Title: Freedom and Responsibility
Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Truth: Because our actions influence the actions of others, we must learn to balance our freedom with responsibility.
Aim: To help them practice responsible freedom toward other Christians.
INTRODUCTION
Tell about man at a former church who shook hands with his left hand. Fingers on his right hand nearly gone. Wife shook hands with her left. Small son did too.
We are strongly influenced by those around us. Those we see as experts particularly influence us. We assume they know what is best and will do what is best. That’s not always true.
Paul was concerned about the way some of the leaders in the Corinthian church were influencing newcomers in the faith. Under the flag of freedom, they did things that confused and weakened the commitment of new Christians. Paul provides some needed advice on balancing freedom with responsibility.
The text talks about meat offered to idols. We question it’s relevance but the issue serves a bigger principle of balancing freedom and responsibility. Just because it is not a sin for us to do something, doesn’t mean we should do it. We need to balance our freedom with the responsibility to not harm another Christian’s walk with God. Because our actions influence the actions of others, we must learn to balance our freedom with responsibility.
If Paul were writing to the church today he might start this way, “Now concerning whether you should vote Democrat or Republican.” Or, he might have said, “Now concerning whether you should drink alcoholic beverages.” There are any number of subjects—tattoos, body piercing, public or private home schooling of your children. The issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols is a very relevant subject. What am I free to do as a Christian? Where does my influence of others limit my freedom? Because our actions influence the actions of others, we must learn to balance our freedom with responsibility.
An understanding of the background will help us to properly interpret and apply the principles of freedom and responsibility. Offering sacrifices to idols was a vital part of the pagan religions of Paul’s day. Go to a pagan temple—give best part of meat to priest for sacrifice to the god—part of offering would be burned—priest would eat what he wanted from the rest—what was left over was sold in the market. If the pagan made his sacrifice at home, the pagan worshiper would burn part of the meat to a god. The remainder he served at a feast of celebration.
One reason the pagan sacrificed meat to a god at home was to protect him from being possessed by an evil spirit. The ancient man was terrified of evil spirits. They believed that demons were constantly trying to find ways to enter their bodies and take them over. They might even be on the meat and would enter the body when the meat was eaten. But if the meat were dedicated to a good god, he would protect worshiper. These Christians had just stepped out of that belief system.
Here’s the dilemma. Should you buy meat in the market that’s been offered to idols? Should you accept the invitation to a feast where meat dedicated to an idol would be served? Am I compromising my faith? Will my commitment to Jesus Christ be questioned? Haven’t you been faced with similar questions? What do you say to your beer drinking buddies invitation to go fishing all night? Can you go to that particular movie? If you’ve asked these kinds of questions, then you know the dilemma of eating meat offered to idols.
Some Christians had no qualms buying T-bones and pork chops at the local market for a family cookout. They knew the meat was not contaminated. It was just meat. Others couldn’t help but feel that they were sinning against God. Every time they brought it to their mouth, they had a flashback to their old pagan days. They feared being judged by God for sinning.
The struggle is to know how to be in this world but not of this world. How far can you go? We don’t want to be so fundamental that we have more in common with the Taliban than we do with Christians. Nor do we want to be so liberal that there is hardly anything wrong or sinful. Christians are called to influence society for Christ. We can’t do that if we separate from our culture, and we can’t do it if we are totally assimilated into the culture. Paul gives them principles to guide their decisions.
I’m going to approach this message differently than my custom. I want to walk through the text with some explanation. I’ll give some major headings to reveal Paul’s thinking. Then I’ll close the message with four questions to guide our decisions about limiting our freedom.
Paul’s thought can be divided into three main segments:
Love is superior to knowledge (8:1-3)
God is superior to idols (8:4-6)
Friends are superior to freedom (8:7-13)
The first thought is a fundamental belief and behavior for all Christians. The second point is directed to the weak Christian. And the third point is directed to the mature Christian.
