Paul's Epistles - 1 Corinthians Part 15 – Being the Stumbling Block

Paul's Epistles - 1 Corinthians

Part 15 – Being the Stumbling Block

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Paul's letter to the church in Corinth, up until last week, was addressing the things he had heard about them, including incest, adultery, over-spiritualized behaviors, wandering away from the Word of God, and an overall pride about them.

Paul has corrected the Corinthian Churches view about the division; Christ is head of the church, no one else. He also let them know that the power comes from God, and they should be humble, not conceited and over-spiritual.

He warned them not to go beyond what is written.

He addressed their pseudo-faith and spiritual activity of abstaining from intimate relations with their spouses, explaining this was the root of their immoral behavior.

He also warned them against lawsuits with other believers, saying the only reason they could not come to terms together inside the church was because of their pride and arrogance.

He instructed them to be content in their situations, so as to quench the immoral behavior that was coming from discontent, and selfish ambition.

This week we are continuing in I Corinthians 8, where Paul explains about becoming a stumbling block to others.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE I Corinthians 8

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. ² Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. ³ But whoever loves God is known by God.

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), ⁶ yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

⁷ But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. ⁸ But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.¹⁰ For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. ¹² When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

Animals were often sacrificed to idols, and then the meat sold in the market place. Some were afraid to purchase and consume food sacrificed without their knowledge.

                   I.            KNOWLEDGE

a.      We all possess knowledge

b.     "knowledge" puffs up; "love" builds up

                                                                         i.      Remember, they thought themselves more spiritual than even Paul, and were very arrogant and prideful, because they had a little knowledge.

c.      The difference between knowledge and wisdom

                                                                         i.      You may have knowledge, but do not know what you ought

1.      We never know as much about the word as we think.

                                                                      ii.      You may have knowledge, but do not know HOW to use it

1.      What we do know of the word, we must apply through LOVE

                                                                   iii.      Wisdom knows how to use your knowledge in a "loving" way.

               II.            THE MONOTHEISTIC TRIUNE GOD

a.      An idol is nothing at all in the world

                                                                         i.      We know (knowledge) there is but one God

                                                                      ii.      Although there are many "gods" and "idols", they do not actually exist, and therefore are of no consequence.

b.     There is only one God for us

                                                                         i.      God the Father (Spirit) FROM whom all things came. Can ONLY be worshipped in Spirit and Truth.

                                                                      ii.      One Lord Jesus Christ (God made flesh to dwell among us) THROUGH which all things came into being (the Creator), THROUGH whom we live (for God the Father who is Spirit).

                                                                   iii.      The Holy Spirit (Who is God in a form which dwells within us) is the "HOW" we can worship God the Father who must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth, because we connect to God the Father with the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.

c.      One God in three forms for specific reasons.

                                                                         i.      The Father in Heaven, perfect holy Spirit

                                                                      ii.      The Lord Jesus, made flesh to dwell among us and pay our sin-debt

                                                                   iii.      The Holy Spirit, to dwell within us, made available through Christ, so we may have a relationship with the Father in heaven.

            III.            CAUSING OTHERS TO SIN

a.      Some people think sacrificed food becomes defiled because it was sacrificed to gods or idols

                                                                         i.      They are those with weak consciences (spiritually immature/weak)

1.      They lack the knowledge Paul is about to share.

b.     Food has no power, sacrificed or not.

                                                                         i.      Food does not bring us near to God

                                                                      ii.      We are no worse if we do not eat it, and no better if we do.

c.      Be careful however

                                                                         i.      That when you exercise YOUR RIGHTS that you do NOT become a stumbling block to the weak

                                                                      ii.      If you eat sacrificed food in the "idols temple", the spiritually weak (those lacking knowledge) may see you, and be destroyed by your knowledge.

Illustration

           

            I have the knowledge from scripture, Paul tells us that there is no one day holier than another, all food is clean and can be eaten, even food sacrificed, and it is OK, even prescribed in scripture to drink good wine, but do not be drunk.

Now, I have to exercise wisdom (LOVE over knowledge), so that if I exercise what Paul calls "my rights", that I do not cause a brother or sister of weaker faith to fall.

Therefore, for example, though I know I can drink wine, I will abstain from doing so in public, or hanging out in bars because it may cause others to fall.

This conscious act, is wisdom, using knowledge appropriately, in love to "bring others up", instead of doing whatever I know I can, and use my knowledge to cause others to fall.

