Law, Liberty, and Love

Introduction

Good morning

Introduction

Next Steps Card

Thankful for everyone involved in our care team. Dan and Talie White run our Pastoral Care team and have an amazing heart for our church and community. I’m thankful they have stepped into this role. If you are someone that would like to help care for those at our church or that God sends to our church, fill out that next steps card and turn it into the giving boxes as you leave today.

Riley Baptism cert

Dismiss Children

We are continuing in our study through the book of 1 Corinthians and moving onto chapter 8. The rest of chapter 7 is beneficial and highlights the importance of marriage and relationships. Trust me, I’m not skipping over it because there is difficult content. If that were the case I wouldn’t have preached last weeks message.

BTW, it was encouraging to hear from many of you on how helpful that message was. It’s always good to know that God is working in the hearts of the people of our church.

IF this is your first time with us, I’ll catch you up.

We are in the book of 1 Corinthians. It is a letter written by the Apostle Paul about 5 years after the church was planted in 55Ad. While it’s called 1 Cor it is actually the second letter he wrote to them. The first one was lost in time.

This letter addresses 3 areas: Disunity in the church, Immorality in the church, and a list of questions that the people of Corinth had sent to Paul.

Last week we addressed the first question that Paul was asked regarding intimacy between man and woman.

This week we are going to the second question that has to deal with food offered to idols.

Now, quick show of hands, how many of you have plans to go down to the idol temple and eat a juicy steak today?

We don’t deal with this problem directly today do we?

However, we do deal with the principles that Paul addresses surrounding the corinthians issue with meat being offered to idols. I believe those three principles or truths are law, liberty, and love.

I’d like to share a disturbing statistic I found in preparation for this.

The Barna Group, one of America’s leading polling organizations focused on religion, conducted a sweeping survey of non-Christians aged 16 to 29 in 2007. It found that a new generation had grown skeptical of and frustrated with the Christian faith because of negative personal experience with Christians whose words and actions seemingly misrepresent Christ. A shockingly high number of respondents said they perceived present-day Christianity as judgmental (87 percent), hypocritical (85 percent), and anti-homosexual (91 percent). The study concluded that a concerning number of young non-Christians believe that Christians are, well, “unchristian.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/christian-cruelty-face-covid-19/610477/

Whether we like it or not, I believe there is a problem with 1. How Christians are perceived by non-Chrsitians and 2. How Christians act toward other people.

Now, I’m painting with a broad brush. Each of us here can name people who are believers and are the kindest, loving, and caring people towards others that believe differently than they do.

However, I believe we can also name people who say they follow Jesus yet are unkind, spiteful, judgmental, and so on and so forth.

Before we try to build ourselves us as the people who “would never do that” Go ahead and stop right now and recognize that you and I aren’t perfect, you and I deal with judgmentalism and have to tame our tongue just like the next person.

Where does this view of Christians come from though?

Well, it’s not a view that is new. Maybe a little more widespread, but not new.

When Paul writes to the Corinthians he is dealing with two different factions of people regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols. And based on what we will read in just a moments, seems as though they were judging each other as well.

What can we do about it? What we can do is learn from God through Paul’s writing and his admonition to the church at Corinth.

We can seek to know Jesus more and live out the Love He calls us to.

How do we love like Jesus? What is it that produces Love in the heart of a believer?

Follow along with me on these first few verses and let’s see what Paul had to say on the subject...

1 Corinthians 8:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

1 Cor 8:1-3

Exegete:

As we said, Paul is speaking about meat that is offered to idols. Why is this even a question?

In the city of Corinth there were primarily two places to buy meat, the market or the temple.

The market had the meat farmers were seeking to sell from the animals on their farms but at the temples, they would sell meat that had been brought to be sacrificed to idols. Because there was really no cost to the temple for acquiring the product, they could sell it for much lower cost.

This made it very appealing to purchase your meat from the temples because it would save you money.

The issue some had with this happening is that it had ben sacrificed to idols. That would be the same as if Stop and Shop ran a huge sale on Filet Mignon because it had been donated by the buddhist or wiccans who blessed it.

Just like in Corinth, I’m sure there are some of you here you would avoid stop and shop that day, not go down the aisle, or at a minimum not eat it. Then there are some of you, and this is the group I fall into, that would jump on that deal like its cool.

Paul begins to address these two factions by not discussing what is right ro wrong when ti comes to eating meat sacrificed to idols. He addresses the heart.

Well, he addresses the head and the heart. Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifies or builds up.

If you think you know somethng, you know nothing. IF you you love God, then the love of God is known by you.

Illustrate:

Knowledge puffeth up. Ever met a know it all? Someone who loves to let you know that they are right? You may not even be wrong they just want to let you know they were right.

What would we call that person? Arrogant? Prideful? Idiot? something like that.

Is that a person that you want ot have a relationship with? Not normally…unless you need help on a test right?

