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[Previous: Issues of Sex and Marriage] Issues of Freedom and Idolatry (8:1-11:1)The Question (8:1)Corinth was a very pagan city. The chief tourist attraction in the town was the temple to the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. It was common practice to offer animals and grain as a sacrifice to the gods. The temple priests would use some of this offering for themselves, and some they would sell in the public market. As a result, the best place in town to buy a steak was in the temple marketplace [1]. The Corinthians asked Paul in their letter to him if they could eat the food that had been sacrificed to an idol? Can they shop at the temple marketplace? What should they do if a friend serves meat that came from the temple marketplace? On the one hand there were people in the Corinthian church who believed that you should never eat food sacrificed to idols. If you shop at the marketplace you are going back to paganism. If you eat the food, it is the same as worshipping an idol. On the other hand there were people in Corinth who said it was okay to eat food sacrificed to idols. Their argument was that there is only one God. The pagan gods don't really exist, so the sacrifice to them has no mystical or magical meaning. The meat can't hurt you. Go ahead and eat. Answer: Could it Cause Fellow Christians to stumble (8:1-13)?Paul answers that from a logical, rational, knowledge based approach, the Corinthians have a right to eat this idol food (8:4). But he goes on to say that sometimes it is in everybody's best interest not to exercise your rights. Love is more important than knowledge (8:1-3)Paul begins the passage with some general statements about knowledge. Knowledge, he says, has a tendency to puff a person up. Knowledge can create arrogance in a person. Paul states that love is a far greater virtue than knowledge. Instead of boasting in our knowledge, we should be building each other up in love. In Corinth, those who had rational, logical arguments as to why is was okay to eat food sacrificed to idols, were arrogantly putting down those who disagreed with them. But this betrayed a lack of love. For Paul, love is more important than knowledge. People's backgrounds are more important than knowledge (8:4-13)Paul affirms the logic of those with the freedom to eat food offered to idols. There is only one God (8:4), and even if there were other gods, they wouldn't compare to the one God who is Lord and Father who created all (8:5). Therefore, it is a rational argument that food sacrificed to these non-existent entities really has no adverse effect on the food. However, Paul goes on to say that not everybody knows this (8:7). There were some people in the Corinthian church who came out of a pagan background; people that Paul says are “still so accustomed to idols” that eating food sacrificed to pagan gods causes a real problem to them. To them the logic of the situation doesn't really matter. It takes them to a part of their life which they forsake when the converted to Christianity. Eating that food, based on their background, could cause them to stumble. If this weak Corinthian were to see some other person from the church eating a big steak outside the temple, because of were he has come from, because of his background, he might be tempted to not just eat a steak, but go back to the worship of the idol. Paul is saying, that because of the background and weakness of this brother, it is better not to eat idol food, no matter how logical your position. We need to consider people's background rather than our own logic. We must never let our knowledge cause a person to stumble (8:13). Answer: Will it hinder the Gospel (9:1-24)?Give up your rights regardless of your position of authority (9:1-13)After Paul finishes the discussion regarding food sacrificed to idols, he shows how this principle of giving up rights has applied to his own life. He shows us how he has forgone his own rights as an apostle and teacher (9:1-3). Paul reminds the Corinthians that he is man with authority. He is an apostle. He has seen Jesus. He was the founder of their church. As a result, Paul has certain rights. Paul has the right to have a wife travel with him, just like all the other apostles (9:5). He has a right not to have to have a second job just to make ends meet. He has a right to expect the Corinthians and other churches pay his salary (9:6-11). But Paul has voluntarily given up these rights. He did not want the exercise of these rights to serve as a hindrance to the preaching of the gospel (9:12). If eating meat, or having a wife with him, or taking a salary for his work would serve as a hindrance to the proclamation of the gospel, that was sufficient reason for Paul to give up his rights. There is a phrase that we often use: “with rank comes privilege.” Paul is saying we must be willing to give up that privilege regardless of our rank. Paul is concerned that his right to be supported by the church might hinder the gospel. So he would rather support himself, would rather work a second job, would rather not take a wife. The cost of giving up your rights (9:14-18)Paul isn't telling the Corinthians so they will feel sorry for him and send him cash (9:15). But he sees the privilege of being able to share the gospel as a greater than the rights he has given up (9:16-17). The ministry of the gospel was more valuable to him than all that he'd given up. Paul says he doesn't boast of all that he has given up (9:16-18). He isn't filled with pride for his ministry as a preacher. Rather, he says, that he is driven, compelled, to preach. That is nothing to be proud of. Instead, he is so glad that the gospel will not be impeded by his rights, that he characterizes it as a reward or a prize. Be Flexible for the Sake of the Gospel (9:19-27)Paul says, for the sake of communicating the teachings of Jesus, he is willing to become whatever he needs to be. He will give up his rights, become a slave to that person if it helps communicate the gospel (9:19). If he needs to act like a Jew to win the Jew, he will (9:20). If he needs to act like a Gentile to win the Gentile, he will (9:21). Whatever it takes, his rights are not as important to