Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 1 Co 8:1, 2 and following. Indeed, here Paul takes care of the meats of butchery, often offered on the pagan altars before being sold on the market. For many, this was a problem of conscience (Rom 14:1-23). In our countries this question is no longer relevant, but these exhortations apply to all cases where we risk shocking another believer: a brother for whom Christ died. How many things the Corinthians knew. “Don’t you know…?” the apostle continually repeats to them (1 Co 7:6:1-20). What was the use of this knowledge? Only to draw vanity from it. And we run this same danger, we who often know so many truths by intelligence rather than by heart. To know “as you should know”, you have to love God. And to love it is to put into practice what one has the privilege of knowing (Jn 14:21-24).
In this chapter 8, the apostle again answers the question of whether one dared to eat things sacrificed to idols, a question that is very dry in itself, but about which the Spirit of God will directly reach the conscience of the Corinthians. It may seem to us that this subject, which does not concern us, can be left aside, but we will see that we cannot omit it in any way. The apostle begins by saying: “We know”, the term of Christian knowledge, “for we all have knowledge”, then he introduces a small parenthesis: “Knowledge swells, but love edifies. If someone thinks they know something, they don’t know anything yet as they need to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known to Him” (1 Co 8:1:2). For we can know the Word very well, clearly expose its details and the whole, find the solution of the difficulties it presents, and this knowledge, which seems so desirable, can be a source of spiritual pride, the worst pride of all. This was precisely the trap of the Corinthians. Their knowledge, to which they still wished to add new elements, had swelled them. The apostle returns several times to this sin. Let us be careful not to deal only with the things of God.
The apostle adds: “We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.” For men, there are many gods and many lords, many who are called gods, either in heaven or on earth, but “for us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things are, and we for him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom all things are, and us by him.” This is Christian knowledge. He adds: “However, knowledge is not in all”, that is, there were among them people who came out of paganism, had not yet realized that the idol was nothing in itself and, when they ate things that were sacrificed to him, as they could not ignore the idol their conscience, being weak, was soiled by it.
While all things are made for Christ, in love, and if so, I can be certain that it will be for the edification of my brother, instead of being for his destruction. Here we have the answer to the last question addressed to the apostle by the Corinthians. Among them were people who claimed to have rights equal to those of Paul (1 Cob 4), and questioned even the value of his apostolate. The Corinthians who had been converted by his means had felt the freedom to question him about it. The apostle first asks, “Am I not an apostle?” An apostle was characterized by the fact that he had seen the Lord; but Paul had seen it. As for the result of his work, they were themselves proof of this. There were, as always, people among Christians, who made the assembly of God their world, seeking to play a role, to make a position in it, to monopolize an authority.
To succeed, they sought to destroy the influence of those whom God Himself had established in His house. When a brother seeks to acquire personal authority in the congregation, he necessarily puts himself in conflict with those to whom the Lord has entrusted it. The apostle addresses this subject and shows that he had the same rights, the same freedom as all the other apostles, the right to eat and drink, the right to marry and lead his wife with him. Were he and Barnabas the only ones who were not allowed not to work? The apostle was free, entirely free, but he who was free from all, had enslaved himself to all. This is one of the beautiful features of the character of this servant of God: he had never thought of himself, while others, attacking his apostolate, sought to rise on his rubble. He did not seek to defend himself and had only one thought: to win as many people as possible to the Gospel. When he dealt with Jews, he was like a Jew; he had become all things for all, in order to save some of them.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
- Edification, the growth of believers
Rom 14:19 So let us seek what contributes to peace and mutual edification. Rom 15:2 Let each of us delight others in what is well in sight of edification. 1 Co 8:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Sosthenes;1 Co 14:3: 5, 26 He who prophesies, on the contrary, speaks to men, edifies them, exhorts them, consoles them. 5 I desire that you all speak in tongues, but even more so that you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless the latter interprets, so that the Church may receive edification. 26 What to do, brethren? When you assemble, do one or the other of you have a hymn, an instruction, a revelation, a language, an interpretation, let everything be done for edification. 2 Co 10:8 And even so I would boast a little too much of the authority that the Lord has given us for your edification and not for your destruction, I cannot be ashamedofit; 2 Co 12:19 You have long imagined that we are justifying ourselves to you. It is before God, in Christ, that we speak; and all this, beloved, we say for your edification. Eph 4:12, 29 for the perfection of the saints for the work of ministry and the edification of the body of Christ, 29 Let no evil word come out of your mouth, but, if necessary, some good word, which serves in edification and communicates grace to those who hear it.