Why? They have all the knowledge you could ever want. They make sure you know they know what they know and pass it on to you so you can now know what they know.

President Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”

Paul expresses this same sentiment in so may words right here in verses 2 and 3.

When we study the Bible and learn the many facts, principles, truths, and proper interpretations of the text we can begin to be puffed up about what we know or the standards we have set based upon these.

We can begin to attribute godliness and holiness to biblical knowledge and how well we adhere to it.

Argue:

Some may say that we should increase our knowledge of the Bible daily. Can I challenge that thought and tell you that our purpose is reading and studying the Bible is not to know more Bible. It’s to know the God of the Bible.

The purpose of the law of the Old Testament was for the Jews to be set apart for God compare to the other cultures around them. It was for them to see the care and concern that he had for them as well. If you look at the laws of the Old Testament and consider the lifestyle of traveling through the desert or just living in the middle middle during that time, there are protections built into that for their health and livlihood.

Understanding the law and following the law are great however if your purpose in understandding and folllowing is to be considered a law keeper, you missed the point of the law…If you are seeking to undertand and know mroe bible to be considered a bible scholar or someone who keeps to the Word of God....then your missing the point.

Apply:

What did Paul mean then? Knowledge puffeth up but love strengthens? If you think you know something, you have no idea. But if you love God, it’s that know God’s love?

I. Biblical Knowledge does not Produce Love

Wait Pastor, isn’t it the Word of God that works in our hearts to change us from the inside out? Kind of.

It’s the Holy Spirit of God that works in your hearts to change you from the inside out. Paul wrote that a carnal man cannot undertand the scriptures but a spiritual man can. This isn’t a reference to their actions, it is, I beleive, a reference to the state of their faith. When we put our faith in Jesus we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God and can take the things written in the Bible and enlighten us to them.

You see, memorizing verses, reading, studying, and all things you can do with the Bible are not what will produce love. You can know it all…and love no one at all.

Love it a choice that produces an action. Paul emphasises love in this passage, as well as others we will see later. He emphasises love over scripture memory, He emphasises love over theology.

Does this mean we ignore these things? NOPE. Nope on a rope.

The people of Corinth had started looking to their knowledge to guide them rather than the Love of God that is better understood bc of reading the Word.

Paul then elaborates on their knowledge and how to interact with each other in this situation.

1 Corinthians 8:4–13 KJV 1900

4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

1 cor 8:4-13

Exegete:

In verses 4-6 Paul lays it out plainly…There is one God, and none other. idols are man made objects that hold no power and are at most the figments of a persons imagination.

So if I pray to the pink fairy god I’ve created in my mind and blow pink fairy dust on my steak, does that mean it’s bean infused with magic that will impact my relationship with God?

Nope...

However…Not everyone believes that way. Some have their conscience being weak and defiled. You see meat does not commend us toward God…eating it or not eating it…doesn’t impact our relationship with the Lord.

HOWEVER…that’s what take heed means…HOWEVER, we have to consider if our liberty to eat the steak is going to affect someone else.

Do you have the liberty as a Christian to consume alcohol? Yes. Not to the point of drunkenness because drunkeness is sin.

What about a person who has decided it is a sin for him to drink one drop of alcohol? Paul says that if you do that, you are sinning against your brother, and against Christ.

I can speak alot on this topic but I want you to focus on 2 things.

First, notice who is described as the weaker brother....The one who doesn’t properly have the knowledge of God and Liberty. Not the one who is partaking of the meat offered to an idol.

There are many that would equate drinking alcohol, doing yoga, and many other things to this exact scenario in principle. I am not telling you whether to drink or do yoga. I am telling you, I am telling you that you should seek to be conscious of those around you and ensure that you are causing them to sin.

If you are here and in the position of the weaker Christian, how should you respond?

I believe you should respond in 1 of 3 ways:

Grow. Don’t remain in a position of weakness with a defiled conscious as Paul descibres it. Seek someone out to help you understand God and His Word in such a way that do not get offended when someone eats meat offered to idols.

Give the stronger brother or sister permission to exercise their liberty and keep your own convictions. Whether you know it or not, you can believe the same thing and come to a different conclusion and be friends. Allow your friends to exercise their Liberty and you not take offense.

Establish boundaries and standards in your life to help keep you from stumbling. Offended by Christians drinking? Don’t go to a place where it will happen and don’t think less of people who do.

What about the stronger brother or sister? How do you respond? Biblical knoweldge of why you can exercise this Liberty? Nope.

Love. Love the person who has a different set of convictions than you.

Respect. Respect the person who has a different set of convictions than you.

Humility. Humbly honor them and restrict your Liberty for their sakes.

And, if you have the influence, you can offer to help them grow in this area if they want to.

Second, notice the consideration Paul gives to those who are not, according to his words, strong int he faith.

He said that as long as the world stands, he will not eat meat that would cause his brother to fall.

