WEBVTT 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:10.519 Today, please turn with me to the book of 1 Corinthians 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:15.640 chapter 10. We're going to be looking at verses 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:22.839 23 to 33, finishing out this chapter. And actually, 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:26.000 I failed to include this in, we are going to 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:31.800 include chapter 11 verse 1, which... in my opinion 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:34.240 and in the opinion of many others, goes with 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:36.719 the former passage and really should be verse 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:41.840 34 of chapter 10. Remember that the chapter divisions 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:45.039 in the scripture were not inspired. They were 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:48.799 put there at a later time. And I think in this 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:52.079 case, they got it off by a verse. Our subject 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.700 today is seven aspects of Christian liberty. 00:00:57.840 --> 00:01:02.799 seven aspects of christian liberty let's begin 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:07.420 reading here in verse 23 all things are lawful 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:12.299 for me but not all things are helpful all things 00:01:12.299 --> 00:01:17.159 are lawful for me but not all things edify let 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:21.459 no one seek his own but each one the other's 00:01:21.459 --> 00:01:25.040 well -being eat whatever is sold in the meat 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.379 market Asking no questions for conscience sake. 00:01:28.540 --> 00:01:30.980 For the earth is the Lord's and all its fullness. 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:35.140 If any of those who do not believe invites you 00:01:35.140 --> 00:01:38.379 to dinner and you desire to go, eat whatever 00:01:38.379 --> 00:01:41.280 is set before you. Asking no questions for conscience 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:45.000 sake. But if anyone says to you, this was offered 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:48.310 to idols. Do not eat it for the sake of the one 00:01:48.310 --> 00:01:51.549 who told you and for conscience sake. For the 00:01:51.549 --> 00:01:55.049 earth is the Lord's and all its fullness. Conscience, 00:01:55.150 --> 00:01:57.750 I say, not your own, but that of the other. For 00:01:57.750 --> 00:02:00.409 why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience? 00:02:00.670 --> 00:02:03.510 But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken 00:02:03.510 --> 00:02:06.689 of for the food over which I gave thanks? Therefore, 00:02:06.810 --> 00:02:11.310 whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, 00:02:11.509 --> 00:02:16.199 do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, 00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:18.599 either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:21.620 church of God. Just as I also please all men 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:24.560 in all things, not seeking my own profit, but 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:27.960 the profit of many that they may be saved. Imitate 00:02:27.960 --> 00:02:32.800 me just as I imitate, just as I also imitate 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:38.099 Christ. Let's pray. Our Father, we look at this 00:02:38.099 --> 00:02:41.500 passage of scripture as Paul closes out this 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:44.719 subject. And we pray, Father, for the illumination 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:47.659 of the Spirit of God. We pray for the power of 00:02:47.659 --> 00:02:50.180 the Spirit of God to teach this well, to teach 00:02:50.180 --> 00:02:52.580 it properly with sound doctrine. We pray that 00:02:52.580 --> 00:02:54.460 you would open up our hearts, Lord, to hear, 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:58.539 to apply, to see, and to glorify you. We ask 00:02:58.539 --> 00:03:01.039 for your blessing in this time together. And 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:03.780 may the words of my mouth be acceptable in your 00:03:03.780 --> 00:03:10.080 sight. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. In the passage 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.560 before us today, Paul draws to a close in this 00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:16.879 letter regarding the broad subject of Christian 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:20.259 liberty. He gives an excellent summation and 00:03:20.259 --> 00:03:24.000 concluding remarks that are vital for understanding 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:28.219 this subject. For a moment, let's just consider 00:03:28.219 --> 00:03:32.960 our great God, who in his great wisdom and love 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:37.139 and understanding has given us as his creatures 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:43.659 so much freedom and liberty. God in his providence 00:03:43.659 --> 00:03:47.860 is sovereign over all things, and yet he grants 00:03:47.860 --> 00:03:51.479 us so much liberty and freedom to do what we 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:55.180 choose, what we like, what we enjoy. Indeed, 00:03:55.400 --> 00:04:00.520 how great and glorious and majestic is our God. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.300 As a reminder, again, as I wrap up this subject 00:04:04.300 --> 00:04:08.449 today, I want you to just refresh us with the 00:04:08.449 --> 00:04:11.110 fact that liberty consists of at least four different 00:04:11.110 --> 00:04:14.610 categories. We've seen liberty as in freedom 00:04:14.610 --> 00:04:16.889 from the curse and the bondage of sin, that we've 00:04:16.889 --> 00:04:19.790 been set free from the dominion, the control 00:04:19.790 --> 00:04:22.870 and the manipulation of sin. And our sins are 00:04:22.870 --> 00:04:25.189 gone. They are washed away in the blood of Christ. 00:04:25.310 --> 00:04:28.839 We are free from the curse. and the bondage of 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:31.680 sin. Secondly, we are free from the law of ceremonies 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:34.899 and regulations, all of the offerings and the 00:04:34.899 --> 00:04:38.720 washings and the various diets and so forth, 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:41.839 which now have all been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:46.139 because he is our high priest, and he is the 00:04:46.139 --> 00:04:49.800 one supreme sacrifice that brings an end to all 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:52.360 of the other sacrifices. The book of Hebrews 00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:55.579 and many others deal with this thoroughly. We 00:04:55.579 --> 00:04:57.459 are the new temple of Christ and thus we are 00:04:57.459 --> 00:05:01.000 free from the ceremonial law. Thirdly, we are 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.500 free from the doctrine and the commandments of 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:06.920 men that seek to bind our consciences where they 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:09.759 either forbid what God does not forbid or they 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:13.279 require what God does not require. Our conscience 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:16.519 must be bound to the word of God and not according 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:18.819 to the laws of men and their whims and their 00:05:18.819 --> 00:05:22.300 wishes. We are free from the doctrine and commandments 00:05:22.300 --> 00:05:26.860 of men. And fourthly, we are free to choose our 00:05:26.860 --> 00:05:30.379 own course in all actions in what is indifferent. 