Bible Study - Special Independence - 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 - July 3, 2022

 

Bible Study – Special Independence Study – Interdependent Independence – July 3, 2022

Our focus scripture is 1 Corinthians 10:23-33.

Let your responsibility to others drive how you exercise your rights.

The above statement has never meant more than in our world today.

It is all about “Christian Liberty,” however our background often shapes our belief system.

We read in Acts 10:1-6:

10 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. ² He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God. ³ About three in the afternoon^[a] he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.”

⁴ Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?”

The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God. ⁵ Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

Cornelius was a Gentile and he loved GOD. GOD knew the heart of Cornelius. Cornelius was working as hard as he knew how to work to please GOD. GOD knew that Cornelius and his band of worshipers needed to know about JESUS and GOD’S grace.

GOD knew that Peter had the right message of CHRIST but he needed some fine tuning. Peter had not fully realized what being a Spirit-born believer entailed.

Often, we get hung up on tradition and false notions. The Holy Spirit needs to get our attention and reveal truth to us.

Cornelius had to act in faith to what was revealed to him. He did so by sending men to do what was revealed to him by GOD’S angel. The men Cornelius sent were under orders from Cornelius. They had no choice but to obey. GOD would use their going to build their faith.

In the meantime, what was GOD having to do in the life of Peter?

It is revealed in Acts 10:9-16:

⁹ The next day, as they (the soldiers Cornelius sent)  were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon.^[b] 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance. ¹¹ He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. ¹² In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. ¹³ A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴ “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”

¹⁵ Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven.

Peter was hanging on to his Jewish tradition. GOD had to reveal that his tradition was a barrier to being fully useable by GOD in presenting the Gospel of JESUS to others.

Does our past restrict us from being fully useable by GOD to minister to others? We may not know. Ask GOD to examine your heart and reveal any barriers in your life that prevents you from being completely useable as led by the Holy Spirit.

Our lesson is about freedom to be used by GOD. If we have hang-ups, they can become barriers to ministering.

Our forefathers fought for our freedom. We enjoy that freedom today. Our freedom cost the lives of our fore barriers on American soil and foreign soil. We see what it is like in the Ukraine when Russia chose to invade the Ukraine.

America is receiving an inflow of people from various parts of the world e.g., Ukraine, Afghanistan, various Latin American countries, etc. GOD is bringing people to us who need the Good News of JESUS. But how are we, in the Christian community, viewing this inflow of people? Is it an opportunity or a burden?

If the Christian community does not share JESUS with those coming to America, Satan will capture them.

The freedom for Christians to worship in America did not come free. It cost the blood of many both in America and on foreign soil. Will we use our freedom to present JESUS to others? Does GOD need to do a work in our lives before HE can use us to reach out to others?

What does Christian liberty mean to us who are Spirit-born? How do we respond to those who have a different belief? Do we trust GOD to guide us to those who are seeking truth?

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 10:23-24:

Christian Liberty

²³ “Everything is permissible,”^[k] but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,”^[l] but not everything builds up. ²⁴ No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.

As a Spirit-born person, “everything is permissible but everything is not beneficial nor builds up.” What is a Spirit-born person to do? “²⁴ No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.”

What is best for the other person?

What did the Apostle Paul have in his mind when he was writing these words? The next verse tells us ----

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 10:25-30:

²⁵ Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, without raising questions for the sake of conscience, ²⁶ since the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.^[m] 27 If any of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.^[n] 29 I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged by another person’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I criticized because of something for which I give thanks?

In Paul’s time, those who worshipped idols offered animal sacrifices to their idol. Portions of the meat was offered to an idol but not all of it was destroyed. The left-over meat was edible and sold in the pagan meat market at a reduced price. Many people went to the pagan market and bought this meat.

Some Christians thought it was wrong to eat meat which had been offered to idols, some thought it perfectly fine to eat the meat. The Apostle Paul addressed this issue for the Christian community.

If a non-Christian invited a Christian to their home for a meal, the Christian should not ask any questions regarding what was being served to them. However, if a person told the Christian that the food had been offered as a sacrifice to an idol, then the Christian should abstain from eating the food. Why? You abstain not for your sake but for the sake of others.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 10:31-33:

³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. ³² Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, ³³ just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.

In essence, Paul was telling Christians not to get caught up in controversy over the mundane. Don’t create unimportant barriers between you and those who need the Gospel of JESUS. Salvation of the person or persons to whom we are building a relationship is the focus.

Blessings!!!