Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 1 Corinthians 8
Set – Joshua 17; 1 Corinthians 8
Go! – Joshua 15-17; 1 Corinthians 8
1 Corinthians 8
1 As to the concern of eating food dedicated to idols: we know that all of us have knowledge, but knowledge can be risky. Knowledge promotes overconfidence and worse arrogance, but charity of the heart (love, that is) looks to build up others. 2 Just because a person presumes to have some bit of knowledge, that person doesn’t necessarily have the right kind of knowledge. 3 But if someone loves God, it is certain that God has already known that one.4 So to address your concerns about eating food offered to idols, let me start with what we know. An idol is essentially nothing, as there is no other God but the One. 5 And even if the majority believes there are many so-called gods in heaven and on earth (certainly many worship such “gods” and “lords”), this is not our view. 6 For us, there is one God, the Father who is the ultimate source of all things and the goal of our lives. And there is one Lord—Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King; through Him all things were created, and by Him we are redeemed.
7 But this knowledge is not in everyone. Up until now, some have been so familiar with idols and what goes on in the temples that when they eat meat that has been offered first to some idol, their weak consciences are polluted. This is the issue. 8 Again, here’s what we know: what we eat will not bring us closer to God—we gain nothing in feasting and lose nothing by fasting. 9 Now let me warn you: don’t let your newfound liberty cause those who don’t know this to fall face-first. 10 Let’s say a person (someone who knows of Jesus) sees you eating in the temple of an idol; and because the person with a weaker conscience is still unsure of things, he becomes confident, follows your lead, and eats idol food. 11 Now, because of your knowledge on display in your conduct, the weaker brother or sister—for whom the Anointed One died—is destroyed! Ruined! 12 What’s more, by living according to your knowledge, you have sinned against these brothers and sisters and wounded their weak consciences—and because you sinned against them, you have sinned against the Anointed One, the Liberating King.
13 So if any type of food is an issue that causes my brothers and sisters to fall away from God, then God forbid I should ever eat it again so that I would never be the crack, the rise, or the rock on the road that causes them to stumble.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Paul’s words seem to cause a lot of people discomfort and discord in the church today. Some go much too far on the side of anything not specifically prohibited in My word is permissible. That’s clearly not what I want from you. Others go too far the other way and declare anything that in any way might cause anyone any kind of disturbance must be banned. This too is not what I want from you.
I inspired Paul to write the words. I want you to help your brothers and sisters grow in Me. That means discipling them. I expect you to help them eventually grow to understand that what they eat doesn’t mean anything. Idols don’t mean anything. What is dedicated to senseless pieces of wood and stone mean nothing. But I also know that it sometimes takes time to change from an infant to an adult spiritually just as it does to grow from an infant to an adult physically.
Just as you would help a child grow to maturity by keeping them from dangerous activities at an early age, I expect you to keep my infant children from things that are dangerous spiritually. For instance, you don’t let children play with fire or knives. So don’t entice my spiritual children with things that may become harmful to them in their infancy. That’s the message Paul shares with his readers.
Today, the problem may not be food dedicated to idols. The problem might look like soccer practice instead of prayer meeting. A night at the movies instead of a night at the church’s revival service. Sunday on the lake instead of Sunday in worship. None of the former are bad and in some instances might even be necessary at times. But when they cause one of My spiritual infants to fall because of your behavior and their lack of discipleship, I have a problem.
You see, just as with Cain and Abel, you are your brother’s keeper. I expect you to do everything you can to help each other grow in your understanding of Me and My kingdom. How will you help your brothers and sisters this week through your actions and your words?
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