00:05:30.660 --> 00:05:33.819 That is, things which are not commanded nor forbidden 00:05:33.819 --> 00:05:36.899 in the Holy Scriptures. This is the category 00:05:36.899 --> 00:05:39.420 of Christian liberty that we've been considering 00:05:39.420 --> 00:05:42.860 in this past time throughout this series from 00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:46.079 chapter 8 through 10. Nevertheless, in all of 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:49.160 our actions, our liberty must be accompanied 00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:52.480 by love, by wisdom, and by self -discipline. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:56.160 Consequently, we are continually faced with decisions 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:59.519 about areas of liberty because God has given 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:03.100 that opportunity to us. And in our freedom, sometimes 00:06:03.100 --> 00:06:07.139 we choose wisely and sometimes not so much. And 00:06:07.139 --> 00:06:09.759 then we change course or we need to. Sometimes 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:12.680 in following our own heart or our inclinations, 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:16.199 we do not consider our neighbor. For though we 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:18.420 are completely free to do things that are not 00:06:18.420 --> 00:06:22.540 forbidden by God, it is not always wise. to do 00:06:22.540 --> 00:06:26.240 so the issue in these three chapters is on how 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:30.500 we exercise that god -given liberty let's do 00:06:30.500 --> 00:06:33.720 a quick review in chapter 8 paul taught that 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:37.100 liberty should be based on both knowledge and 00:06:37.100 --> 00:06:41.029 love there needs to be knowledge But there also 00:06:41.029 --> 00:06:44.389 must be love. We must have a proper knowledge 00:06:44.389 --> 00:06:47.750 of God and of his law and requirements for us, 00:06:47.829 --> 00:06:50.649 both in what we are to do and what not to do. 00:06:53.009 --> 00:06:56.009 We must know and recognize the things that are 00:06:56.009 --> 00:06:59.470 areas of liberty. But at the same time, we must 00:06:59.470 --> 00:07:03.509 have a love of neighbor so that in our zeal or 00:07:03.509 --> 00:07:07.910 our knowledge, we do not create a stumbling block. 00:07:08.490 --> 00:07:12.279 That was in chapter 8. Chapter 9, Paul taught 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:15.879 that Christian liberty also includes the opportunity 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:19.819 to voluntarily give up rights for the sake of 00:07:19.819 --> 00:07:23.160 others and of the gospel. The exercise of this 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:27.060 liberty requires a spirit of servanthood and 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:31.100 self -discipline because we are stewards of the 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:34.459 gospel. That was in chapter 9. The first part 00:07:34.459 --> 00:07:37.920 then of chapter 10. Paul shows how the Christian 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:42.759 liberty was used inappropriately in matters that 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:47.139 led to inadvertent idolatry. And he corrected 00:07:47.139 --> 00:07:50.860 that. And he warned about spiritual pride and 00:07:50.860 --> 00:07:55.779 complacency. And now, in these concluding verses, 00:07:55.980 --> 00:08:00.480 Paul wraps it all up with seven aspects of how 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:02.860 we should approach and understand Christian liberty. 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:07.170 This is a masterful summary. that he gives us. 00:08:07.410 --> 00:08:10.829 Seven aspects. So in the use of liberty, number 00:08:10.829 --> 00:08:14.110 one, do it with discernment, do it with self 00:08:14.110 --> 00:08:18.410 -denial, do it with peace of mind, do it in regards 00:08:18.410 --> 00:08:21.470 to the conscience of others, do it with a view 00:08:21.470 --> 00:08:24.490 to the glory of God, do it without giving offense, 00:08:24.870 --> 00:08:31.129 and do it with Paul as our example. Seven aspects 00:08:31.129 --> 00:08:34.210 of Christian liberty. We'll go down through these 00:08:34.210 --> 00:08:38.289 fairly quickly. The first one in verse 23, have 00:08:38.289 --> 00:08:42.669 Christian liberty with discernment, with wisdom, 00:08:42.730 --> 00:08:45.850 with discernment. He says, all things are lawful 00:08:45.850 --> 00:08:49.090 for me, but not all things are helpful. All things 00:08:49.090 --> 00:08:52.230 are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 00:08:52.990 --> 00:08:56.070 Now in this verse, something that Paul is quoting 00:08:56.070 --> 00:08:58.710 the Corinthians is saying the two propositions, 00:08:58.710 --> 00:09:01.250 all things are lawful for me. Now this could 00:09:01.250 --> 00:09:03.929 be, But it could simply also be an assertion 00:09:03.929 --> 00:09:06.769 from Paul. After all, he wrote this again back 00:09:06.769 --> 00:09:10.009 in chapter 6, verse 12. There he said, all things 00:09:10.009 --> 00:09:12.490 are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. 00:09:12.730 --> 00:09:15.830 All things are lawful for me, but I will not 00:09:15.830 --> 00:09:19.950 be brought under the power of any. Now, in either 00:09:19.950 --> 00:09:23.789 context, it must, in either case, the context 00:09:23.789 --> 00:09:28.470 must mean all things are lawful. That is... all 00:09:28.470 --> 00:09:30.669 things that are not forbidden by God, obviously. 00:09:30.950 --> 00:09:35.549 God in no way is inspiring this as a blanket 00:09:35.549 --> 00:09:38.269 statement. He certainly is not saying that sinful 00:09:38.269 --> 00:09:41.149 actions or thoughts are lawful. So when Paul 00:09:41.149 --> 00:09:43.850 says here, all things are lawful, it has to be 00:09:43.850 --> 00:09:46.169 all things that are fenced within the law of 00:09:46.169 --> 00:09:51.730 God. The Christian faith does not teach escape 00:09:51.730 --> 00:09:56.190 from creation. It is not a denial of the self. 00:09:57.000 --> 00:09:59.899 In a way that cuts off the good things of God 00:09:59.899 --> 00:10:04.500 that he has given us. The Christian life is not 00:10:04.500 --> 00:10:08.919 an ascetic life. That is a life of rigid self 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:14.360 -denial of all things good. No, the Christian 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:18.820 faith teaches the redemption of creation. That 00:10:18.820 --> 00:10:22.840 is, that the creation is good and that God has 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:28.100 given us all things freely. That he gives us 00:10:28.100 --> 00:10:31.139 richly all things to enjoy is said in 1 Timothy 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:35.600 6 verse 17. And that therefore the rich in this 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:38.120 present age are not to be haughty nor to trust 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:41.500 in uncertain riches but in the living God. The 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:45.240 more we forget this, the more detached