I. The Problem
A. The Spiritual Challenges Of Living In Corinth
1. The Apostle Paul was the spiritual father to these Corinthians.
a. He founded the church and stayed with them for 18 months.
b. He understood the culture that they lived in and their spiritual immaturity.
c. 1 Corinthians 11:18 First of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I
believe it. (He found second-hand reports “believable”).
2. 1 Corinthians was actually the second letter that Paul had written to them.
a. Paul had been responding to questions that they had written to him about.
b. 1 Cor. 5:9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.
3. Their question: Can Christians eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols? (1 Cor. 8)
a. Animals were sacrificed in pagan temples and the meat was sold in the marketplace.
b. Paul said that within that context, there were two groups of people.
i. Those with a weak conscience, who felt spiritual stumbled by eating such meat.
ii. Those who were not stumbled, who felt free to eat that meat.
c. Paul taught that there was nothing spiritually wrong with the meat. It was just meat.
d. But Paul warned that those who felt free to eat that meat, should never do so in the presence of those with weak consciences who would be stumbled by their actions.
e. 1 Corinthians 8:9, 13 9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a [c]stumbling block to those who are weak.
13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
B. When “Freedom” Leads To Sin Vs. 14-17
1. Another layer of concern-That meat was also available to eat at the local temple.
a. Some of the Christians bought meat in the marketplace and took it home to eat it.
b. But apparently, others chose to eat the meat at the temple. Whereas the meat wasn’t dangerous, the temple environment was dangerous, and Paul warned against that.
c. NOTE- The Corinthians knew all about that environment and practice, whereas we learn about the from reading history books and commentaries.
2. Part of the ancient pagan religions included visiting with temple prostitutes.
3. The temple environment was a place of the idol worship and self-indulgence.
4. Some of the Corinthians who had the spiritual freedom to eat the temple meat lacked the spiritual wisdom and maturity to stay away from the temple.
a. They allowed their spiritual freedom to lead them into a place of spiritual compromise
5. V. 14 Flee from idolatry. Flee-escape, avoid, shun, seek safety by escaping.
a. This leads us to believe that not only were some of the Corinthians eating the meat (which was allowable), but they were also were exposed to or getting involved in the activities of the temple as they ate meat in temple area.
b. Their spiritual freedoms were being abused for the sake of their appetites, and the result was some degree of exposure to or involvement with idolatry.
6. Vs. 15-17 Paul appeals to their ability to reason among themselves
a. V. 15 Judge for yourselves-come to a conclusion based upon the following facts
i. The Corinthians prided themselves on being wise. (1 Cor. Chapters 1-3)
b. V. 16 Communion- koinonia- fellowship, association, joint participation, intimacy.
c. V. 17 Communion is about joining people together as we celebrate our union in Jesus.
C. An Old Testament Example Of Communion V. 18
1. The Peace Offering-Unlike the other offerings, the peace offering was optional, given in addition to the burnt offering. The peace offering closed with a meal, in which the priests (representing God) the worshipper, and his or her friends ate together. The sacrifices had to be eaten in one or two days.
a. Part of the meat was burned and given over to God.
b. Part of the meat was eaten by the priests as a way of supporting them.
c. Part of the meat was eaten by the worshipper.
d. Therefore, in a sense, the “meal” was shared by the worshipper, the priest, and God.
e. There was a oneness to the event, an intimacy, a shared experience, a communion.
D. The Application For The Corinthians Vs. 19-22
1. V. 19 The idol is just a piece of wood, metal or stone. The offered meat is just meat.
2. V. 20 The spiritual worship behind the idol is demonically inspired.
a. To go to the temple to eat the meat is to be joining in (to some degree) in what others are doing as a form of worship to an idol which has Satanic influences behind it.
b. Fellowship with demons- koinonia- association, joint participation, intimacy.
3. V. 21 A Christian is not to have fellowship with God, and fellowship with darkness
4. V. 22 If we think that we can do both, we are deceived, and provoke God to jealousy.
a. The Corinthians thought…“If I am allowed to eat this meat, then it doesn’t matter where I eat it”. They thought that freedom in one area gave them more freedom.
b. The Corinthians were flirting with Satanic inspired religion for the sake of meat.
c. Their appetites for meat, and the freedoms they legitimately enjoyed were being compromised but their spiritual
carnality and fleshly cravings.
II. The Principles For Us Vs. 23-33
A. Spiritual Freedom Doesn’t Always Bring A Benefit V. 23
1. Guzik- The Corinthian Christians focused on their own “rights” and “knowledge,” only asked one question: “What’s the harm to me?” Instead of only asking that question, they needed to also ask, “What good can this be for me?”
2. It wasn’t unlawful to eat the meat, unless…
a. It stumbled someone with a weak conscience. That would break the “law of love”
b. Unless you ate the lawful meat at the Temple where Satanically inspired religion was
3. We are to be on a quest for spiritual growth, not just focused on not breaking the rules.
4. We are to seek after that which edifies our own lives and the lives of others.
B. Seek Not Your Freedoms, But The Well Being Of Others Vs. 24-30
1. “What’s the harm to me?”. Instead, they should have said, “Will it harm them?”.
2. Paul said not to ask about the meat and eat it with thanksgiving. The Lord created it.
3. An unbeliever might invite you to dinner and tell you that the meat was sacrificed to idols. In that case, don’t eat. Avoid the argument, the appearance of evil, etc.
4. V. 30 If you eat it in that setting, you might be criticized, even though you have freedom.
5. That person may think that you shouldn’t eat the meat, and now they criticize.
6. Paul says to avoid the controversy, avoid the judgment, & deny yourself at that moment.
C. Do All For God’s Glory Vs. 31-33
1. Is it helpful to me?
2. Is it helpful or harmful to others?
3. Is it glorifying to God?
4. Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”