Concerning Things Offered to Idols (1 Corinthians 8:1) – Using Knowledge Morally to Build Up Others

In 1 Corinthians 8:1 Paul writes, "Now concerning things offered to idols: we know that all of us possess knowledge. This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." We must understand the differences between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is like guns, money, and food in that it’s amoral (it’s simply information), but knowledge can be used in moral and immoral ways. This chapter reveals some ways the Corinthian used knowledge immorally, but could use it morally. The Corinthians were asking, “Should they eat meat sacrificed to idols?” But the chapter isn’t primarily about food or days of the week. Primarily the chapter teaches that we should use our knowledge morally in a loving way that builds up others. https://youtu.be/gpJNxbj_Qzk "Concerning things offered to idols…Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1). The Corinthians used their knowledge immorally versus morally. Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for Concerning Things Offered to IdolsFamily Worship Guide for Concerning Things Offered to IdolsSermon Notes for Concerning Things Offered to IdolsLesson 1: knowledge is amoral, but the way we use it is moral.Lesson 2: having knowledge doesn’t always mean determining who’s right and wrong.Lesson 3: ignorance is the absence of knowledge.Lesson 4: knowledge is used (part 1) morally when combined with love. Sermon Lessons for Concerning Things Offered to Idols Lesson 1: Knowledge is ____________, but the way we use it is __________. Lesson 2: ____________ __________________ doesn’t always mean determining who’s right and wrong (1 Cor 8:4-8; Rom 14:5). Lesson 3: ___________________ is the absence of __________________ (Rom 11:25; 1 Cor 12:1; 2 Cor 1:8; 1 Thes 4:13). Lesson 4: Knowledge is used (Part I) morally when combined ________ ________ (1 Cor 8:1; Eph 4:15; Phil 1:9). Family Worship Guide for Concerning Things Offered to Idols Day 1: Read 1 Cor 8 and discuss: Is knowledge moral, immoral, or amoral? Why? List some things that are moral, immoral, and amoral. Who are some people in history and in the Bible who used knowledge morally. What about immorally? Describe the situation in Corinth with meat sacrificed to idols and what the two sides believed. Day 2: Read Rom 14, 1 Cor 12:1; 2 Cor 1:8, 1 Thes 4:13 and discuss: What does it mean that some people had “weak consciences”? Is this a criticism of them? Why or why not? Would you or wouldn’t you eat the meat sacrificed to idols? Why or why not? How should you treat people who do the opposite of you? Why? Day 3: Read 1 Cor 8, Eph 4:15, Phil 1:9 and discuss: What does it mean to be ignorant? Should we always share knowledge with people? Why or why not? What makes someone a guest versus a pest? How do we know when we should or shouldn’t share our knowledge with others? What are some essentials? What are some nonessentials? What does it mean to combine knowledge with love? What does it look like when love is combined with knowledge? What about when it isn’t? Sermon Notes for Concerning Things Offered to Idols This morning we’ll be in 1 Corinthians 8. The title of the sermon, on verses 1-8, is, “Using Knowledge Morally.” The title of next Sunday’s sermon, on verses 9-13, is, “Using Knowledge Immorally.” Last Sunday I shared that I wanted to begin a series on wisdom to help us navigate through trials and difficult circumstances. I think we must understand the differences between knowledge and wisdom…and there’s no better place – at least in my opinion – to understand knowledge than 1 Corinthians 8. Let me begin w/ a question, and I’ll give you a moment to think about the answer before I ask you to raise your hand… Is knowledge itself: MoralImmoralOr amoral The answer brings us to Lesson 1… Lesson 1: knowledge is amoral, but the way we use it is moral. Many things are amoral, but the ways we use them are moral and immoral. For example: Money is amoral, but the way we spend it is moral or immoral.Guns are amoral, but the ways we use them are moral and immoral.Food is amoral, but our relationship to it is moral. God doesn’t care what we eat, but He cares how much we eat b/c gluttony is a sin and He expects us to have self-control. Similarly, knowledge is amoral, in that it’s simply information. But what we do w/ knowledge is moral and immoral. In other words, knowledge can be used in moral and immoral ways. Here are some examples of moral uses of knowledge: Jacob Perkins used his knowledge of mechanical engineering to invent refrigeration.The Wright Brothers used their knowledge of aviation to develop human flight.Tim Berners-Lee used his knowledge