And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
Paul wrote this letter to the Church in Corinth and Christians everywhere. It is his second letter to the Corinthians.
Problems in the church are identified. Paul offers solutions, and he teaches believers to live for Christ in a corrupt society.
Written Approximately A.D. 55 During the end of Paul’s three year ministry in Ephesus, during his third missionary journey.
To Corinth, a seaport and major trade center. The most important city in Achaia. Filled with Idolatry and immorality. Majority Gentiles, Paul had established during his second missionary journey.
Paul addresses divisions in the church and disorder.
Megatheme, The Corinthians were rallying around various church leaders and teachers, Peter, Paul, and Apollos. These loyalties led to intellectual pride and created a spirit of division in the church.
Importance: Our loyalty to human leaders or human wisdom must never divide Christians into camps. We must care for our fellow believers, not fight with them. Your allegiance must be to Christ. Let him lead you.
Freedom. Paul taught freedom of choice on practices not expressly forbidden in Scripture. Some believers felt certain actions-like eating the meat of animals used in pagan rituals-were corrupted by association. Others felt free to participate in such actions without feeling that they had sinned.
Importance: We are free in Christ, yet we must not abuse our Christian freedom by being inconsiderate and insensitive to others. We must never encourage others to do something they feel is wrong just because we have done it. Let love guide your behavior.
At first glance: As a reader of the bible for the first time. This verse begins in Verse 8:1 Now let’s talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church.
Lesson: It is difficult to fake love. To pretend to love someone is like the sound of nails scratching across a chalk board, for the sender and the receiver.
Prior to this verse it is explained that Idols manmade are not God’s at all so those that knew this ate and it did not bother them. But those with a weak conscience who thought these sacrifices made to idols were real gods bothered them. Or as Paul said, in verse 10“violated their conscience” Then in verse 11, “So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian, for whom Christ died will be destroyed.”
Verse 12, And you are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong. 13, If what we eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live, for I don’t want to make another Christian stumble.
What I believe this verse is teaching the church today! Love stands first, and knowledge second. (Mac Lauren’s Expositions.)
Lesson: Do my vices affect how others see me, or how they view Jesus?
Aimee Semple McPherson’s view. Declarations of faith. The official creed of Foursquare church.
Liberty is a tool, not a right. She argued that if an action (like eating meat sacrificed to idols or, in her era, certain secular amusements) caused a baby in Christ to stumble back into their old life, that action was strictly forbidden by the law of love.
Sacrifice for the sake of the soul. She modeled her ministry on the idea that a leader must be willing to give up anything, even things that are technically permissible if it meant saving or protecting a single soul.
Accountability; To Aimee verse 12 served as a divine Check and balance, it reminded the more mature Christians in her massive Angelus Temple congregation that their maturity would be judged by their gentleness toward others, not by the depth of their theological knowledge.
(Macpherson 1954,) Aimee argues that the “sin against Christ” mentioned in verse 12 occurs whenever a believer prioritizes personal freedom over the spiritual safety of their neighbor.
Aimee’s view focuses on how this action affects the unity of the church.
However: Billy Graham’s view, How our actions affect the world’s perception of the gospel.
Peace with God, Chapter 14, Enemies of the Christian. He uses imagery of spiritual infants needing protection from stumbling blocks which is the core of his 1 Corinthian application.
For Graham, the conscience was a sacred tool used by the Holy Spirit. He viewed wounding another’s conscience verse 12 as a serious offense because.
Hardening the Heart. Causing someone to go against their conscience can lead to a hardening of their heart , making it more difficult for them to hear the Holy Spirit’s guidance in the future. Billy Graham appears to see this as affecting the bigger picture.
In his sermons, Graham applied this principle to modern “grey areas” (like alcohol, certain types of entertainment, or social habits). His advice was consistently; “When in doubt, don’t.”
Lesson: When in doubt, don’t!
I am encouraged by the following scripture verse which helps me to keep these gray areas in perspective.
1 Corinthians 10:23, “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. 24, No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
Simon; Aimee’s opinion is softer. Like a mother. While Paul uses tough language but you continue to see his heart of affection. In 1 Corinthians 8:13 Paul writes, (Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.)
In the Whole chapter. We all have knowledge. Focus on this word love, Guided by Love.
In 1 Corinthians 8:1, LASB (Now let’s talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church.)
Paul teaches knowledge first. How do we view it? One God One Lord.
Point: Follow Paul’s example. First step, Second step. wants the Corinthians to understand the truth.
Paul taught the knowledge. My own example. For the sake of these people.
In Chapter 10 Paul addresses this topic again. In 1 Corinthians 10:23, (“I am allowed to do anything”, but not everything is helpful. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”, but not everything is beneficial.
Prayer: Oh God, please forgive me of my sins and my iniquitous ways, Oh God, I ask you for wisdom. In reading your word today let me always filter what I read through your Lense of love.
Amen.
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