Monday, July 10
More important
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8
1 Corinthians 8:9–13 But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. 10 For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened” to eat food offered to idols? 11 So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed.12 If you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them to sin.
Observation
Paul discussed the issue of whether Christians should eat food that had been offered as a sacrifice to an idol. It was believed by some that eating such food was a participation in idolatry, or even that by ingesting the food, you ingested the idol!
Paul said that idols are not real gods; there is only one God. Thus, the meat is just meat and can be eaten without concern. Except for one thing: not everyone understood that idols are not real and the meat is just meat. For them, eating food that had been sacrificed to idols was an act of worship and partaking of the idol. So when a Christian with knowledge ate the meat, one without that knowledge could be led back into idolatry.
Here was Paul’s Big Idea (see verse 8): don’t let your freedom become someone else’s bondage.
If your freedom trips up someone else—someone for whom Christ died—then forego your freedom. Let it go. The other person is more important than your freedom. Or said another way, the other person is more important than the issue.
Paul said that he would be willing never to eat meat again for the sake of his brothers and sisters. He knew idols were nothing and that he was free to eat the meat, but the person was more important than his freedom.
Application
While we’re not dealing with the issue of food offered to idols, we have many parallels in our culture. Think about things that trip people up or tie them up in bondage. Others are watching you—you are an influencer—and what is no problem for you may be a problem for someone else. So be aware of what you’re doing and who is watching and how it affects them. Don’t let your freedom become someone else’s bondage.
Here’s an example. The Bible doesn’t forbid drinking alcohol; it forbids drunkenness. When I became a Christian 58 years ago, I didn’t know any Christians who drank. I grew up in a non-drinking Christian environment. Since then, it’s become fashionable for Christians to drink. No sin there, provided you aren’t getting drunk. Except for one thing: not everyone can drink with impunity. Some people are problem drinkers or addicts and you need to be aware of how your freedom may impact them.
For example, I recently heard of a man who was an alcoholic, got sober at AA, and several years later went to a church event where alcohol was being served. He got drunk, lost his sobriety, and hasn’t regained it since. Sadly, those church people’s freedom became his bondage. They were not aware of how their actions were affecting this man.
That is one example—there are many other issues this could be applied to. The underlying principle is love. It is putting others ahead of yourself, prioritizing their well-being ahead of your freedom or desires.
Jesus didn’t die for the issue, but the person in front of you. Always put people ahead of your personal freedoms.
Prayer: Lord, I love You. Help me to live a life of love today by putting other people ahead of my preferences.
More: 1 Chronicles 22-23, John 10