LOVE IS SUPERIOR TO KNOWLEDGE (8:1-3)
Paul is answering another question they have written to him—v. 1a. Some Corinthian believers were saying that idols are just blocks of wood or stone. Those gods didn’t really exist. The meat was not contaminated. They were going to eat it even if other church members were upset. “I’m free to do this, and I’m going to,” they said. This group was not thinking about the influence of their actions on other Christians.
The weak Christians steadfastly refused to eat meat offered to idols. They would not risk compromising their faith.
Paul moves past the issue of eating meat offered to idols to the motives of these Christians. On what basis should we act? What role does knowledge and love play in our actions?
Many scholars believe the statement in v. 1b was a quote from the Corinthians. The word “knowledge” describes knowledge gained from experience rather than a book. From their encounter with Jesus Christ, they knew that idols were powerless, imaginary gods.
Paul accepted that truth but he focused on a higher motivation in their decision about eating meat offered to idols. Love is a higher motivation than knowledge because of its focus and result. A person motivated by knowledge focuses on himself. Apparently, the more learned Christians were scolding the others for their lack of maturity and understanding. Implied in their criticism was an exalted view of themselves. But a person motivated by love focuses on others.
Love as a motive is superior to knowledge not only because of its focus but also because of its result. Knowledge tends to make a person arrogant. Everyone who has been to college has had at least one very bright professor whose knowledge as filled them with arrogance, and they look on all others with scorn. A person intoxicated with knowledge seeks to build himself up. A person motivated by love seeks to build others up—v. 1c.
According to v. 2, the truth is finite man has limited knowledge. The mature Christian thought he knew it all, but the truth is he didn’t know as much as he thought. Compared to the weaker Christian, he knew a lot. Compared to what he should know, he still had a lot to learn.
A family once advertised a set of encyclopedias for sale. They said that their teenage daughter already knew everything. Maybe she didn’t know as much as she thought!
Paul says in v. 3 that knowing about God is not as important as being known by God. The basis of our relationship is not knowledge, that is, just knowing about God. The basis of our relationship is love. By loving God, we come to know Him and be known by Him.
If love is most important in our relationship with God, then it is most important in our relationship with one another. Hold on to that. That is the key in knowing the limits of our freedom. LOVE IS SUPERIOR TO KNOWLEDGE.
GOD IS SUPERIOR TO IDOLS (8:4-6)
Having established the general principle that our actions are to be motivated by love, Paul applies this principle to the particular issue troubling the Corinthians. According to v. 4 that issue is eating meat that was offered to idols. He speaks to the weaker Christians first.
He assures them that the meat is not contaminated. The word “nothing” refers to a shadow or a phantom. A shadow appears as something but it has no substance. The idols are like shadows, they appear real but they are only figments of the imagination. Christians don’t submit to these gods because they know there is only one God. This God created the world and is the redeemer of the world. He is the source of that meat and He is sovereign over that meat.
Since idols aren’t real, they cannot contaminate the meat. Therefore, there is no reason why a Christian can’t eat that meat. Better theology is the answer to easing their fears and worries.
FRIENDS ARE SUPERIOR TO FREEDOM (8:7-13)
Now Paul speaks to the group that has the freedom to eat meat offered to idols, and do so without regard for fellow Christians that were troubled by it. He reminds the stronger Christian that not everyone shared this understanding. Intellectually, the weaker Christian knew better, emotionally, he was still influenced by his past connection to paganism.
A young woman came out of the drug culture and a cultist religion. Associated with her past experience was Reggae music. I’m not aware of anything morally wrong with Reggae music, but when she heard it she was transported back to those very sinful experiences in her life. So she refused to listen to Reggae music. Intellectually, she knew that there was nothing morally wrong in listening to Reggae. Emotionally, it was a different story. This is the issue.
In v. 7 Paul says that for the weak Christian to eat that meat, or the case of the woman to listen to Reggae music, “defiled” their conscience. The word “defile” means to pollute or stain. God gave mankind a conscience to help distinguish between right and wrong. Sin has corrupted our conscience but it can be programmed to provide a moral guide, especially after conversion. For the Christian, who is still uncertain about the rightness of eating meat offered to idols, to eat such meat would confuse his conscience.
