06.10.2012 Tolerance and Intolerance in 21st Century Political and Religious American Life

Baptisms:

You sent Your son that we might have life and be brought back into relationship with You – that our sins would be paid for and we would be redeemed. We want to remember what You have done –
July 29 – Mike Keator will be here – he and his wife Sue are missionaries to India – and they will be here July 29 to tell us what is going on.
I am beginning a series – normally I am not good at titles for sermons – but today I am making up for that. Tolerance and Intolerance in 21st Century Political and Religious American Life.
My Conscience is not Your Conscience
Your Convictions are not My Convictions
I am Responsible for Your Needs
You are Responsible for My spiritual health
Subtitle – Food Fights in the Bible
1 Cor. 8: 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is [but] one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we [exist] for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we [exist] through Him. 7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat [food] as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 9 But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And thus, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.
Food rules make up a large portion of the Bible. How many of you were concerned this week about food sacrificed to idols? To us, food might not be the issue – but we have our own sets of rules and regulations that we have conflicts about.
The solution the New Testament provides for their conflict with food is the same as our resolution for our conflicts. So we will be looking at food rules over the next several weeks.
Paul wrote Corinthians in response to questions that were written in the letters. Some scholars believe Paul is quoting a letter – but what we know is this is a critique of their attitudes.
He is talking about a prideful view of their knowledge. They were using knowledge to put down people – he is not saying: do not read and study your bible. But don’t think you are superior for your learnedness.
So what he is really doing in verse 2 – is really a mild, and maybe more significant, rebuke for their pride and arrogance.
True knowledge – not the kind you have – is informed by faith and directed by love.
1Cor. 8:4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is [but] one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we [exist] for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we [exist] through Him. 7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat [food] as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
He is taking this great source of conflict – food sacrificed to idols – and saying it is a morally neutral issue – there is not a right or wrong in this. IF it is morally neutral, then in the community of God, we are to offer tolerance for that issue. All morally neutral issues should be offered tolerance.
In the 50’s and 60s, do you know what was one of the ‘food laws’ in the church? Dancing. Movies. When I started getting into it? – Drums – in church?! The Bible is really clear on that one – evil of evils! Those are funny – or maybe not – we think, drums, how funny – but food sacrificed to idols? It is morally neutral – but when we bring it into our context, what does it mean?
If there are morally neutral issues, then there must be things and issues that are inherently sinful and immoral. If we can have something that is morally neutral like food sacrificed to idols, there must be things that are evil – and in those we must maintain absolute conviction. How do we know what those things are? We know that something lies in that realm when the scriptures make a direct prohibition on that issue. When it is specifically restricted and prohibited – then and only then is it one of those issues.
When something is specifically prohibited in the Bible, then we must, with conviction, prohibit it in our own lives.
This is dealt with in the next few chapters.
Eating meat sacrificed to idols? Neutral. Worshiping idols? Not neutral. Gluttony – drunkenness – not allowed – specifically prohibited. You can have absolute conviction – don’t act that way. Sexual immorality – not allowed – specifically prohibited.
11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And thus, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.
There are things to not tolerate. And then there are things that are. The place where something should be tolerated are issues of conscience.
On a sidenote – areas of doctrine – when it comes to historic orthodoxy, the creeds, doctrine agreed upon through the centuries – we are to have conviction without wavering – the Trinity – If you are studying the Bible and it appears there is no such thing as the Trinity – go back and read more.
In essentials, unity; Non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity.
I would hope that in the non-essentials, the church would be diverse – that is good, not bad.
1 Cor. 8: 7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat [food] as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
They are becoming Christians out of an idolatrous culture. There were all kinds of gods and temples – and they would bring meat – because meat was rare – not that they would eat it rare – but they would sacrifice the meat to Poseidon or whomever – and at the end of the feast, they would take the leftover meat and sell it at the market. You can buy that meat - but understand that there are some who might see that who would be drawn back to that culture. They would take these idolatrous practices and try to blend it with Christianity. Some might think if they see a strong brother eating food sacrificed to idols, that they can go to the festival and act in ways that are normal in THAT culture but not normal in Christianity.
For a drug dealer to continue selling drugs after becoming a Christian – we would see that as obviously not –
We are having a baptism today – it is a picture/symbol/metaphor of someone coming to Christ – and dying with Him – and Paul says that all that is wrong with you is left there in the water – dead – and you are a new person with new desires. The attitude is – I’m new, and I will pursue the new life. In their food laws, they were pursuing the old life.
Another one – if you come to Christ and you are living in an immoral relationship – do you have the freedom to stay in that immoral relationship? Absolutely not. You are to leave that (or make it a moral relationship!).
1Cor. 8:10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And thus, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.
We must limit our freedom by love. Love must limit our freedom. Concern for others must take precedence over our liberty. He is calling for voluntary restrictions based on love and good. Now, there is a flip side to this – Paul continually emphasizes the stronger Christian not doing something that causes someone else to stumble – just don’t do it. But there is nothing in this context to give the freedom for the easily offended person to hold that over someone else. The person – the professionally offended – who holds things over other people is no different from the person who makes everyone else stumble – he is doing the same thing. That is forbidden also.
So.
I’m going to jump to chapter 10 for the application for this. Chapter 9 talks about how this relates to the kingdom and the gospel and we will look at that another day.
1 Cor. 10: 23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify
Paul is giving them 100% freedom of conscience on issues scripture does not directly prohibit.
Your freedoms fall under your responsibilities – and he explains the responsibility – let no one seek his own good but that of his neighbor – love, build up each other.
24 Let no one seek his own [good,] but that of his neighbor. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the meat market, without asking questions for conscience' sake; 26 for the earth is the Lord's, and all it contains.
Go to the market – after the big festival at the temple of the Giant Eagle – and they have BOGO – buy it and don’t ask any questions.
27 If one of the unbelievers invites you, and you wish to go, eat anything that is set before you, without asking questions for conscience' sake
Your neighbor invites you for a barbecue – and sets food before you – don’t ask if it was sacrificed to idols!
28 But if anyone should say 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;
See, your neighbor invited all the neighbors – and invited that one from church who is against meat sacrificed to idols – and he ASKS! And he comes to you, and TELLS! And Paul says, do not eat – your responsibility has taken precedence over your freedom – for the sake of the one who informed you.
I’m not worried about your conscience – but the other’s.
29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other [man's]; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience?
We can partake boldly – but be sensitive to others – don’t do it if it will hinder someone else.
29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other [man's]; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Do not give offense. Whether it be religious or political – give no offense. We have a much more important job to do than that.
The church in Corinth was a mixture of Jews and Greeks and those in idolatry – and Paul is trying to teach them to live together in unity.
We may not be that diverse – but every church has the immediate potential of dividing over issues of conscience.
One commentator wrote in trying to find this balance:
This crucial balance between permissiveness and legalism, liberty and restriction proves difficult to maintain. It causes less thought and care to give a blanket permission or to tolerate indiscriminately.
Paul is calling us out to not seek our own interests, but to have love and faith as that which guides us to discover balance between tolerance and conviction and how to live in that tension.
Let’s pray:
Lord, we thank You for Your word – and though we may not live in the first century, we have our ‘food sacrificed to idol’ issues. May we learn from your instruction. Paul says he would restrict himself from eating meat ever again if it meant love – he gave himself wholly to others’ growth and progress – help us maintain that attitude. In Your name we pray.