of computer programming to develop the World Wide Web.Isaac Newton used his knowledge of astronomy to promote creationism. These people used the knowledge they acquired in moral ways that benefited humanity. Other people have used their knowledge in immoral ways: Genghis Khan used his knowledge of politics and war to lead a Mongol horde that killed millions of people.Karl Marx used his knowledge of law and philosophy to try to destroy capitalism and create a classless, communist society.Margaret Sanger used her knowledge of reproduction to establish organizations that evolved into the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.Richard Dawkins has used his knowledge of biology to promote atheism and the theory of evolution. In this chapter we’re going to see some other ways knowledge can be used morally and immorally. Let me give you the background to understand these verses since we’re jumping into the middle of this epistle… 1 Corinthians is mostly a collection of questions Paul answered for the Corinthian believers. In chapter 8 he deals w/ a question that was dividing the church: “Should they eat meat sacrificed to idols?” Here’s how this predicament developed… The Greeks and Romans were polytheistic, which means they believed in many gods, and they were polydemonistic, which means they believed in many demons and evil spirits. They believed the evil spirits would try to invade human bodies by attaching themselves to food before it was eaten, and the only way the evil spirits could be removed from the food was to sacrifice it to idols. So food sacrificed to idols had two purposes: First, to gain favor with the idol it was sacrificed toSecond, to cleanse the food from demonic contamination. When the animal was sacrificed, some of it was burned on the altar…usually the fat b/c it put off the most smoke. The meat that was not burned on the altar was served at wicked, pagan feasts. But sometimes all the meat wasn’t consumed, and so the rest of it was sold in the temple. Since there was no refrigeration in those days the meat had to be consumed quickly, which meant it went right from being used in the worship of an idol to possibly sitting on the table of a believer. Here’s something else that makes this even more interesting… Since the meat that was sacrificed to idols wasn’t as attractive as meat that was NOT sacrificed to idols, it was offered at a lower price. This led to two locations for meat to be sold: There was the market where the meat that wasn’t sacrificed to idols was offered at regular prices.There was the temple where the meat sacrificed to idols was offered at lower prices. Believers found themselves in two different groups. The first group is in verses 4-6. Look there w/ me… 1 Corinthians 8:4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. Notice Paul used the used the words we and us b/c he was in this first group. He knew better than anyone that idols aren’t real, and there’s only one God. This first group would say… “Demons don’t inhabit food, so we don’t have to worry about them contaminating it. Idols aren’t real – there’s no being named Zeus, or Hermes, or Mars – so whatever is offered to idols isn’t really offered to anything. I can go in an idol’s temple to buy meat, because it’s no different than any other meat except that it’s cheaper, which basically means I’m being a good steward of my finances if I buy it.” This is the first group. The second group is in verse 7… 1 Corinthians 8:7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. There were Jews and Gentiles in this second group: The Jews thought idolatry was the worst sin, so they would have nothing to do w/ this meat b/c it had been sacrificed to idols. Plus, to buy it they’d have to go into an idol’s temple, and what godly Jew could do that w/ a good conscience?There were Gentiles who were new believers, which means some of them had been worshiping idols at these temples recently; therefore, they wanted to stay far away from the temples and the meat sacrificed at them b/c it reminded them of their previous pagan lives and demonic worship. This second group would say… “I don’t want anything to do w/ meat sacrificed to idols, and no believer should have anything to do w/ it. You could give it to me for free and I wouldn’t take it, and anyone who would is sinning.” One more point about the second group… In verse 7 notice Paul said they had weak consciences. Unfortunately, some believers will say people: People weak conscience are less maturePeople with strong consciences are more mature But this isn’t true. Having a weak conscience: Isn’t a compliment or a criticismIt is isn’t a reflection of spiritual maturity or immaturity.It’s as amoral as food, money,...