our religion 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:48.519 becomes from the world that God made and called 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:54.440 it good. Psalm 84 verse 11. For the Lord God 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.080 is a sun and shield. the Lord will give grace 00:10:57.080 --> 00:11:00.320 and glory. No good thing will he withhold from 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:03.639 those who walk uprightly. Bless the Lord, O my 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:08.639 soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:11.399 all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:14.539 who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns 00:11:14.539 --> 00:11:16.559 you with loving kindness and tender mercies, 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:20.519 who satisfies your mouth with good things so 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.899 that your youth is renewed like the eagles. Psalm 00:11:24.899 --> 00:11:29.000 103 verses two to five. Therefore, as God has 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:32.419 given us all things richly to enjoy, then all 00:11:32.419 --> 00:11:36.299 things indifferent are lawful. Doing them does 00:11:36.299 --> 00:11:40.240 not violate the law of God. But Paul is saying 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:42.980 there are other considerations that must take 00:11:42.980 --> 00:11:46.200 place. And this requires the use of discernment. 00:11:46.379 --> 00:11:49.320 There are things that are not proper at certain 00:11:49.320 --> 00:11:52.220 times or suitable depending on the circumstance. 00:11:53.129 --> 00:11:55.250 They might not promote the objects that we are 00:11:55.250 --> 00:11:58.710 pursuing or have the effect that we want. In 00:11:58.710 --> 00:12:01.990 this, our ultimate goal is to be the glory of 00:12:01.990 --> 00:12:06.950 God and the good of man. Later in this passage, 00:12:07.129 --> 00:12:09.590 Paul states this supreme and overarching principle. 00:12:09.830 --> 00:12:13.529 Therefore, whatever you eat or drink or whatever 00:12:13.529 --> 00:12:19.370 you do, do it all to the glory of God. And so 00:12:19.370 --> 00:12:22.409 we must be mindful of these questions. Will this 00:12:22.409 --> 00:12:27.990 use of my liberty be profitable, useful, or expedient? 00:12:28.070 --> 00:12:31.330 Will it be helpful and edify? Will it build others 00:12:31.330 --> 00:12:36.629 up? Or will it be an occasion to sin? Parents, 00:12:36.710 --> 00:12:39.529 think of this as you raise your children. There 00:12:39.529 --> 00:12:42.309 are all sorts of things that are lawful for you, 00:12:42.429 --> 00:12:46.610 but will doing them set a precedent that might 00:12:46.610 --> 00:12:49.169 be harmful? Will it have the effect that you 00:12:49.169 --> 00:12:51.820 want in your home? Will it lead to the building 00:12:51.820 --> 00:12:54.200 up of your family or to the destruction of it? 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.500 Remember how God, how Paul said, all things are 00:12:57.500 --> 00:13:01.639 lawful for me, but I will not, I will not be 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:07.720 brought under the power of it, of any. So therefore, 00:13:07.980 --> 00:13:12.559 is it something that might be controlling? Sometimes 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:16.299 it is simply a matter of how much or what is 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:20.159 appropriate. Many things are good in a moderate 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:24.500 amount, but too much becomes excess, immoderate, 00:13:24.500 --> 00:13:32.320 gaudy, or even unhealthy. For example, the book 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:36.039 of Psalms tells us that God gave wine, but we 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:39.620 know that alcohol can lead to drunkenness. God 00:13:39.620 --> 00:13:42.460 created the sexual relationship between a man 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:46.379 and a woman to be done, to be together in marriage. 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:49.399 But even within marriage, it can become controlling 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:53.200 or manipulative. Dressing beautifully can also 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:57.179 become ostentatious or gaudy. Too much food, 00:13:57.259 --> 00:13:59.139 the wonderful foods that we're surrounded with 00:13:59.139 --> 00:14:01.639 and that we eat, but too much food can lead to 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:04.759 gluttony. The overemphasis of work, which is 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:08.179 a good thing, can make one a workaholic. And 00:14:08.179 --> 00:14:11.639 indeed, wealth can lead to riches, but riches 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:17.379 to our own hurt. God has given us all of these 00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:21.820 things and sometimes in great abundance to enjoy. 00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:27.179 But at the same time, we must be careful not 00:14:27.179 --> 00:14:30.080 to be controlled by it and mindful of our own 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:34.019 welfare and the welfare of others. This leads 00:14:34.019 --> 00:14:36.320 us to the second point, and that is in verse 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:41.240 24, guard liberty with self -discipline and self 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:44.899 -denial. He says, let no one seek his own, but 00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:48.399 each one the other's well -being. Let us guard 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:51.159 liberty with self -discipline and self -denial. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.919 This simply instructs us to be on the lookout 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:57.460 for each other. How will my liberty or the use 00:14:57.460 --> 00:15:00.549 of my liberty, the exercise of my liberty, How 00:15:00.549 --> 00:15:02.409 will this bring well -being to my brother or 00:15:02.409 --> 00:15:05.549 sister in Christ or to those around us? Now, 00:15:05.590 --> 00:15:08.970 by nature, we know that we are selfish beings, 00:15:09.190 --> 00:15:12.009 always looking out for number one, aren't we? 00:15:12.809 --> 00:15:16.029 Love, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, 4 and 5, 00:15:16.389 --> 00:15:20.470 love suffers long and is kind, does not envy, 00:15:20.690 --> 00:15:24.990 does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does 00:15:24.990 --> 00:15:30.480 not behave rudely, does not seek its own. When 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:33.039 we have the mind of Christ and our spirit and 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:35.740 our body are renewed by the Holy Spirit, then 00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:38.659 we can no longer remain a selfish and grasping 00:15:38.659 --> 00:15:42.799 person. We express concern for others and pray 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:45.059 for them and seek for their good and God's glory. 