1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Applying Gospel Truth & Love to our Relationships 

Sermon Notes:

Gospel Truth 

“Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.”  This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.  If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.  But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

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.”  For although there may be so called gods in heaven or earth – as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords” – 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.”                                                  [1 Corinthians 8:1-6]

Gospel Love 

“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.  Food will not commend us to God.  We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.  But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.  For is 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?  And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.  Thus sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.  Therefore if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”                                [1 Corinthians 8:7-13]

Notes, Quotes & Scripture References:

Chapter s8-10  of 1 Corinthians addresses another topic that was causing division, confusion, and strained relationships within the church body in Corinth: Food sacrificed to idols.  Some of this food was sold in public marketplaces (10:25) and some of it was eaten at feasts held in the pagan temples (8:10; 10:20).

Herman Who?

How do you interpret a passage that addresses something that does not apply to our culture?

1. A text can never mean what it never meant.

2. If the particulars are the same then it is straight up God’s word to us.

3. If the particulars are different then we need to extract the principles from the situation and apply those biblical principles to our lives as God’s Word to us.

Christian Freedom

What is it?  How do we live it in community?  How do we preserve it?  How do we regulate it?

The Historical Situation in Corinth

• Should a follower of Christ eat this meat?
• Should we eat it if offered to us at someone’s house?
• How about social gatherings?
• How about eating it at the temple since it was free?

Living in community as Christians is complicated - proceed with grace!

 

 

What would Jesus do?  How did He handle situations like this?