him as communicating Jesus to others. His rights are not as important as helping a fellow Christian to deal with their weaknesses. For Paul, the gospel is all that matters. He will do anything, anytime, anywhere, short of sinning, in order to preach the gospel. This is the race he is running, and he is running to win the prize (9:24-27). Are we willing to be this focused on the message of Christ? Are we willing to be this flexible? Answer: Is it Beneficial to me (10:1-11:1)?Could my freedom tempt me to fall (10:1-13)The Example of the Israelites (10:1-5)Paul reminds the Corinthians of the story of the Israelites rescue from slavery in Egypt. God revealed himself in a tangible way to the Israelites, guiding them through the wilderness manifested as a cloud before them. God showed them his power by drying up the Red Sea. God showed them his provision by feeding them while in the wilderness, manna and quail, and providing water in the middle of a desert. The Israelites experienced God. They saw him do mighty works in their midst. His protection, his provision, and his power were miraculously evident to them. And yet, most of them rejected God. They fell into idolatry, choosing to worship other gods. They fell into immorality, performing all sorts of evil acts. They tested God, trying God's patience. They grumbled, not being satisfied with the quality of God's miraculous provision. Have Others Failed While Using This Freedom (10:6-12)?The Israelites serve for us today a negative example (10:6). These people, who experienced God in a real, tangible way, seeing him work in their midst, fell. Do we think we are any better than they? Do we think that if only we can experience God, see him work in our midst, understand his power in our lives, that we are therefore impervious to temptation and sin? The Israelites weren't impervious. As we think about what my freedoms are, what my rights are, we need to ask, have others fallen into temptation through this freedom? We must be careful and not think ourselves better than others, or we too will fall (10:12) There is a way out (10:13)If we do find ourselves in a place where we have fallen into temptation, Paul gives us a promise. If you are in the midst of temptation, you can get out. You don't have to go through with the temptation. There is a way of escape. God has given you an out. Paul is saying; don't think you are ever too spiritual to fall. If you know that your freedom might send you down the road to sin, don't even get on that road. But, thankfully, if we do find ourselves heading down the road to sin, God has provides exit ramps to get off that road. Could my freedom lead me to idol-worship (10:14-22)?Flee Idolatry (10:14-20)Paul knew that for some people, the eating of meat sacrificed to idols might tempt them to fall back into the worship of pagan gods. So his warning in verse 14 is clear. It is a warning not about eating meat, but a warning to flee any situation that might lead into idol-worship. If eating food sacrificed to idols might lead you to worship someone or something other than God, then run from it. Give up that freedom. It is not helpful or beneficial. Is my freedom leading me to another master (10:21-22)?Don't be deceived. You can not serve two masters. Do you find your mind dwelling on your freedom rather than on God? Then your freedom is leading you to another master. If you aren't worshiping God, you are really worshipping demons. Another way to ask the question is, would God be jealous of the time and energy I'm giving to my freedom (10:22). Does your freedom consume you so much that God is jealous? Jealous of your time, jealous of your attention, jealous of your energy, jealous of your money? Is my freedom Beneficial (10:23-30)?Is it Beneficial to me (10:23)?Paul add one more answer to the question of whether or not to eat meat sacrificed to idols, or any other issue of Christian freedom. Will the exercise of this freedom be beneficial to me (10:23)? If, when exercising our right, it doesn't help us or help others, if it isn't beneficial to us or beneficial to others, if the exercise our right isn't "profitable," or doesn't' "edify," we should have the prudence not to practice our rights. Too often we ask the question, “am I allowed to do such and such? How far can I go before this particular activity becomes a sin?” But the question should instead be “is what I'm doing helpful? Is it beneficial?” Is it Beneficial to others (10:24-30)?When we are judging whether our freedom is beneficial and helpful, we can't just ask if it is beneficial or helpful to us. We need to ask is it beneficial or helpful to those around me? To determine this, first we need ask if our freedom might violate the conscious of those around me (10:27-29)? When we are aware of an issue, let's be careful not to give offense (10:32) Does my freedom glorify God (10:31-11:1)?As human beings the most beneficial, the most profitable thing we can do is to glorify God. Paul is telling us, no matter what you do, not matter if you eat or drink, glorify God (10:31). Glorifying God, or worshiping God, is more than what we do on Sunday morning when we sing songs to Him. Glorifying God is an attitude we have every hour of every day. It is giving God the credit for all that we experience. It is showing others the reality of God in every day life. We can enjoy all things (10:25-26)We can glorify God with whatever we do, because everything was created by, is sustained through, and belongs to God. All things belong to God, be it music, food, technology, art; it is all his. Even things that people have sacrificed or offered in opposition to God still belong to Him. Therefore, we have the freedom to enjoy all things, and in that freedom we can glorify God by recognizing that all things are created by, sustained through and belong to Him. Be Thankful for all things (10:30)When we recognize that, it should create within us a thankful heart. If we are thankful to God, communicate our appreciation to Him for all the great things in life, we give glory to Him. How can people criticize your freedom if you are giving glory to God? We glorify Him by thanking Him for the gifts He has provided us. Footnotes
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