ordinary christianity for the world.
Corinth, A Church Divided, 1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Poetic Praise
Not About "Me"
1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Paul has been talking about our freedom in Christ, that in Christ people are free from superstition and godless cultural practices. He began this section in chapter 8 talking about various food prohibitions and practices as an example of Christian freedom. He had elsewhere discussed the fact that Christians are free from the Old Testament food laws. Here he showed that Christians are also free from Pagan food practices.
What made the Old Testament food laws binding was the power of God. And what freed people from those Old Testament food laws was the power of Christ. Here he argues that only God has spiritual power, and God has given all spiritual authority and power to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18). Therefore, the Pagan gods have no power. Their sacrifices and ceremonies have no consequences, and so whatever power was thought to be transmitted to food that had been sacrificed to idols was nonexistent because false gods had no power to begin with.
Therefore, Christians could eat food that had been sacrificed or dedicated to pagan idols because they knew that there was no spiritual power associated with such food. Pagan idols were dead and powerless to do anything. So, there was no danger or threat from such idols or from anything associated with them.
And yet Paul did make a case against eating food that had been sacrificed or dedicated to idols that was based, not on the power of Pagan idols, but on the weakness of Christian brothers. Paul had argued that practicing radical Christian freedom in the presence of weaker Christians, Christians who did not fully or correctly take their own weaknesses into consideration, could result in the overestimation of their own strength, their own ability to resist the pull of their old Pagan habits, and lead them back into sin. Therefore it was incumbent upon the more mature Christians to model faithfulness in such a way as not to lead other Christians astray. It was an argument, not based on Christian freedom, but based on Christian responsibility to one's weaker, less mature brothers and sisters. Of course Christians are free, but we are also responsible to God and for one another.
"'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up'" (v. 23). Lawful is a correct translation of the Greek, but in this context it means permissible. Paul is saying that while all things are permitted, not all permitted things are helpful, not all permitted things contribute to Christian growth and maturity. Sometimes some things that are permitted should be avoided, if not for our own sake then for the sake of others.
Paul goes on, "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 — I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?" (vs. 28-29).
We may ask why we should not be free to express our freedom in Christ any way we please. God is sovereign, Christ is Lord, and Christians are free in Christ. All of these things are true. However, said Paul, "Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor" (v. 24). This hearkens back to Jesus admonition in Matthew 20:25-28: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve."
Having children provides this same lesson. Before children parents are free to do all sorts of things for their own benefit and pleasure. But when children are in the home, some things must be curtailed — not because they are wrong, not because they are forbidden or unlawful, but because children are prone to mimic behaviors they see without discernment. "Monkey see, monkey do," as the old adage goes. Children learn by imitation, so adults need to do only those things that will not be abused or misused by those who are less discerning.
Christians are free to eat whatever is available at the market without concerns about propriety, morality or conscience. Because Pagan rituals have no spiritual power there is no spiritual danger from Pagan ritual foods. But if someone makes a point about the fact that the food is associated with Pagan rituals, if someone brings it up, if someone points it out to you, then there is another concern.
This new concern is not about the food, or your freedom to eat whatever you want, but about the person who brought up the concern. If it was not an issue for that person, he would not have brought it up. So, if the concern is raised, it is a real concern. And it is incumbent upon the more mature Christian to set an example that will not be misinterpreted by the less mature Christian, or by the person who has yet to confess Christ as Lord. At this point, the issue is not the food or the power of Pagan gods, but service to a fellow or potential Christian. Our obligation to be of service to others trumps our freedom in Christ.
Paul has delineated an important principle here, that the controlling conscience among Christians is the weaker conscience, or we could say the more sensitive conscience. We should think of it as setting a good example. But let's not forget that while we want to set a good example, we must not forget or neglect the greater responsibility to teach our children how to discern good and evil for themselves.
That's what it's really all about — knowing the difference between good and evil so that we can follow the good and avoid the evil. For children these things are pretty black and white. As we experience more of the world, we find that what was once black and white shifts into various shades of gray. With worldly experience comes accommodation and tolerance. The more we experience a thing, the more tolerant we become of it and the more we accommodate ourselves to it, regardless of what we think of it. Over time it becomes more of a commonplace element in our experience. We take less notice of it and just accept it as part of our environment.
This psychological process of accommodation is the basis of the long strategy to make homosexuality (sin) acceptable. The first time a Christian encounters it he is repulsed. It is dismissed without consideration because of the biblical prejudice against it.
Make no mistake that the Bible is prejudiced against homosexuality — and against sin, as it should be. Prejudice is not a bad thing. I am prejudiced against getting run over by a truck, and against drinking poison, against theft and against extortion, and a host of other things. I don't have to experience such things to know about them.
The Bible is not balanced and objective, it is true. Truth is not balanced and objective, where balanced means taking into consideration many perspectives and objective means not having a particular point of view. God does not have many perspectives, though we must not neglect the diversity of the Trinity. God has a particular point of view, and what is more, He wants us to share that point of view because it provides the only means of having a sustainable relationship with Him. God is not interested in examining the various points of view about a thing. He already knows what is right and what is wrong. God does not want us considering or thinking about things are are wrong (evil) in order to make some objective evaluation of them. God has already evaluated everything, and we are to follow God's determinations provided in Scripture.
Paul raises two questions that must be kept together. "For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?" (vs. 29-30). They are the same question phrased differently in order to make a particular point. Again, Paul is not just asking questions as if he expects an answer. He is raising questions to make a point. And what is that point?