People shipwreck their conscience by ignoring it. For example, every pastor has to make the call for whom he will perform marriage ceremonies. Will he perform marriages for anyone or will he impose some limitations? I was struggling with this several years ago. I’d performed some marriages and it bothered my conscience. In a conversation with the man who is my pastor, I mentioned this. He wisely said to me not to do anything against my conscience. Today, if I’m asked to perform a wedding I give the couple a letter explaining what circumstances I am comfortable in doing weddings. Consequently, some engaged couples have asked others to perform their wedding. I’m not offended. My conscience is at peace.
Don’t harm your conscience. A strong conscience according to this text is not restrictive and binding but liberating. Think how liberating it is for your conscience to be convinced there is just one God? No more superstitions like walking under ladders or fearing broken mirrors, stepping on cracks, or horoscopes. My mother had a friend that decided whether to go to the grocery store based on her horoscope! There is one God. He is the source of life and the sovereign of life. He rules. The planets don’t rule.
Read v. 8.
The first part of verse 8 must have been something the strong Christian was saying. Paul agreed. While agreeing with the basic premise, Paul reached a different conclusion. Since eating such meat is not important, why don’t you give it up for the sake of your weaker brother?
Paul wants them to take seriously their influence on their Christian brother. Listen to how seriously Jesus took our influence on other Christians: “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Imagine how frightening that would be. The context reveals Jesus is not talking about children but young Christians.
Read v. 9.
Our freedom could actually become sin. Our freedom is limited by knowledge, love, and the influence we have over other Christians.
Read v. 10-11.
Paul gives an example. Eating the meat or attending celebrations where this meat is served does not trouble the mature Christian. But a weaker Christian sees this and instead of listening to his conscience he follows the actions of the mature Christian. In the end he is guilt-stricken by his actions.
How does this “destroy” the weaker Christian? Some say he may fall back into idolatry and come under its power again. Others say he is lost to fruitful and effective service for Christ. Either way none of us want to have that kind of influence on a fellow believer. If Jesus would limit his freedom to die for this brother, shouldn’t we give up meat out of love for him?
Read v. 12-13.
The issue is not freedom but responsibility. We’re only free to do what pleases Christ. If this means never eating meat, we will never eat meat.
Does this mean that my actions are determined exclusively by what other people think? Apparently, Jesus, John the Baptist, and Paul did not follow this advice. All three said and did things that were very offensive to the religious leaders of that day. How do we reconcile this?
If an issue is morally neutral, like eating meat or some of the things I mentioned at the beginning, our primary motivation is to consider our influence on others. A picture was taken of Billy Graham meeting with a group of men in a pub in London. The picture showed that his drink was not alcoholic. He knew the impact it would have if he were chug-a-lugging a beer. I don’t know if Billy Graham is a teetotaler like me, but his decision does reflect a consideration of others.
But if the issue is an eternal, moral absolute that’s always right, even if it offends others, we don’t limit ourselves. People are greatly offended by our unwavering insistence that Jesus is the only means of salvation. So be it. That is eternally, absolutely right.
Four questions to guide our conscience:
I. WHAT DOES MY BIBLE SAY?
The Bible provides the limitations. What does it say is acceptable and unacceptable? We are literalists. The moderates and liberals have distorted the real meaning of that word in order to advance their own position. But a literalist simply means we interpret the Bible the way it is meant to be interpreted. When the Psalmist describes the wings of God, we don’t believe God has wings. The literalist knows that is a metaphor for protection. When the Bible says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” we believe that is what it means in the first century and the 21st century. It makes no difference if you have a good marriage or a rotten marriage; if you love them or not. This commandment applies even if you are engaged and will soon be married. It literally means it is a sin to commit adultery, period.
