All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake; FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake; I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
Paul reiterates and responds to the members of the church at Corinth’s belief that “all things are lawful”. First, Paul states that while they may believe that all things are lawful, not all things are profitable. While we may believe that we have a great deal of freedom as followers of Jesus to engage in all kinds of behaviors, not all of these behaviors are advantageous or benefit our well being.
Second, Paul states that while we may believe that all things are lawful, but not all things edify. When Paul uses the word edify here, he is referring one’s improved ability to live effectively as a follower of Jesus. Paul is explaining that while we may believe that we have a great deal of freedom as followers of Jesus to engage in all kinds of behaviors, not all of these behaviors result in a growing and maturing relationship with Christ.
And because of this reality, Paul commands the members of the church to let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. Paul is explaining that as followers of Jesus, we fail to flee from idolatry when we fail to properly use our freedom. As followers of Jesus, we are to use the freedom that we have as a result of our relationship with Christ to strive for the spiritual good and growth and others.
Paul then applies this timeless principle to two specific situations that were occurring at the church in Corinth. First, the members of the church at Corinth wanted to know if it was o.k. to purchase and eat meat from the local markets in town that may have been previously sacrificed to idols. Paul responds to this question by commanding the members of the church to eat the meat that was sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience sake. When Paul refers to the conscience here, he is referring to our inward capacity of distinguishing right from wrong. Paul’s point here is that they did not need to engage in a thorough examination to determine whether or not the meat in the market was from an idol’s temple or not. They had the freedom to purchase and consume that meat.
Paul then transitions to a second situation that was occurring in Corinth. The members of the church at Corinth were wondering how they should respond to an invitation by a nonchristian friend to come over for a barbecue. Paul responds by commanding the members of the church to accept the invitation and enjoy the barbecue without asking questions for conscience sake. Paul’s point here is that the members did not need to engage in a thorough examination to determine whether or not the meat at the barbecue was from an idol’s temple or not. They had the freedom to accept the invitation to the barbecue and eat a steak.
However Paul commands that if the person who invited you over for the barbecue tells you that the meat was sacrificed to a false god, they were not to eat. While they could accept the invitation and attend the barbecue, they were not to eat the meat. Instead, they were to have a salad instead. Paul’s point here is that by eating a steak at the barbecue that you knew had been sacrificed to a false god, you would be sending the message to the nonchristian friend who invited you that worshipping a false god was o.k. Paul is explaining that while they may have the freedom to eat the steak, they should lovingly limit their freedom in order to reveal and reflect Christ to their nonchristian friend.
Paul then provides a timeless principle that should serve to guide our behavior as followers of Jesus: “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This morning, the reality is that there are things that we can do or be a part of that simply do not bring glory to God. Followers of Jesus should not be engaged in any activity that does not bring glory to God. But in whatever we do; in however we exercise the freedoms that we have as a result of our relationship with Christ, we should exercise those freedoms in a way that brings glory and makes much of God.
Paul further unpacks this principle by explaining that we are to strive to live our lives as followers of Jesus in a way that does not offend religious people, irreligious people, or other followers of Jesus. While we have a great deal of freedom as followers of Jesus when it comes to how we live our day to day lives, we should lovingly limit that freedom when the expression of that freedom could result in offending the people you are with, whether they are religious people, irreligious people, or other Christians. Paul then states that the reason we are to live our lives in such a way is so that we seek the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.
The goal for lovingly limiting our freedom as followers of Jesus is so that those who are far from God, either because they are religious or irreligious, can benefit from being exposed to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel lived out in a way that reveals and reflects Christ. Our day to day lives should create space to engage those who are far from God in a way that leads religious people to repent from their religion and irreligious people to repent from their irreligious lives and receive the forgiveness of their sin and enter into the relationship with God that they were created for by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader.
Paul then concludes this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by commanding the members to be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. Paul’s point here is that just as Paul followed the example of Jesus, who lovingly limited His freedom in order to engage those who were far from God so as to rescue and redeem humanity, the members of the church at Corinth were to follow his example as he engaged those in Corinth. Paul’s point is that we best reveal and reflect Christ when we follow His example.
So this morning, what do you worship? Is there something in your life other than God that you worship as God? Because Christians act unchristian when we fail to flee from idolatry. We fail to flee idolatry when we fail to properly understand worship. And we fail to flee from idolatry when we fail to properly use our freedom. So may we be Christians who act Christian by fleeing from idolatry. And may we be Christians who act Christian by doing all that we do to the glory of God by properly understanding worship and by properly using the freedom that we have as followers of Christ.
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