- Warnings against Sufficiency
Pr 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord, and turn away from evil; Pr 26:12 If you see a man who thinks he is wise, there is more to be expected from a fool than from him. Ish 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their eyes, and who believe themselves to be intelligent! Rom 12:16 Have the same feelings toward one another. Do not aspire to what is high, but let yourself be attracted by what is humble. Do not be wise in your own eyes. 1 Co 8.2 If anyone thinks he knows something, he has not yet known as he should know. Gal 6:3 If someone thinks he is something, even though he is nothing, he is abusing himself.
- Natural Consequences of Making Mistakes
-Presumption Ps 36.3 For he flatters himself in his own eyes, to consume his iniquity, to satisfy his hatred.
-Spiritual slavery Isaiah 44:20 He feeds on the ashes, His abused heart misleads him, and he will not save his soul, and will not say: Is this not the lie that I have in my hand?
-Sufficiency Gal 6:3 If someone thinks he is something, even though he is nothing, he is abusing himself.
-Inattentive hearing Jas 1:22 Put speech into practice, and do not limit yourself to listening to it, deceiving yourself with false reasoning.
-A language without brakes Jas 1:26 If someone believes to be religious, without holding his tongue in bridle, but by deceiving his heart, the religion of this man is in vain.
Bigotry 1 Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Spiritual poverty Rev 3:17 Because you say: I am rich, I have enriched myself, and I need nothing, and because you do not know that you are unhappy, miserable, poor, blind and naked,
- Divine Knowledge of the Saints
-In times of anguish Na 1:7 The Lord is good, He is a refuge in the day of distress; He knows those who trust in him.
“In the daily tasks Jn 1:48 Where do you know me from?” said Nathanael. Jesus answered him: Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.
-The name of each one Jn 10:3 The doorman opens to him, and the sheep hear his voice; he calls by name the sheep that belong to him, and he leads them outside.
-Intimate knowledge Jn 10:14 I know my sheep, and they know me,
-True love is recognized 1 Co 8:3 But if one loves God, that one is known to him. Gal 4:9, but now that you have known God, or rather that you have been known to God, how do you return to those weak and poor rudiments, to whom you again want to enslave yourself?
-The true foundation of Christian hope 2 Tim 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation remains standing, with these words that serve as his seal: The Lord knows those who belong to Him; and: Whoever speaks the name of the Lord, let him depart from iniquity.
From all the above, we note that Apostle Paul himself was doing everything to all, and we are called to do as he did to bring the world to Christ. God’s word contains no such thought. The apostle was entirely separated from the world, from all the advantages he could offer him; he regarded them all as garbage, in order to reach Christ. If it was a question of winning souls, he made himself everything to all, completely free towards the Jews, the Greeks and the barbarians, but submitting himself to all in order to bring them to the Lord; not placing himself under the law to win over the Jews, but taking them to their land, in order to convince them of sin. May God give us to realize this as the apostle. May the gospel of Christ, Christ himself, take such a place in our hearts, let it be the motive of our whole life here on earth. For we are all called to be co-participants with him. If the gospel suffers in this world, are our hearts connected to it, so that we can feel the stigma with which it is covered? If we see its progress, do we rejoice? God calls us there. Each of us can share in this Good News through our words, prayers, sympathy, services, and appreciate its importance in these “difficult times”. May God give us to value the gospel much more than our hearts, so easily light and worldly, usually make us esteem it. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may be shining in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby watering point to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to react to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow on “the rights of the apostolate, Paul waives his rights.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.