Bible Reading for June 14 – I Corinthians 10:14-11:1

Many times, when we are having trouble figuring out what to do, it’s because we are asking the wrong question. The people in Corinth knew that idols were phony, and so they knew that any meat that had been offered to idols was not magically altered in some way (v. 19). So, they didn’t understand why they shouldn’t exercise their Christian liberty and eat such meat.

But Paul wanted them to take a step back and shift their focus from their rights to their relationships. When they took the bread and the wine of the Lord’s Supper, they knew they were expressing their union with Christ by faith. But they also knew they were demonstrating their unity with other believers (v. 17).

So, why would they want to hurt a fellow believer’s conscience if he were to come to the wrong conclusion that they were engaging in an idolatrous ceremony (vv. 28-29)? By eating meat offered to idols, why would they want to give anyone the impression that they were joining themselves to demons (v. 21)? What would ignoring the thoughts and feelings of other Christians do to the unity that is supposed to exist within the Church?

No, the question we should all be asking isn’t, “How much can I take advantage of my Christian liberty?” Instead, we should be asking, “How can I best glorify God and bless God’s people?” For if that is our greatest desire, we would seek to avoid even the appearance of impropriety so that either unbelievers or our fellow Christians wouldn’t get the wrong idea. In fact, we would make the glory of God our ultimate aim, no matter what we are doing (v. 31), so that more and more people might trust in Christ and be saved (v. 33).

So, what question are we asking today? Are we focusing on our rights or our relationships? And what does that say about how accurately we are imitating Jesus (11:1)?

I Corinthians 10:14-11:1 (ESV)

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
16 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?
17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 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.
21 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.
22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.
24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience–
29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.