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:48.919 Sometimes this means denying ourselves. Now we 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:51.320 easily understand this most times when it comes 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:53.720 to bringing up children, although we also need 00:15:53.720 --> 00:15:57.240 sanctification in that as well. But in this context, 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:00.360 not seeking our own, extends to our Christian 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:03.659 brothers and sisters. Indeed, looking out for 00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:05.759 the blessings to others is something that must 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:08.259 be cultivated as it goes against the grain. It 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:11.879 goes against our natural instincts. Our supreme 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:14.659 example in this, of course, is the Lord Jesus 00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:17.820 Christ. When we consider this incredible passage 00:16:17.820 --> 00:16:21.039 in Philippians chapter 2 that describes what 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:24.659 Christ did, Paul says, Let nothing be done through 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:29.470 selfish ambition or conceit. but in lowliness 00:16:29.470 --> 00:16:33.769 of mind. Let each esteem others better than himself. 00:16:34.230 --> 00:16:37.649 Let each one of you look out not only for his 00:16:37.649 --> 00:16:41.850 own interest, but also for the interests of others. 00:16:42.129 --> 00:16:45.889 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 00:16:45.889 --> 00:16:49.009 Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider 00:16:49.009 --> 00:16:54.090 it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself 00:16:54.090 --> 00:16:57.950 of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, 00:16:58.250 --> 00:17:01.090 and coming in the likeness of men. And being 00:17:01.090 --> 00:17:04.049 found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself 00:17:04.049 --> 00:17:07.049 and became obedient to the point of death, even 00:17:07.049 --> 00:17:11.349 the death of the Christ. He is our example on 00:17:11.349 --> 00:17:17.329 how to live this way. Suffer long, not envy, 00:17:17.490 --> 00:17:20.329 not parade itself, does not behave rudely, does 00:17:20.329 --> 00:17:25.150 not seek its own. Third then, we are to exercise 00:17:25.150 --> 00:17:30.019 our liberty with peace. of mind though with a 00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:33.599 clear conscience and with peace of mind this 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.240 is in verse 25 and 26 eat whatever is sold in 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:39.480 the meat market asking no question for conscience 00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:42.299 sake for the earth is the lord's and all its 00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:45.200 fullness paul here goes back to the context of 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:47.259 food remember that this is one of the questions 00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:49.740 that the corinthians had given to him saying 00:17:49.740 --> 00:17:54.309 what do we do here we what can we eat meat can 00:17:54.309 --> 00:17:56.990 we eat food and meat that has been offered to 00:17:56.990 --> 00:18:00.789 idols and paul gives clarification in this year 00:18:00.789 --> 00:18:03.630 as he sums it up in this long discussion that 00:18:03.630 --> 00:18:07.950 he has had and he gives us this counsel if you 00:18:07.950 --> 00:18:12.509 can buy the food in the market then don't ask 00:18:12.509 --> 00:18:15.630 any questions but remember that the food is the 00:18:15.630 --> 00:18:18.250 the food comes from the earth and the earth is 00:18:18.250 --> 00:18:20.930 the lord's and all its fullness he urges them 00:18:20.930 --> 00:18:23.130 to continue going to the market where it's sold 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:25.960 Knowing that much of the food at certain markets 00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:28.660 came from the temples, left over from that which 00:18:28.660 --> 00:18:30.859 was eaten at the altar as part of the sacrifice 00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:33.859 of the idolatrous temples, his command to them 00:18:33.859 --> 00:18:37.859 is, eat it, enjoy it, don't have scruples about 00:18:37.859 --> 00:18:39.980 the fact that it might have been offered to an 00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:43.400 idol. Why? He quotes here from Psalm 24. The 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:47.359 earth is the Lord's and all its fullness. God 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:51.220 has created the earth with great bounty and glory 00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:54.480 in all that is given for food and drink. That's 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:57.500 described here as fullness. All that is in the 00:18:57.500 --> 00:19:02.160 earth created by God is for our enjoyment and 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:06.539 delight. Calvin says, quote, the fullness of 00:19:06.539 --> 00:19:09.660 the earth means the wealth of good things with 00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:12.559 which the earth is provided and enriched by the 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:17.809 Lord. Everything is sanctified. by christ end 00:19:17.809 --> 00:19:21.650 quote solomon says this in ecclesiastes 5 verse 00:19:21.650 --> 00:19:26.329 18 and 19 here is what i have seen it is good 00:19:26.329 --> 00:19:29.509 and fitting for one to eat and drink and to enjoy 00:19:29.509 --> 00:19:32.930 the good of all his labor in which he toils under 00:19:32.930 --> 00:19:35.609 the sun all the days of his life which god gives 00:19:35.609 --> 00:19:40.440 him for it is his heritage As for every man to 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:43.059 whom God has given riches and wealth and given 00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:45.920 him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:50.240 and rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:54.920 God. Because God is the creator. Although man 00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:58.460 abuses and misuses his gifts, obviously misused 00:19:58.460 --> 00:20:00.859 in this case of the food being offered to idols, 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:05.140 yet the intrinsic substance of the food and drink 00:20:05.140 --> 00:20:08.960 does not change. The abuse is wrong and sinful, 00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:12.980 but not the thing itself. Paul's prohibition 00:20:12.980 --> 00:20:15.900 of eating it at the temple as part of the sacrifice 00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:19.670 is that the eating of it as part of an idolatrous 00:20:19.670 --> 00:20:22.349 and demonic worship is, as we saw last week, 00:20:22.430 --> 00:20:25.190 having fellowship with demons as the people ate 00:20:25.190 --> 00:20:27.509 the food. So the issue wasn't the food itself. 00:20:27.630 --> 00:20:31.650 It was that the eating was actually having fellowship 00:20:31.650 --> 00:20:34.910 with the demons behind the idols. And so, as 00:20:34.910 --> 00:20:38.569 he concludes, as he speaks here, eat the food. 00:20:38.869 --> 00:20:42.069 Enjoy it. Enjoy God's fullness in the earth and 00:20:42.069 --> 00:20:45.230 in his creation. Give God thanks for it. Food 00:20:45.230 --> 00:20:47.970 sold in the marketplace has lost its religious 00:20:47.970 --> 00:20:51.589 attachment and significance. As Paul says to 00:20:51.589 --> 00:20:55.289 Timothy in 1 Timothy 4, 4 -5, for every creature 00:20:55.289 --> 00:21:00.150 of God is good and nothing is to be refused if 00:21:00.150 --> 00:21:04.690 it is received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified. 