‘Be Considerate And Not Condemning.’
1 Corinthians 8:4-13.
In this passage Apostle Paul clearly teaches that True Believers need to have a considerate attitude and not a condemning one when they are living in an idol worshipping environment or culture.
a) 1 Corinthians 8:4. Apostle Paul did not see an idol as evil or dark, he said that idols were simply “nothings”.
b) 1 Corinthians 8:5. He made clear that there were many “gods” and “lords”.
c) 1 Corinthians 8:6. For True Believers there is one God, the Father, from Whom are all things and for Whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things and through Whom we exist.
d) 1 Corinthians 8:7. Some people do not have the confidence that verse six gives, they come from an idolatrous background and they really see that food as being defiled by the idol. Because their conscience is weak they become defiled by the food which God provided for them.
e) 1 Corinthians 8:8. Food will not commend us to God. Abstain or eating, both make absolutely no difference to us.
f) 1 Corinthians 8:9-11. As True Believers though we need to be very careful that our behaviour does not offend the weak Believers.
g) 1 Corinthians 8:12. When we sin against weak Believers and wound their conscience we sin against Christ.
h) 1 Corinthians 8:13. If eating certain foods will make my fellow Believer stumble, I will never eat it again.
(Through this QT I see how necessary it is to Be Considerate And Not Condemning)
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‘Go Out From There.’
a) Acts 7:3; Genesis 12:1. Abraham had to go out from the land of the Chaldeans.
b) Genesis 8:16. Noah and his family had to go out from the ark.
c) Genesis 31:13. And return to the land of your kindred.
d) Exodus 12:31. And serve the Lord.
e) Isaiah 48:20. From Babylon with Joy, for the Lord has Redeemed you.
f) Isaiah 52:11. And purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.
g) Jeremiah 43:12. In Peace.
h) Micah 4:10. The City and dwell in the open country.
i) 2 Corinthians 6:17. From their midst and be separate from them says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and the Lord will welcome you.
(This Second one is an obvious direction from the Lord: Go Out From There)
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Chris.
All the Lord’s instructions that He gives and He gave to His People are and were always clear and easy to understand. When He says to us personally or as a family “Go Out From There” it is for us to respond in the correct way.
