I Corinthians 10:15-33
Last time we concluded the first half of
I Corinthians 10 with these thoughts
Important assurance on God’s Part:
(1 Cor 10:13) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
What is the “Way of escape”?
Sometimes, it is to flee!
(1 Cor 10:14) Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
(2 Tim 2:22 NKJV) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Conclusion:
Learn lessons from the Old Testament!
It is there that we can learn how serious sin is.
Take life seriously! Our eternity is at stake!
That means we are ready to begin with verse 15:
(1 Cor 10:15NKJV) I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.
“I speak as to wise men” A complement to them which they probably didn’t deserve, but I’m sure they thought they did. Paul is going to use it to make an important point:
“judge for yourselves what I say.” The truth of the matter is, we are the ones who finally decide what we will believe and what we will not accept.
We find a similar thought in: (Phil 2:12 NKJV) “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;”
Again, in the end, we are the ones who will give account to God for what we accept as truth.
(1 Cor 10:16) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
Here he is showing the significance of partaking of the Lord Supper. It reminds us of the blood and body of the Lord. It identifies us as part of His body. Notice what he goes on to say:
(1 Cor 10:17) For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
His illustration is that since there is only one bread; that is, one body of Christ, then we are the one body! Then he chooses an illustration from the Old Testament:
(1 Cor 10:18) Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
One passage that tells about the priest partaking of the sacrifices is in Leviticus:
(Lev 7:32-36 NKJV) 'Also the right thigh you shall give to the priest as a heave offering from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. {33} 'He among the sons of Aaron, who offers the blood of the peace offering and the fat, shall have the right thigh for his part. {34} 'For the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering I have taken from the children of Israel, from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons from the children of Israel by a statute forever.'" {35} This is the consecrated portion for Aaron and his sons, from the offerings made by fire to the LORD, on the day when Moses presented them to minister to the LORD as priests. {36} The LORD commanded this to be given to them by the children of Israel, on the day that He anointed them, by a statute forever throughout their generations.
So what is Paul’s point?
(1 Cor 10:19) What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? {20} Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.
Participating in Lord’s Supper, or participating in the feast of idols, identifies who we worship.
Idols are identified as “demons”
“they sacrifice to demons and not to God,”
(1 Cor 10:21) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons.
If they insist on doing both, they need to realize what they are doing.
(1 Cor 10:22) Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
“Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” Do we ignore Him? Are we stronger than He? Do we intend to defy Him and go our own way?
(1 Cor 10:23) All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Almost an exact duplicate of I Cor 6:12
(1 Cor 6:12) All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
“All things are lawful for me,” If Paul had asked me about this, I would have said, “Paul, please say that a little differently. Perhaps: “[Assume that] all things are lawful for me,”
I believe that is Paul’s intention here. Obviously, murder, sexual sins, etc. are not lawful for Paul or anyone else. I think Paul is just saying, for a moment, forget about whether or not something is lawful, here are some other considerations:
(1 Cor 10:24) Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.
We must put the interest and concerns of others above our own rights and privelges.
An example of “lawful” things:
(1 Cor 10:25) Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience' sake; {26} for "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness."
This is a case where our attitude toward something makes all the difference.
Grape juice is just grape juice until we pour it into the cups for the Lord’s Supper.
At that point, it becomes part of the Lord’s Supper to me.
(1 Cor 10:27) If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake.
We’ve already covered this in chapter 8:
(1 Cor 8:4 NKJV) Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
So what are we to conclude?
Since an idol is nothing, meat has not been changed by being offered to an idol . . .
(1 Cor 10:28) But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness." {29} "Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?
But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols . . ." He’s telling you this as a warning! Eating it is something that he judges to be wrong!
Paul has already addressed this issue also:
(1 Cor 8:13 NKJV) Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
(1 Cor 10:30) But if I partake with thanks,
why am I evil spoken of
for the food over which I give thanks?
There may be two ways to interpret this, but one way is this: (1) Since an idol is nothing,
And (2) Since I have given thanks for it,
Then “why am I evil spoken of?”
What have I done wrong?
Implied answer: Nothing!
Implication: The “weak brother” should not insist on everything going his way, or condemn me for doing things I have a right to do.
Having said that, Paul seems to advocate giving up his rights to avoid offending someone:
(1 Cor 10:31) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. {32} Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, {33} just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
The chapter hasn’t been about rights.
It’s been about being willing to give up rights
for the sake of saving someone who might not understand your rights, or what is right.
Paul was willing to concede rights to the weak or uninformed.
He was not willing to yield to those who were teaching, or insisting on false teaching.
There is a difference!
Paul was a great man with a very unselfish Attitude.
We would do well to follow his example.
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