Ask the question, “If I do this will this be in disobedience to what the Bible teaches?” If answer is “Yes,” then abstain. Hollywood, your friends, or the laws of the land may say it is OK. If the Bible says “No,” then it is not OK for the Christian.
II. WHAT DOES MY CONSCIENCE SAY?
What if the Bible doesn’t speak on the issue? Then ask two questions. Can I do this? Should I do this? This is where we rely on a biblically educated conscience. This is why there are some things that are sin for some people and not others. I’m not talking about clearly stated sins in the Bible. I’m talking about particular issues like drinking alcohol, body piercing, or movies.
It would be a major violation of my conscience to drink alcohol. But I know good and godly believers who occasionally drink, and they sleep like a baby. For them it is not a sin. It would be a huge sin for me. I strongly recommend abstinence.
A few years back I was babysitting my grandson Bradley. I was watching Ultimate Fighting on TV. I hadn’t yet discovered Sponge Bob. Bradley was probably around 4-years of age. He asked, “Why are they mad at each other?” “They are not mad at each other, baby. They’re wrestling like you and I do.” He watches a little and asks, “Why is that man hurting the other man?” “Well, it’s a sport called boxing (pause)…Let’s watch something else.” My conscience said this is not appropriate for preschool age boys.
I’m hoping one day … well, let’s go to the third question.
III. WHAT DOES MY WEAKNESS REQUIRE?
Everyone is weak and strong. No one is all strong. Paul says the strong are to be considerate of the weak and help them. That means at sometime we will all be on one side or the other.
For example, I am strong when it comes to alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. If God called me to a ministry of reaching people in bars, there is no fear of me taking up drinking. When I was 12 years of age my city football team won the championship. We played the city champions of Liberal, Kansas. Whipped them bad. On the way home our coaches lit up cigars and offered the guys a drag. I was the only one on the bus that refused. I have never smoked a cigarette.
But for someone else this is a weakness. They are very susceptible to being influenced by friends to drink or smoke or pop a pill or shoot up. They need to avoid bars like the plague. They need to exit as quickly as possible from a group of friends that are planning an evening of drinking.
I like movies. Carol checks out movies before we go. I don’t want to deal with movies that have lots of vulgar language. I leave grieved in my conscience toward God. Others don’t have the same reaction. I’m better off passing on the movie. Maybe you are not affected the same way. I need for you to be considerate of my weakness.
IV. WHAT DO MY FRIENDS NEED?
Americans are all concerned over rights. On the East Coast we have a Statue of Liberty. Someone said what we need is a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast. Paul taught that Christians limit their freedoms in order to meet the needs of fellow believers.
If you invite me to dinner, and you enjoy a glass of wine with your meal, out of consideration for me, drink ice tea. Don’t choose alcohol over me. Who do you love more, Budweiser or me? I will question the quality of our friendship if you insist on flaunting your freedom in my face.
On the other hand, if I belonged to a church that approved of active homosexuals to serve as priests, I’d leave that church behind like a dirty shirt. The Bible is clear on this issue.
We are not free to impose our conscience on others in those areas where the Bible doesn’t speak. But we are willing to give up our freedom because of love for one another. Because our actions influence the actions of others, we must learn to balance our freedom with responsibility.
A father took his family to a park to camp. He was a mountain climber. Camp was set up and it would be a while before supper. He had enough time to climb one of the mountains. He was several minutes into climbing a mountain when he heard his young son say, “Choose the right path, Daddy. I’m following you.” The father knew the way was too difficult for his young son. So he stopped and returned back to camp with his son.
Parents choose the right path. There are children who are following. Deacons, choose the right path for there are members following you. Sunday School teachers, choose the right path because you are influencing class members in their Christian walk. You may be free to do something. Your conscience is not harmed. But out of love for those kids, those church members, or class members it may need to be set aside. Our actions influence others. We must balance our freedom with responsibility.
PRAYER
INVITATION
Repentance is acknowledging you are not like Jesus. This applies to the lost ---
This applies to the saved ---