Let’s take that consideration and care over into the relationships you have with people in your life.

Do you love and care for others, do you have compassion for other people enough to not offend with your Liberty?

Do you have the compassion for another to restrict what you say, adjust how you say things so that they will not be offended or hurt by your words or actions?

Paul is again making the argument for unity in the church based upon the love of God and the gospel rather than the knowledge or opinions of man.

Illustrate:

You know something I’ve been guilty of…well I say guilty becuase some look at it that way but personally, I think it’s a quality trait.

Maybe some of you are like me and I hope this will encourage you.

I’m guilty of learning a “rule” and why it exists, and if it doesn’t make sense....I don’t follow it

I know…I’m terrible. I work on it. This was an issue in the Marine Corps, trust me.

There are a couple of those rules around here.

Many of you know the fireworks laws in the state? None that leave the ground for individuals right?

How many of you saw those in your neighborhood around 4th of July? I’m not going to ask how many of those we saw were from you but…rule that gets broken...

Also, just found out last week. It’s illegal to own a can of Silly String in Southington.

Anyone else want to go to a park in Southington and have a Silly String fight?

We may want to but we don’t…or shouldn’t.

I consider this the American trait in me.

However, if me disobeying this arbitrary rule set forht by the town of Southington or the state, is going to impact my relationship with others…I shoudl forgo that action.

You see, I have the knowledge to operate a can of silly string without causing harm to someone

I’ve set off many fireworks that go in the air in Arizona and in Tennesee, so I can do that to.

But just because I have the knowledge of something doesn’t make it ok to do it.

Apply:

Believers in Jesus are not pursuing knowledge. That’s what the Greeks were known for. Their pursuit of knowelldge. Many of the great philosophers that are often quoted today come from Greece and their knowledge is what they are known for.

Jesus wasn’t known for His knowledge. Yes He was seen as a wise man and being God He obviously was however the exchange of ideas isn’t what he commanded us to do.

1 John 4:7–8 KJV 1900

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:7-8

You can have the knowledge of God to be free and everything short of sin. But if you do it without love...

1 Corinthians 13:1 KJV 1900

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

1 Cor 13:1

If you share your knowledge without love…your as annoying as a clanging cymbal.

If you pursue knowledge looking for love well…your looking for love in all of the wrong places. If your purusing knowldge so you can have more liberty, then you should understand

II. Biblical Knowledge doesn’t license Liberty

Just because you know you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Law and Liberty are not the focus of the New Testament Christian.

Christians focused on law focus on the trivial matters of life and how everyone else measures up to their convictions.

Christians focused on Liberty, concern themselves with all of the thing they can do under grace and how no one can judge me but God.

Both of thee focuses comes from a concern of knowing more biblical knowledge.

Again, caveat, knnowing more Bible is a good thing. However if your focused on Knowing the Bible and neglecting the God of teh Bible…you missed the point of the Bible.

Jesus said Abide in me and I will Abide in you. Abiding means being with. We have attributed the only means to be with Jesus is to read our Bible.

Hey ya’ll…yea I said it…ya’ll, The Corinthians DID NOT HAVE THIS BIBLE…The New Testament Church was without the collection of letters for many years yet Jesu still said “Abide in me and I will abide in you”

He said if two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in their midst.

I am here to encourage you today, not to stop reading your Bible, not to stop learning the truths and principles in your Bible, but to stop thinking that the more you know about the Bible the more spiritual and close to Christ you will be.

Go out and serve others in His name. Do it with 2-3 people. He will be present with you.

People will see the love of Jesus being shone.

They should hear the gospel from you and how Jesus has impacted your life.

The Bible doesn’t say God is knowledge…The Bibel say God is love.

Love is an action verb that must be chosen to be exrcised.

Christians, have you been resting on the fact that you come to church, you read your Bible, and you listen to Christian music as your means of knowing God?

Maybe that’s our problem…we’ve been trying to get to know more about God rather than getting other peoplle to just know God.

We’ve been trying to educate ourselves on such deep parts of scripture so we can really grasp the knowledge God has for us in the Word that we forgot to show the Love God has for us in the world.

Oswald Chambers said “Never try to explain God until you’ve obeyed Him. The only part of God we understand is the part we have obeyed.”

Are you obeying the two great commandments Jesus referenced in your life?

Love God, Love Others?

If you do that you will make a gospel impact on those around you.

Time of Response

Have you been so focused on knowing the Bible you forgot to get to know God better?

Have you been just trying to learn more about God rather than show God to others?

Would you ask the Holy Spirit to help you know God more by obeying Him and serving others? Would you ask for opportunities to serve in the church and in the community so people may know Jesus?

Are you a person that has been hurt by Christians or churches that knew alot of Bible but little of the Love God said to show of the Bible?

I’m sorry you experienced that. PLease forgive them and see their humanity.

Then see the God of the Bible and how great He is. See Jesus as the Savior who died for you.