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Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 2 * PART 4 * BOOK 27
I CORINTHIANS 6:11 - 9:7 - PART 2
I Corinthians 8:1
Now of course when we get to Chapter 13 we're going to study the love chapter, and remember love is the very foundation of our whole Christian faith. Love is what prompted Christ to go to the Cross, love is what prompted Him to save us if we simply believe The Gospel. (Ref: I Corinthians 15:1-4) This man was a very devout religious man. Now verse 2:
I Corinthians 8:2
There is no way we can exalt the things of God.
I Corinthians 8:3
"But if any man love God, the same is known of him."
When we love The Lord Who first loved us, don't you think for a moment that God doesn't know you and I on a first name basis. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge:..."
Even these Corinthian believers who were babes in Christ did not have the full comprehension of Who and what God really is. I Corinthians 8:7
"Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto the hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak (still young believers) is defiled.
What does Paul mean? For these weak, young in the faith believers, knowing where that meat had gone before it got to their table, they had some reservations about eating it. It was at Christ's time, as well in the time of Paul. And so these pagans understood demonic power. In Haiti their people know that voodooism has intrinsic power, it's Satanic power, but it's a power. Now in order to counteract that, these pagans would take their meat to their pagan priest, and the priest would put some kind of blessing on it that would keep the demons off their meat so they could eat it safely. Paul never tells these believers to stay away from that, they were free to go. But Paul says remember that even though your friend who is an idolater, feels that the meat has to be blessed and sacrificed to a pagan god, you don't have to worry about it. Those idolatrous gods can't do anything to you because you are a believer. Go ahead, and eat the meat, and don't worry about it.
How in the world can he sit there and eat meat that's been offered to an idol? Now then, what's Paul going to say? "Listen, if you are going to cause that young believer to stumble and have problems over this, then don't eat the meat."
So if he wanted some cash in hand, what do you suppose he would do with the remaining meat? Now here comes unsuspecting people buying a chunk of that meat that had been sacrificed at the temple. These Christians knew this, so they had to write and ask Paul what they were to do, because most of the meat had already been offered to a pagan god.
I Corinthians 8:8
"But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse,"
The Bible never demands that a believer be a vegetarian. I Corinthians 8:9-11
Don't eat the meat if it's going to make a new believer stumble, or cause him problems.) For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge (those of you who are mature) shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" Now verse 12:
I Corinthians 8:12
"But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ."
Watch out for that weak brother, because The Lord knows where that weak person is. Now verse 13.
I Corinthians 8:13
"Wherefore, if meat (offered to idols) make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."
And that's basically what Paul said back in Romans. As we start Chapter 9 we see the Apostle Paul again having to defend his apostleship.
I Corinthians 9:1,2
have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? How could Paul say that? I've had people say to me, "Well who do you think you are? Now verse 3:
I Corinthians 9:3-6
(Peter) What was the big complaint against Paul? I Corinthians 9:7
What is Paul going to start driving at? Now Paul takes it one step further. Paul is trying to show that as an Apostle he deserves a certain compensation for his time, and expenses, but did Paul ever take that compensation? I think this was what was driving the Apostle Paul. Now verse 11:
Galatians 1:11,12
In other words when he saw Christ face to face, and The Lord revealed these doctrines of Grace to this Apostle. Now verse 13:
Those people capitalized on their religious position and Paul did also while a member of that religion, and he says he did.

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