00:21:04.849 --> 00:21:11.009 It is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 00:21:12.390 --> 00:21:16.049 If you're convinced, that your action is a matter 00:21:16.049 --> 00:21:18.109 of liberty and you're not injuring or harming 00:21:18.109 --> 00:21:21.769 others, then enjoy it with peace of mind for 00:21:21.769 --> 00:21:26.410 all creation belongs to God and give him thanks 00:21:26.410 --> 00:21:30.710 for it. Number four, though, use your liberty 00:21:30.710 --> 00:21:35.470 with regard to the conscience of others. This 00:21:35.470 --> 00:21:40.529 is verse 27 to 30. He says, he follows up with 00:21:40.529 --> 00:21:43.230 this saying, if any of those who do not believe, 00:21:43.970 --> 00:21:47.829 invites you to dinner and you desire to go, eat 00:21:47.829 --> 00:21:51.130 whatever is set before you, asking no question 00:21:51.130 --> 00:21:55.369 for conscience sake. But if anyone says to you, 00:21:55.450 --> 00:21:59.170 this was offered to idols, do not eat it for 00:21:59.170 --> 00:22:01.970 the sake of the one who told you and for conscience 00:22:01.970 --> 00:22:05.109 sake, for the earth is the Lord's and all of 00:22:05.109 --> 00:22:07.990 its fullness. Conscience, I say, not your own, 00:22:08.069 --> 00:22:10.759 but that of the other. For why is my liberty 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:13.019 judged by another man's conscience? But if I 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:15.259 partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of 00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:18.460 for the food over which I gave thanks? Here Paul 00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:22.000 gives further direction and clarification with 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:25.359 great carefulness and precision. He guides this 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:28.480 instruction in this particular setting in Corinth 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.980 and also, of course, this applied to many other 00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:34.480 places in the Gentile world. He gives them wisdom. 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.230 He builds on the prior statements. and gives 00:22:37.230 --> 00:22:39.190 them now specific direction depending on the 00:22:39.190 --> 00:22:42.549 circumstances. The first is this. If an unbeliever 00:22:42.549 --> 00:22:45.309 invites you over for a meal, come over for dinner 00:22:45.309 --> 00:22:48.210 or to join a feast, the Christian may go with 00:22:48.210 --> 00:22:51.950 a clear conscience if, Paul says, he or she so 00:22:51.950 --> 00:22:55.589 desires to go. This is a feast at his house or 00:22:55.589 --> 00:22:57.890 a neutral place. It's not the temple with an 00:22:57.890 --> 00:23:01.269 idolatrous ceremony. The association with unbelievers 00:23:01.269 --> 00:23:05.740 is fine in this case. We are not required as 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:09.619 believers to withdraw from social life, but rather 00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:13.539 to associate with others, including unbelievers. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:15.839 Now this was very different than the practice 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:18.839 of the Jews. For them to eat with a non -Jew 00:23:18.839 --> 00:23:21.480 would defile them, or even Jews who were not 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:24.880 wholly pure or sound in practice. Jesus was accused 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:28.079 of this many times in his ministry. Luke chapter 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:31.960 5 verse 29. It says, Then Levi gave him a great 00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:34.440 feast in his own house, and there were a great 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:36.940 number of tax collectors and others who sat down 00:23:36.940 --> 00:23:40.799 with him. And the scribes and the Pharisees complained 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:44.779 against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat 00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:48.140 and drink with tax collectors and sinners? In 00:23:48.140 --> 00:23:51.019 other words, this was not to be. But no, Jesus 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:54.200 did it because he came to save those who were 00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:57.819 lost. And then Paul says, going back to our passage 00:23:57.819 --> 00:24:01.160 here, eat whatever is set before you. A principle 00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:04.220 of being a recipient of hospitality is to eat 00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:07.059 what the host provides, be it ever meager or 00:24:07.059 --> 00:24:09.680 abundant and no matter who is eating with you. 00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:14.019 But Paul says, don't ask any questions for conscience 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:17.680 sake. In other words, don't ask any questions 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:20.519 that would create problems of the conscience, 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:24.000 problems of the conscience in yourself or in 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:26.539 the mind of a weaker brother who might also be 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:30.339 there. But suppose someone says, this is offered 00:24:30.339 --> 00:24:33.859 in sacrifice to idols. So who is the any man 00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:36.519 here? It says any man. Suppose any man says this 00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:39.440 is offered in sacrifice to idols. So is this 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:42.079 a friendly host who thinks it might be offensive 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.839 and thus is warning you? Or is Paul referring 00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:47.539 to another guest, maybe a weaker brother and 00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:50.900 not the host? He does not say. In any case, he 00:24:50.900 --> 00:24:53.599 says, don't eat it for the sake of your testimony 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:57.250 and for conscience sake. offending the weaker 00:24:57.250 --> 00:24:59.990 brother or possibly supporting idolatry in the 00:24:59.990 --> 00:25:03.089 host's mind the other person belongs to the lord 00:25:03.089 --> 00:25:05.690 also we must take care not to cause offense or 00:25:05.690 --> 00:25:09.170 to stumble if it was the host who said it then 00:25:09.170 --> 00:25:11.609 by our partaking of it in light of that announcement 00:25:11.609 --> 00:25:14.930 he might think you are participating in idolatrous 00:25:14.930 --> 00:25:18.410 worship and so he goes on to say conscience not 00:25:18.410 --> 00:25:22.460 your own but that of the other Now, the phrasing 00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:25.759 of the two questions in verses 29 to 30 are a 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:30.740 bit perplexing. And where he says, excuse me, 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:35.619 he says here, why is my liberty judged by another 00:25:35.619 --> 00:25:37.940 man's conscience? But if I partake with thanks, 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:40.420 why am I evil spoken of for the food over which 00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:43.059 I give thanks? Now, there's a number of opinions 00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:45.980 as to how exactly that fits into the context 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:52.539 here of what it is. Overall, I think here, I 00:25:52.539 --> 00:25:54.839 don't necessarily have an exact answer for that 00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:58.920 because it's just not exactly clear. Is he quoting 00:25:58.920 --> 00:26:01.779 someone or is he simply stating these in order 00:26:01.779 --> 00:26:05.220 to emphasize that our liberty is not judged by 00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:07.859 another man's conscience, but nevertheless, we 00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:10.380 are still to take heed, not to cause one to stumble. 