This is acting out, or living I Corinthians 13

CONCLUSION

Paul states,

When you do this (ignore those of weaker faith around you), and cause them to sin, you are sinning against Christ.

Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will not eat it.

We must think of those weaker in faith around us, whom we can lift up, strengthen and build instead of causing to fall.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!

Paul's Epistles - 1 Corinthians Part 14 – Serving the Lord

Paul's Epistles - 1 Corinthians

Part 14 – Serving the Lord

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Paul's letter to the church in Corinth, up until last week, was addressing the things he had heard about them, including incest, adultery, over-spiritualized behaviors, wandering away from the Word of God, and an overall pride about them.

Over the last few weeks, we have read about Paul addressing the situations going on in the church in Corinth.

He spoke about the falsehoods of forced celibacy, the sin of adultery, how married couples are to treat each other's needs, and only the needs of your spouse. Last week Paul specifically spoke about being content.

Not being content has lead to many problems in this world, and especially in relationships.

Not being content can lead to selfish and prideful behaviors.

We will close the seventh chapter of this letter to the Corinthian church with Paul speaking to the unmarried, the married, about their responsibilities and a message to the widows.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE I Corinthians 7:25-40

²⁵ Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. ²⁶ Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.²⁷ Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. ²⁸ But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

²⁹ What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; ³⁰ those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; ³¹ those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
³² I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. ³³ But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— ³⁴ and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. ³⁵ I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. ³⁷ But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. ³⁸ So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.

³⁹ A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. ⁴⁰ In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

                   I.            UNMARRIED

a.      A message to virgins like Paul

                                                                         i.      This message is given in the light of the persecution from Rome and the crimes being committed against those who followed Christ at the time.

                                                                      ii.      We must remember when this letter was written, the purpose of it, and the time frame in which it was given.

                                                                   iii.      If you have the Spiritual Gift of celibacy then you will have grace from God, which will give you the ability to have no desire for physical needs.

b.     This is good to be single "in this present distress"

                                                                         i.      The context in which Paul writes

                                                                      ii.      This message is probably being preached right now by fellow followers to those believers in such areas of distress, like muslim controlled regions.

c.      Are you bound? are you loosed?

                                                                         i.      If you are married, stay so, and if you are single, stay so in these troubling times.

               II.            MARRIED

a.      Time is short

                                                                         i.      Followers of Christ need to make the most of it.

                                                                      ii.      Those who are married must still serve the Lord

                                                                   iii.      Do not wait until children have grown and left, or spouse has died, then devote yourself to the Lord, do so now, for the time is short.

b.     We must not dwell on earthly things

                                                                         i.      Because they are all going to pass away.

                                                                      ii.      They are all temporary

                                                                   iii.      All but the souls are going to be destroyed in the end.

c.      Weeping, rejoicing, buying, using things of this world

                                                                         i.      It should be as if it never happened...

                                                                      ii.      We should not focus on these things...for they are temporary

            III.            RESPONSIBILITIES (During this time of distress)

a.      Do not be burdened with care

                                                                         i.      unmarried men can devote everything to the Lord

                                                                      ii.      married men must divide their cares for their family and wives needs

                                                                   iii.      unmarried women can devote everything to the Lord

                                                                     iv.      married women must divide their care for the needs of the family and their husbands

b.     Your virgins can make up their own minds though

                                                                         i.      Speaking of fathers who have daughters

                                                                      ii.      If she passes the age of flowering (20 years old typically)

                                                                   iii.      The father must permit his daughter to marry if she so chooses.

                                                                     iv.      But if she decides not to marry and stay a virgin, devoting herself completely to the Lord, he must keep her, and take care of her so she may do so.

            IV.            WIDOWS

a.      vs 39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.

b.     However she may be happier if she stays alone in these times

CONCLUSION

So Paul's advice is this;

Considering the terrible times we live in with Rome wanting to kill us all, if you are married, stay married. If you are not married, then don't get married.

The time is short...whether you are married or not, you must serve the Lord.

Do not worry about earthly things, because they are all going to pass away. However, the souls of people need to hear the Gospel that will preserve them for eternity.

If you have a daughter who wants to marry, and she is of age (18 years old in our modern day), then let her do so. However, if she does not want to marry, and devote herself to the Lord, fathers, you must continue to take care of them during this time.

Widows, if your spouse passes away, you are free to marry again, but taking into consideration our terrible present time, you may be happier alone.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!