The point is that the relationship that Christians have with one another is more important than the exercise of our right to do whatever we want. If I give thanks to God for some food that has been dedicated to idols, knowing that I am free in Christ to eat it without fear of the contamination of idolatry, then why does that freedom lead to my condemnation by others who are equally free in Christ, but who are still fearful of being contaminated by sin. Clearly, these weaker Christians are at fault for not believing or trusting in the power and authority of Jesus Christ to protect them from the false power of false gods.
And yet, while all of this is true, Paul makes the point that we must forgo our personal freedom in order to maintain a relationship of trust and unity with those whose faith is not as strong as ours. Paul's point is that the bond of fellowship in the church is more important than our individual freedoms in Christ. The freedom to eat a particular meal or to exercise a momentary pleasure pales in comparison with our responsibility to maintain the bond of fellowship with others who are not as far along as we are. Our greater responsibility is to help teach them the fullness of God's truth. But we cannot do that if they do not trust us. Our freedom in Christ cannot be used to disrupt the solidarity of the church.
The point is that Christian freedom is not simply the freedom to do whatever you want, but is the freedom to do what Christ wants you to do. The point is not that Christians are free from God to follow their own hearts or the cultural expectations of their society, but that Christians are free from the cultural expectations of their society to follow the dictates of God.
Why would Christians want to be free from God or free from doing what pleases God? Why would you not want to do what pleases God? We love God. We honor the Lord. We are followers of Jesus Christ, obedient to the will of Jesus Christ, whose ministry enabled and enforced the will of God in Scripture without changing a jot or tittle of God's law (Matthew 5:18). In Christ Christians want to live in obedience to Scripture. If you don't want to live in such obedience, you need to reevaluate your love for Jesus Christ and your understanding of the gospel. If you are not willing to forsake a meal for the sake of your brothers and sisters in Christ, how could you possibly be willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus into persecution?
"These things I command you, so that you will love one another. If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me" (John 15:17-21).
Paul is saying that Christians who are hell-bent on exercising their own freedom in Christ without regard for its effect upon others — even if they are ultimately theologically correct, even if those effected are wrong in their understanding of Christian freedom, should not be viewed as leaders because their leadership is self-centered rather than other-centered. Christian leadership is not self-centered. Freedom without regard for others is divisive and is not in harmony with God's call for Christian unity and service. Again, service trumps freedom.
In summary of this section on Christian freedom that began in chapter eight, Paul says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 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" (vs. 31-33).
We are to give God glory in everything that we say and do. God is the first priority of a Christian. Pleasing God and serving God are our first priorities. Jesus said, "do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-34). Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Keep this in mind because the next thing that Paul said can come into conflict with the idea of pleasing and serving God. What did he say? "Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God" (v. 32). But the Jews were terribly offended by Jesus and by Paul. Paul offended the Greeks on Mars Hill, and just about everywhere he went. And now Paul was in the midst of offending the church at Corinth as he called them from apostasy to faithfulness. So how are we to understand this? How can we put God first without offending the world?
Paul sets himself up as an example to follow in this regard. He said that he tried to please everyone in everything that he did. Really? Well, that's what he said, and yet Paul is perhaps the most offensive of the biblical writers. The Jews hated Paul, the Greeks couldn't stomach him, and the church... Again, there were those who loved Paul and there were those who hated him. And the difference had to do with Paul's instruction to "do all to the glory of God" (v. 31).
Those who loved God loved Paul. Those who loved God understood Paul. Those who loved God protected Paul (Acts 9:25). So, did Paul really try "to please everyone in everything" (v. 33)? Yes. But we need to keep these two injunctions together: 1) to do all to the glory of God and 2) to work to please everyone in everything. The order is significant. The glory of God outranks pleasing people. We are not to please people at the expense of the glory of God, but are to refrain from offending people unnecessarily apart from doing things to the glory of God. We are not to go out of our way to offend people, but are to do everything possible to keep from offending them without demeaning the glory of God.
In other words, the only reason that anyone should have for being offended with us is that they don't like the fact that we always put God first. If someone is to be offended, they should not be offended by us. Our manners, consideration and comportment must be of the highest order. We must always operate above board, in the open with honesty and integrity — all the while putting God first in all things. Paul clarifies himself by adding, "not seeking my own advantage" (v. 33). Paul is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, he is not his own servant. He does not put his own interests first, nor does he put them second. First is God, then he puts the interests and concerns of others before his own. He puts the good of the many — the people of God — before his own personal good.
But neither does he simply give people what they want. Rather, his concern is "that they may be saved" (v. 33). His first priority is God's glory, his second priority is to serve the cause or plan of salvation among the people of God. His concern is not their well-being, nor their happiness, nor their comfort or desires. Rather, his concern is their salvation. Paul has simply reflected Jesus' command to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).
The kingdom of God is the realm of his people. God's people live in the kingdom of God. We seek to live in God's kingdom, to live as if God was king — because He is! And we are to seek His righteousness, not our own. We don't have any righteousness. The only righteousness that the people of God have is Christ's righteousness that has been imputed to us. It is real righteousness, but it is not ours. Yet, we are to strive for it by giving ourselves to Christ in everything. Thus, we are to give God the glory in all we do and help one another to give God the glory in all that they do.
No one is able to accomplish this by him- or herself. We must rely upon Christ first, and we must rely upon His people — the church — in mutual accountability and responsibility. We are to hold one another accountable and responsible to serve God and to give God the glory in all that we say and do. May it be so among us.