00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:14.680 As Charles Hodge puts it, he says, Paul is saying, 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:17.759 why should I make such use of my liberty as to 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:20.559 give offense? The strong must respect the scruples 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:22.680 of the weak. I think that's one possibility, 00:26:23.019 --> 00:26:25.559 although there could be others. Now there's some 00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:28.059 further applications for us as we consider this 00:26:28.059 --> 00:26:30.759 particular passage where Paul really gets into 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:33.859 kind of the nitty gritty of this. First of all, 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:39.400 keep in mind that in the place that they were 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:42.000 to go and eat, there still could have been items 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:45.059 of religious significance in the household. Perhaps 00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:48.779 something like a household shrine. We see that 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:51.640 today, for example, if you go into a Thai or 00:26:51.640 --> 00:26:54.079 an Indian or Middle Eastern restaurant, many 00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:57.599 times, depending on whose it is, they will have 00:26:57.599 --> 00:26:59.799 some type of an idol there or some type of a 00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:02.700 household shrine that's there. There's not a 00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:04.819 religious service or anything attached with it. 00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:09.200 It just kind of sits there. And so if the act 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:11.779 is not highlighted as a participation in their 00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:15.700 worship, we can eat without anxiety. Why is this? 00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:19.099 Because idols have no power over the food that 00:27:19.099 --> 00:27:21.559 God has made. If you go to such a restaurant 00:27:21.559 --> 00:27:24.279 or a household, do not worry about the presence 00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:27.779 of such a figure or a statue. But if the host 00:27:27.779 --> 00:27:31.279 makes the religious dedication of the food the 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:35.319 point of the meal, then we should abstain. And 00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:36.980 we should abstain. I think that's putting this 00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:40.140 all together here. I will also say, though, as 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:42.839 further application, that as Christian believers, 00:27:43.099 --> 00:27:47.019 we should watch out for scrupulosity. What do 00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:50.599 I mean by that? Overbearing scruples that isolate 00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:53.960 and cut off table fellowship and conversation. 00:27:55.140 --> 00:27:58.400 They cut off opportunities to witness or share 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:01.650 the love of Christ. Table fellowship around the 00:28:01.650 --> 00:28:05.089 breaking of bread together is very meaningful 00:28:05.089 --> 00:28:09.089 and it has many opportunities for us to share 00:28:09.089 --> 00:28:11.529 together, to enter into life together, even to 00:28:11.529 --> 00:28:14.950 speak of Christ together, even times when it 00:28:14.950 --> 00:28:19.809 is with unbelievers. There are some in our current 00:28:19.809 --> 00:28:22.509 day that will do this, that will break this off 00:28:22.509 --> 00:28:26.089 by being overly scrupulous about the ingredients 00:28:26.089 --> 00:28:29.490 of something or even the producer of something. 00:28:30.029 --> 00:28:32.450 They're boycotting companies or questioning every 00:28:32.450 --> 00:28:35.650 ingredient or refusing foods tied to cultural 00:28:35.650 --> 00:28:39.190 practices that they might dislike. Paul is saying 00:28:39.190 --> 00:28:41.930 here that that kind of investigation is unnecessary 00:28:41.930 --> 00:28:44.769 and it can weigh down one's conscience. It should 00:28:44.769 --> 00:28:47.349 not cut off the table where unbelievers might 00:28:47.349 --> 00:28:50.210 hear the gospel or other things might be shared 00:28:50.210 --> 00:28:54.269 together. Christianity does not require withdrawal 00:28:54.269 --> 00:28:57.349 from ordinary social life with those outside 00:28:57.349 --> 00:29:02.190 of Christ's church. Pastor Bill Einwächter sums 00:29:02.190 --> 00:29:05.089 it up like this. He said, don't ruin your testimony 00:29:05.089 --> 00:29:08.089 for the sake of liberty. Yes, abstain from the 00:29:08.089 --> 00:29:11.690 appearance of evil, but other people's consciences 00:29:11.690 --> 00:29:15.269 are not our judges. You do not have the authority 00:29:15.269 --> 00:29:18.809 to judge me on matters indifferent, but I will 00:29:18.809 --> 00:29:23.289 refrain or respect a tender conscience. The dangers 00:29:23.289 --> 00:29:26.049 are twofold. The first is that we will give offense 00:29:26.049 --> 00:29:28.690 to them. The second is that we would damage our 00:29:28.690 --> 00:29:31.769 own testimony. Let us not do so, but receive 00:29:31.769 --> 00:29:35.230 the food with thanksgiving. Finally in this is 00:29:35.230 --> 00:29:38.849 a final application of this. Brothers and sisters, 00:29:39.009 --> 00:29:46.269 live in faith, not in fear. Live in faith because 00:29:46.269 --> 00:29:50.630 God has not given us the spirit of fear, but 00:29:50.630 --> 00:29:56.589 of a sound mind. Number five. Practice your liberty 00:29:56.589 --> 00:30:00.890 with a view to the glory of God. With a view 00:30:00.890 --> 00:30:05.650 to the glory of God. Therefore, he says, whatever 00:30:05.650 --> 00:30:11.329 you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to 00:30:11.329 --> 00:30:17.109 the glory of God. We glorify God when we see 00:30:17.109 --> 00:30:20.829 the power, the glory, the honor, and the wisdom 00:30:20.829 --> 00:30:24.630 of God displayed in our lives. to the world around 00:30:24.630 --> 00:30:27.829 us. Let me say that again. We glorify God when 00:30:27.829 --> 00:30:31.390 we see the power, the glory, the honor, and the 00:30:31.390 --> 00:30:36.529 wisdom of God displayed in our lives to the world 00:30:36.529 --> 00:30:40.269 around us. Paul is talking here about everyday 00:30:40.269 --> 00:30:44.049 life, that life lived as a city on a hill or 00:30:44.049 --> 00:30:47.089 a light on a candlestick that is not hid. We 00:30:47.089 --> 00:30:52.849 are to make God's glory visible. to display his 00:30:52.849 --> 00:30:58.410 character and to advance his honor. So how do 00:30:58.410 --> 00:31:03.829 we do this? Here are a few ways. We might feast 00:31:03.829 --> 00:31:07.869 together, rejoicing in God's goodness and in 00:31:07.869 --> 00:31:12.730 his provision and being thankful. We should glorify 