#36 -Idolatry of Self?
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(English Standard Version)
1Cor 8 - Food Offered to Idols
1Cor 9 - Paul Surrenders His Rights
1Cor 10 - Warning Against Idolatry - Do All to The Glory of God
1Cor 11 - Head Coverings - The Lord’s Supper
1Cor 12 - Spiritual Gifts - One Body With Many Members
1Cor 13 - The Way of Love
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
In chapters 8-14 Paul continues addressing the glaring problems in the Corinthian church. Every Christian church, and every Christian faces these fundamental issues not because we are Christians but because we are sinful human beings.
Like in many other cities, animal sacrifices were a common part of the worship of various pagan deities. The priests of these temples sold the leftover meat at local markets. The availability of this “meat offered to idols” presented a problem for the Corinthian Christians. Was it right for them to eat this meat that had been associated with the worship of idols? Paul settled the issue by first reminding them that to eat this meat was NOT supporting a competing God, because there really is no such thing as a competing God, because there is only One Real God and all idols, of any form are only imaginary gods. Paul was challenging them to remember that the God they served was One Of A Kind, Above, Beyond, Unlike any other so-called gods. So the problem was not with the meat, but with the blind and misplaced worship of their countrymen.
Secondly Paul addressed the more important issue of how to live with fellow believers who have differing convictions about what God expects of us. Some Corinthian Christians understood that meat is just meat and that “Food will not commend us to God.” (8:8) Others believed that meat offered to idols was tainted and thus improper for any Christian to eat. The problem was not that one ate the meat and another refrained from eating, but that they “offended” each other by their behaviors. If there is to be harmony, and there ought to be in a family that truly loves each other, someone has to give in. It is interesting that Paul describes the ones focusing on keeping rules as “weak.” The others he describes as “knowledgable.” The weak tend to think that we earn God’s favor by keeping rules. Those who “know the freedom God has given us” tend to not care about the “legalists” and thus “sin against their brothers, wounding their conscience, and thus sin against Christ.” (8:12)
In chapter 9 Paul demonstrated the solution to this common problem. Remembering that Jesus said the whole law was fulfilled in two things: to love God, and to love one another, Paul taught repeatedly that Jesus set us free from focusing on keeping rules by enabling us to focus on loving God and others. Thus Paul gladly gave up his freedoms in order to avoid offending others, and more importantly “we have not made use of this right
(freedom) but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.” (9:12) And “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.” (9:19)
Idolatry is manifest not just in bowing to man-made figures. In fact it is much more common than that, even among Christian people. Some in the Corinthian church idolized their leaders, some idolized their sex lives, some idolized the rules they followed, some idolized the freedoms they felt. The common denominator is that idolatry is simply putting something before God, which is something we are all prone to do. Adam and Eve did it, Israel did it, we all do it. It is what Satan tempts us all to do in a world full of different things to idolize. But, this temptation is exactly what the powerful Grace of God is able to help us overcome. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man, God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (10:13)
Paul continues pointing out our temptations to idolatry as he discusses competing views of how we dress ourselves. He then points out that even in the Lord’s Supper we can focus on ourselves rather than God and each other. We easily make it about ourselves rather than about what Jesus has done for us. In chapter 12 Paul points out that while God has given each believer unique gifts to use in serving others, we tend to be sometimes jealous of the gifts of others or proud of our own, revealing the fact that we worship the gifts more than the Giver.
In the classic “love chapter” thirteen, Paul points out that any and everything we do ought to be motivated by love for God and for others. All of the problems the Corinthian church (and I) have are rooted in my sin nature of pride and selfishness that seeks to invade even the way we conduct our church services. (chapter 14) This idolatry of self is conquered only by the Powerful and Forgiving Grace of God.
Paul summarizes his (God’s) answer to these issues which we all face all the time. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.” (10:31-33)
(English Standard Version)
1Cor 8 - Food Offered to Idols
1Cor 9 - Paul Surrenders His Rights
1Cor 10 - Warning Against Idolatry - Do All to The Glory of God
1Cor 11 - Head Coverings - The Lord’s Supper
1Cor 12 - Spiritual Gifts - One Body With Many Members
1Cor 13 - The Way of Love
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
In chapters 8-14 Paul continues addressing the glaring problems in the Corinthian church. Every Christian church, and every Christian faces these fundamental issues not because we are Christians but because we are sinful human beings.
Like in many other cities, animal sacrifices were a common part of the worship of various pagan deities. The priests of these temples sold the leftover meat at local markets. The availability of this “meat offered to idols” presented a problem for the Corinthian Christians. Was it right for them to eat this meat that had been associated with the worship of idols? Paul settled the issue by first reminding them that to eat this meat was NOT supporting a competing God, because there really is no such thing as a competing God, because there is only One Real God and all idols, of any form are only imaginary gods. Paul was challenging them to remember that the God they served was One Of A Kind, Above, Beyond, Unlike any other so-called gods. So the problem was not with the meat, but with the blind and misplaced worship of their countrymen.
Secondly Paul addressed the more important issue of how to live with fellow believers who have differing convictions about what God expects of us. Some Corinthian Christians understood that meat is just meat and that “Food will not commend us to God.” (8:8) Others believed that meat offered to idols was tainted and thus improper for any Christian to eat. The problem was not that one ate the meat and another refrained from eating, but that they “offended” each other by their behaviors. If there is to be harmony, and there ought to be in a family that truly loves each other, someone has to give in. It is interesting that Paul describes the ones focusing on keeping rules as “weak.” The others he describes as “knowledgable.” The weak tend to think that we earn God’s favor by keeping rules. Those who “know the freedom God has given us” tend to not care about the “legalists” and thus “sin against their brothers, wounding their conscience, and thus sin against Christ.” (8:12)
In chapter 9 Paul demonstrated the solution to this common problem. Remembering that Jesus said the whole law was fulfilled in two things: to love God, and to love one another, Paul taught repeatedly that Jesus set us free from focusing on keeping rules by enabling us to focus on loving God and others. Thus Paul gladly gave up his freedoms in order to avoid offending others, and more importantly “we have not made use of this right
(freedom) but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.” (9:12) And “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.” (9:19)
Idolatry is manifest not just in bowing to man-made figures. In fact it is much more common than that, even among Christian people. Some in the Corinthian church idolized their leaders, some idolized their sex lives, some idolized the rules they followed, some idolized the freedoms they felt. The common denominator is that idolatry is simply putting something before God, which is something we are all prone to do. Adam and Eve did it, Israel did it, we all do it. It is what Satan tempts us all to do in a world full of different things to idolize. But, this temptation is exactly what the powerful Grace of God is able to help us overcome. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man, God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (10:13)
Paul continues pointing out our temptations to idolatry as he discusses competing views of how we dress ourselves. He then points out that even in the Lord’s Supper we can focus on ourselves rather than God and each other. We easily make it about ourselves rather than about what Jesus has done for us. In chapter 12 Paul points out that while God has given each believer unique gifts to use in serving others, we tend to be sometimes jealous of the gifts of others or proud of our own, revealing the fact that we worship the gifts more than the Giver.
In the classic “love chapter” thirteen, Paul points out that any and everything we do ought to be motivated by love for God and for others. All of the problems the Corinthian church (and I) have are rooted in my sin nature of pride and selfishness that seeks to invade even the way we conduct our church services. (chapter 14) This idolatry of self is conquered only by the Powerful and Forgiving Grace of God.
Paul summarizes his (God’s) answer to these issues which we all face all the time. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.” (10:31-33)
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project summary of 1Corinthians
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"