great hymn entitled “Rescue the Perishing.” Listen for a moment to the words.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave,
Weep o’er the erring one, Lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.
Here are the words of the last verse.
Rescue the perishing, Duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide.
Back to the narrow way Patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior had died.
Folks that is the essence of what we have learned today. We have a tremendous job to do. There is a world all around us that needs to hear the life-changing message of the Gospel. Our family members, friends, and co-workers are on a dangerous path of eternal suffering and separation. We MUST do our duty. It is demanded of us by our Lord and our love for others.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Note this last thought, and we are done. Heading into chapter 11, the Holy Spirit turns His attention to the affairs of the local church. The following four chapters deal with everything within the worship and makeup of a local church. The subjects range from leadership to the use of spiritual gifts. He begins, however, with leadership saying in 1 Corinthians 11:1
1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Remember that the Holy Spirit is using Paul as example. Thus, He, the Holy Spirit is saying follow Paul’s leadership as God’s apostle. Paul, in turn, was to follow Christ. Here is the thought.
We are to follow Biblically ordained leadership as they follow Christ. It is a process that God has ordained, and we will see more of that subject next week. Yet, all of us, I included as your pastor, are to follow the Lord. We are to know His commandments and obey them. As we do, we place ourselves, as I said before, in a position where God can effectively use us in reaching our family, friends, and fellow countrymen for Him.
Our Objective is to glorify God with all that we do. Our Hope is to rescue souls as we do so.
Perhaps you are here this morning and have never placed total faith in Christ. You can glorify Him today but doing just that. Here is what you must do.
Acknowledge and own the fact that you are indeed a sinner.
Confess and repent of your sinful condition.
Accept with your heart by faith all Christ has done for you. (His death, burial, and resurrection)
Go to Him right now, acknowledging and repenting of your sin. Confess with our mouth your sinfulness and His complete payment for your sin through His death, burial, and resurrection. Believe it with all your heart.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Don’t delay. Glorify Him today by believing and accepting all that He has done.
Believer, are you living a life by which God can use you to rescue others? Our motto for this year is behind me on the wall. It is Souls to Rescue:2022. We can be used to rescue souls only if we are putting God first in our life. He must be glorified in all things. When we do, then our obedience opens the door for our usefulness. Live for Him! Commit to making Him first in all things! Let’s be a church full of people glorifying God with our lives so we can impact our community for Him!