00:31:12.730 --> 00:31:16.259 God. By doing things with excellence. By keeping 00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:19.619 our word. By producing good things. By honoring 00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:22.240 the Lord in our charitable giving. By having 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:26.299 honorable occupations. By freely using Christian 00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:29.259 liberty and enjoying the life that God has given 00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:32.119 us. We have interaction with our communities 00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:34.700 including the lost because we're not recluses 00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:38.119 or hermits. And as much as is possible, we are 00:31:38.119 --> 00:31:40.940 to live in peace with all men and to seek the 00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:43.220 good of our towns, our cities, our state, and 00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:45.759 our country. Now, of course, there are times 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:48.599 when loving our neighbor also means confronting 00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:51.180 evil that brings the wrath of God or that threatens 00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:55.779 them. Indeed, we display God's glory. We make 00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:58.720 it visible by being responsible citizens, by 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:02.450 looking out for our own freedoms, the freedoms, 00:32:02.470 --> 00:32:05.130 the blessing, and the well -being of our own 00:32:05.130 --> 00:32:09.569 neighbors. We glorify God when we are a happy 00:32:09.569 --> 00:32:12.970 and a cheerful people filled with goodwill and 00:32:12.970 --> 00:32:17.210 praise to our God. Are you known for being a 00:32:17.210 --> 00:32:21.230 morose, grumpy, grouchy person? Or are you one 00:32:21.230 --> 00:32:25.549 that is known for glorifying God as being a happy 00:32:25.549 --> 00:32:28.309 and cheerful filled with goodwill and thanksgiving? 00:32:28.970 --> 00:32:32.900 Indeed, we love, To worship God. And this is 00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:36.900 visible. Spurgeon said. Our happy God. Should 00:32:36.900 --> 00:32:41.000 be worshipped by a happy people. A cheerful spirit. 00:32:41.220 --> 00:32:44.720 Is in keeping with his nature. His acts. And 00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:47.160 the gratitude which we should cherish. For his 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:50.579 mercies. Our happy God. Should be worshipped 00:32:50.579 --> 00:32:54.980 by a happy people. And then finally. We advance 00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:57.259 and promote the lordship of Christ. In every 00:32:57.259 --> 00:33:02.029 area. And in every sphere of. This verse is the 00:33:02.029 --> 00:33:04.490 goal of this whole section and it's quite a comprehensive 00:33:04.490 --> 00:33:07.650 statement. I do not have time to fully develop 00:33:07.650 --> 00:33:11.130 it today. I am considering on possibly following 00:33:11.130 --> 00:33:13.950 up with a sermon just on this verse. But indeed, 00:33:14.190 --> 00:33:17.589 God is to be glorified in how we eat and how 00:33:17.589 --> 00:33:20.829 we drink and how we love our wives and how we 00:33:20.829 --> 00:33:23.309 love our husbands and how we remain sexually 00:33:23.309 --> 00:33:26.369 pure and in how we are dedicated to each other 00:33:26.369 --> 00:33:29.009 and in how we do not worship idolatrous temples 00:33:29.009 --> 00:33:32.809 or partake with them in these sins and how we 00:33:32.809 --> 00:33:36.049 do good work and glorify him wherever we are. 00:33:36.190 --> 00:33:40.509 We are, brothers and sisters, to glorify our 00:33:40.509 --> 00:33:45.539 God in every way. Let's move on then to number 00:33:45.539 --> 00:33:50.019 six. We are to give no offense with our liberty, 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:53.559 but to seek to live in peace with others. Verse 00:33:53.559 --> 00:33:57.519 32 and 33. Give no offense either to the Jews 00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:01.000 nor to the Greeks or to the church of God. Just 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:03.859 as I also please all men in all things, not seeking 00:34:03.859 --> 00:34:06.539 my own profit, but the profit of many that they 00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:10.530 may be saved. Now there are times in the service 00:34:10.530 --> 00:34:12.789 and worship of God that the world will hate us, 00:34:12.909 --> 00:34:14.889 that they will not like us for what we do or 00:34:14.889 --> 00:34:17.730 what we believe. Jesus told us this would happen. 00:34:18.250 --> 00:34:21.489 And of course, it is the experience of many of 00:34:21.489 --> 00:34:24.190 the prophets and the apostles and the faithful 00:34:24.190 --> 00:34:27.510 Christians throughout history. Paul is not talking 00:34:27.510 --> 00:34:29.949 here about living a life where everybody likes 00:34:29.949 --> 00:34:33.010 us because we conform to whoever we are with. 00:34:34.170 --> 00:34:37.230 Nor is Paul talking here about being a people 00:34:37.230 --> 00:34:40.530 pleaser. He is not self -absorbed, constantly 00:34:40.530 --> 00:34:43.010 trying to remain in good standing with everyone. 00:34:43.550 --> 00:34:46.409 After all, over in Galatians 1, verse 10, he 00:34:46.409 --> 00:34:49.849 says, For do I now persuade men or God? Or do 00:34:49.849 --> 00:34:52.809 I seek to please men? For if I still please men, 00:34:52.889 --> 00:34:55.909 I would not be a bondservant of Christ. So is 00:34:55.909 --> 00:34:59.349 Paul contradicting himself here? Most emphatically, 00:34:59.489 --> 00:35:04.630 no. In no way is a man of God to accommodate 00:35:04.630 --> 00:35:08.730 himself. to sin or sinful desires, to worldly 00:35:08.730 --> 00:35:11.949 ways, or to syncretism in the worship of God. 00:35:12.670 --> 00:35:15.670 Syncretism is the blending of various religious 00:35:15.670 --> 00:35:19.030 beliefs into one new faith, like Santeria, which 00:35:19.030 --> 00:35:21.650 is a fusion and blending of voodoo with Roman 00:35:21.650 --> 00:35:24.150 Catholicism in some parts of the Caribbean, or 00:35:24.150 --> 00:35:27.309 in other places, a mixing of paganism and Christianity. 00:35:27.590 --> 00:35:30.429 No, we're not talking about that. In order to 00:35:30.429 --> 00:35:32.570 understand this, we must first of all define 00:35:32.570 --> 00:35:36.920 offense. Give no offense. The word means, very 00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:40.199 clearly, it's not, they didn't like me. They 00:35:40.199 --> 00:35:43.179 didn't like what I say. Do things so that they 00:35:43.179 --> 00:35:47.119 don't not like me. No. It means do not lead into 00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:50.300 sin. Matthew Poole says it this way. Give no 00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:55.260 occasion to stumble as in sinning. Give no occasion 00:35:55.260 --> 00:35:59.300 to stumble as in sinning. So we could rephrase 00:35:59.300 --> 00:36:02.159 this. Give no offense. Do not lead others into 00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:05.800 sin. Do not put a stumbling block before them 00:36:05.800 --> 00:36:11.179 with your liberty. Do not put unnecessary roadblocks 00:36:11.179 --> 00:36:13.719 or cause another to stumble in the use of our 00:36:13.719 --> 00:36:16.659 liberty, enabling or abetting them in their sin. 00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:19.699 And Paul is very careful to follow this pattern 00:36:19.699 --> 00:36:23.300 with whomever he is with, which means adapting 00:36:23.300 --> 00:36:28.380 himself in areas, in geography, depending on 00:36:28.380 --> 00:36:32.239 who he is with. He mentions, give no offense. 00:36:32.760 --> 00:36:36.599 To the Jews, to the Greeks or the Gentiles, and 00:36:36.599 --> 00:36:39.380 to the church of God. And his desire in all of 00:36:39.380 --> 00:36:42.400 this is not his own profit, but that many would 00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:45.320 be saved. That they would come to know the one 00:36:45.320 --> 00:36:48.719 true God through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. 00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:51.480 That they would be converted and receive eternal 00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:55.360 life. So what he is saying here in this is that 00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:58.860 we are not to put any kind of unnecessary stumbling 00:36:58.860 --> 00:37:03.239 block. in someone else, where they would be led 00:37:03.239 --> 00:37:09.019 into sin through the use of our liberty. Pillar 00:37:09.019 --> 00:37:13.659 Commentary summarized this so well, quote, Paul 00:37:13.659 --> 00:37:17.199 highlights his commitment to working in such 00:37:17.199 --> 00:37:23.289 a way as to positively impress those among whom 00:37:23.289 --> 00:37:28.170 he lives and works. His love for and his commitment 00:37:28.170 --> 00:37:32.530 to God keep him from doing anything inappropriate 00:37:32.530 --> 00:37:36.909 merely to please humans. It is that same love 00:37:36.909 --> 00:37:40.650 for God and commitment to him in the gospel that 00:37:40.650 --> 00:37:46.469 led him to adapt his life and his ministry to 00:37:46.469 --> 00:37:49.489 the needs and the context of those among whom 00:37:49.489 --> 00:37:53.550 he lives and ministers. In order to bring them 00:37:53.550 --> 00:37:57.789 into a life -transforming contact with the gospel 00:37:57.789 --> 00:38:01.889 message God has entrusted to him. No, Paul was, 00:38:01.949 --> 00:38:05.789 end quote. No, Paul was not being fickle. It 00:38:05.789 --> 00:38:09.670 was the love for God that depending who he was 00:38:09.670 --> 00:38:14.449 with, he adapted himself to them, to their lifestyle 00:38:14.449 --> 00:38:17.949 or to their culture as much as he was able to 00:38:17.949 --> 00:38:23.349 in order to win them with the gospel. with the 00:38:23.349 --> 00:38:28.889 gospel and to not cause them to sin. Number seven 00:38:28.889 --> 00:38:31.889 then, seventh point here, seven aspect of liberty. 00:38:32.469 --> 00:38:37.969 In the use of liberty, look to Paul as an example. 00:38:38.369 --> 00:38:42.230 Look to Paul as an example. He says, imitate 00:38:42.230 --> 00:38:47.570 me just as I also imitate Christ. With this last 00:38:47.570 --> 00:38:50.690 sentence, Paul now closes out this subject and 00:38:50.690 --> 00:38:52.929 moves on to matters of public worship and the 00:38:52.929 --> 00:38:55.530 proper order of it in the following several chapters. 00:38:56.809 --> 00:39:00.949 So confident he is with his faithful walk of 00:39:00.949 --> 00:39:03.750 life before God that he tells them as their shepherd 00:39:03.750 --> 00:39:09.130 and master teacher, imitate me, follow my example, 00:39:09.429 --> 00:39:13.329 see how I have lived, how I have denied myself. 00:39:13.949 --> 00:39:16.630 how I have sought to give no offense to others 00:39:16.630 --> 00:39:21.269 or live in prejudice against any. See how I sought 00:39:21.269 --> 00:39:24.869 for the well -being and the salvation of others 00:39:24.869 --> 00:39:30.110 and have so ordered my life that you can imitate 00:39:30.110 --> 00:39:35.349 me. This is Paul. What an incredible statement. 00:39:35.630 --> 00:39:39.170 Now he exhorts Timothy in the same way. In 1 00:39:39.170 --> 00:39:42.449 Timothy 4, verse 12, he tells Timothy, let no 00:39:42.449 --> 00:39:46.469 one despise your youth, but be an example to 00:39:46.469 --> 00:39:50.510 the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in 00:39:50.510 --> 00:39:56.449 spirit, in faith, in purity. This is a good exhortation 00:39:56.449 --> 00:40:02.789 for us, for us with our children, for us to others. 00:40:03.110 --> 00:40:07.389 It is particularly a good exhortation and convicting 00:40:07.389 --> 00:40:11.260 to me. as a preacher and a pastor, and to all 00:40:11.260 --> 00:40:13.860 who shepherd the flock of God or teach or preach 00:40:13.860 --> 00:40:17.400 the unsearchable riches of God. We are to so 00:40:17.400 --> 00:40:27.519 live and work as those worthy of imitation. This 00:40:27.519 --> 00:40:31.800 is one of the pitfalls of just getting all of 00:40:31.800 --> 00:40:34.039 your spiritual diet from people that you listen 00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:36.920 to on podcasts or the internet and recorded sermons. 00:40:37.500 --> 00:40:39.840 You don't know their life. You can't imitate 00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:44.840 them because you don't know them. And they are 00:40:44.840 --> 00:40:47.579 very useful. I listen to them. I get great benefit 00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:51.099 from it. But it's no substitute for being in 00:40:51.099 --> 00:40:54.260 a church where you have faithful leaders that 00:40:54.260 --> 00:40:58.579 you can know, that you can see, and by God's 00:40:58.579 --> 00:41:01.679 grace, that you can imitate. We are to so live 00:41:01.679 --> 00:41:05.809 and so work as those worthy of imitation. but 00:41:05.809 --> 00:41:08.570 he adds one more qualification. And this is a 00:41:08.570 --> 00:41:11.809 redeeming one. Remembering that both he and we 00:41:11.809 --> 00:41:15.409 are very human, that we do sin. And he says, 00:41:15.530 --> 00:41:20.329 imitate me as I imitate Christ. As I imitate 00:41:20.329 --> 00:41:23.449 Christ. And in this, he puts the focus right 00:41:23.449 --> 00:41:26.369 back to where it belongs. Christ is the ultimate 00:41:26.369 --> 00:41:29.650 example. He is the standard to whom we are to 00:41:29.650 --> 00:41:33.409 conform our lives, our actions, our beliefs. 00:41:33.610 --> 00:41:38.159 And yes, Our practice of our liberty. We conform 00:41:38.159 --> 00:41:42.599 them to him. I've already made a number of applications. 00:41:42.800 --> 00:41:45.679 As I've gone through this passage. So I'm going 00:41:45.679 --> 00:41:48.860 to close with this one final exhortation. In 00:41:48.860 --> 00:41:52.079 your practice of Christian liberty. Live it. 00:41:52.500 --> 00:41:57.599 Coram Deo. That's the Latin for. Live life before 00:41:57.599 --> 00:42:02.820 the face of God. Live your life before the face. 00:42:03.420 --> 00:42:07.159 Of God. Do not live simply as you would like. 00:42:07.300 --> 00:42:10.840 And take all the liberties. You like. But let 00:42:10.840 --> 00:42:13.719 all of your actions. Let all of your thoughts. 00:42:13.739 --> 00:42:16.460 Your beliefs. Your liberty. And your life in 00:42:16.460 --> 00:42:20.539 this world. Be before the face of God. This is 00:42:20.539 --> 00:42:25.340 being God conscious. In what you do. And letting 00:42:25.340 --> 00:42:29.340 your light so shine. Among the people of the 00:42:29.340 --> 00:42:33.750 world. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, verse 6, 00:42:33.989 --> 00:42:36.789 For it is the God who commanded light to shine 00:42:36.789 --> 00:42:39.670 out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts 00:42:39.670 --> 00:42:42.889 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory 00:42:42.889 --> 00:42:47.510 of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Let us then 00:42:47.510 --> 00:42:50.429 resolve, dear brothers and sisters, to live our 00:42:50.429 --> 00:42:56.449 life quorum Deo, before the face of God. Amen, 00:42:56.550 --> 00:42:58.789 and may it be so. And let's pray.