I Will Never Eat Meat Again (1 Corinthians 8) – Sacrificing for and Deferring to Others

Paul said, "Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat again, lest I make my brother stumble" (1 Corinthians 8:13). Although Paul knew all food was clean, he said it was unclean to the person whose conscience forbids him from eating it. Because it is sinful to violate our consciences as Paul discussed in Romans 2, in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians, he said he would sacrifice for others. https://youtu.be/DCAjWJn2pY4 "I will never eat meat again, lest I make my brother stumble" (1 Corinthians 8:13). Paul knew food was clean, but he sacrificed for others. Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for I Will Never Eat Meat Again (1 Corinthians 8) - Sacrificing for and Deferring to Others Family Worship Guide for I Will Never Eat Meat Again (1 Corinthians 8) - Sacrificing for and Deferring to Others Sermon Notes for I Will Never Eat Meat Again (1 Corinthians 8) - Sacrificing for and Deferring to OthersLesson 3: knowledge is used immorally when it (part ii) destroys others.Lesson 2: knowledge is used morally when it (part 2) sacrifices for others. Sermon Lessons for I Will Never Eat Meat Again (1 Corinthians 8) - Sacrificing for and Deferring to Others Note: The lessons that are filled in are from the previous sermon. Lesson 1: Knowledge is amoral, but the way we use it is moral. Lesson 2: Knowledge is used immorally when it: (Part I) Is combined with pride (1 Cor 8:1). (Part II) ________________ ___________ (Rom 14:14-23, 1 Cor 8:9-12). Lesson 3: Knowledge is used morally when it: (Part I) Is combined with love (1 Cor 8:1; Eph 4:15; Phil 1:9). (Part II) ____________________ for ____________ (1 Cor 8:13; John 10:18). Family Worship Guide for I Will Never Eat Meat Again (1 Corinthians 8) - Sacrificing for and Deferring to Others Day 1: Read Romans 14:14-23 and discuss: How can food be clean to some and unclean to others? Wat are the essentials and nonessentials in the kingdom of God? How can we prevent other from condemning themselves? How can we keep from condemning ourselves? Day 2: Read 1 Corinthians 8:9-12 and discuss: How do we “destroy a brother or sister in Christ? What does it mean to do so? How can we avoid doing so? Why is it a sin against Christ Himself? Day 3: Read 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 and discuss: Why did Paul say he would never eat meat again? What application does this have for us? What are some examples of things God might have us give up for others? How do we decide what liberties we have? How do we decide what liberties we don’t have? Sermon Notes for I Will Never Eat Meat Again (1 Corinthians 8) - Sacrificing for and Deferring to Others The title of this morning’s sermon is, “Sacrificing for Others.” This will be our third and final sermon on 1 Corinthians 8. We’ll be looking at verses: 11-13. We’ve spent two sermons covering the situation in the Corinthian church, so I don’t want to spend much time reviewing it. Basically, the church was divided. One group thought they could eat meat sacrificed to idols. The other group thought they shouldn’t. But we’re going to begin in Romans 2, to review a few verses from last week, and then we’ll look at some verses in Romans 14 before moving to 1 Corinthians 8. Look at Romans 2:12… Romans 2:12a For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, Those without the law are Gentiles and Paul says they’ll perish, b/c they’re sinners. He’ll elaborate on this in verses 14 and 15. Romans 2:12b and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. These are Jews who have the law, and they’ll be judged b/c… Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. Having the law wasn’t enough. They had to obey it, which they didn’t do. Since the Gentiles didn’t receive the law, they thought they didn’t know right from wrong, which allowed them to be innocent. But look at verse 14 to see what condemns them… Romans 2:14a For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, This means obey parts of the law. Even people who have never heard the Ten Commandments still have consciences, which tell them certain things – lying, stealing and murder – are wrong…and they still choose wrong…and it leaves them as guilty before God as people who had the Law…b/c it was as though they had a law too…and that’s what the rest of the verse says… Romans 2:14b they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15a They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while THEIR CONSCIENCE ALSO BEARS WITNESS, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them These are the two things our consciences do: Accuse us when we do something wrong. Excuse us when we do something right. Even though people have consciences telling them not to do certain things, they do them anyway, so they do something they know is wrong. Verse 14 says their conscience is a law to [them], so they’re breaking the law they have, which leaves them as guilty as Jews breaking the Ten Commandments. Now let me ask you a simple question… Is it bad when people disobey their conscience? Yes. Now another question… If it’s bad for people to disobey their conscience, then how bad do you think it is to LEAD PEOPLE to disobey their conscience? Really bad! It’s called stumbling others. Before we look at 1 Corinthians 8, let me show you a few verses in Romans 14 that will help us better understand the verses in 1 Corinthians 8. We’re going to go through these verses quickly so you can pick up the theme. We’ll start at verse 14… Romans 14:14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but IT IS UNCLEAN FOR ANYONE WHO THINKS IT UNCLEAN. This is interesting. We know from many verses that Paul thought all food was clean. But he also said food is unclean for people who think it’s unclean, or whose consciences forbid them from eating it. That’s interesting that a clean food could be unclean to some people b/c of their consciences. If people are convinced they shouldn’t do something, even if their assessment is wrong, they shouldn’t do it. Here’s a quote I like… “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” The idea is someone has been convinced to do something against his will – or conscience – but he isn’t really convinced – he’s of the same opinion – so he ends up sinning against his conscience. Look at verse 15… Romans 14:15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. The Greek word for grieved means caused pain or distress. When he says grieved by what you eat, it doesn’t mean the weak brother looks at you eat something, thinks you shouldn’t eat it, and is grieved b/c you ate it. It means he sees you eat something, thinks he can eat it, and is grieved by the shame and guilt he experiences later. Notice two things in this verse that will relate to the verses in 1 Corinthians 8: Paul says we destroy people when we cause them to violate their consciences. This is strong language that I’ll explain later. Second, he says Christ died for the believer. Hold on to this too. Look at verse 16… Romans 14:16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. Good means acceptable. In other words, you think something is acceptable – or good – but it becomes bad, b/c it stumbles someone else. Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. This mentions essentials and nonessentials in the kingdom of God: Eating and drinking, or food and drink, are nonessentials, or amoral issues. We don’t argue w/ people over nonessentials. We pursue peace in these areas, b/c they’re not about right and wrong. Righteousness and peace and joy are essentials, or moral issues, and we must be willing to offend or persuade people in these areas, b/c they’re about right and wrong. Romans 14:18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. If you Christ by loving the weaker brother you will be acceptable to God – which is to say God is pleased w/ your behavior – and approved by men – which is to say men will be happy w/ you too, b/c they know you’re acting out of love for them. Romans 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. There are two reasons we shouldn’t quarrel over nonessentials… First, b/c we should pursue peace and mutual upbuilding – or unity. Second, b/c we could cause people to violate their consciences. Look at verse 20… Romans 14:20 Do not, for the sake of food, DESTROY the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another STUMBLE by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to STUMBLE. Stumbling others can destroy them, so… Romans 14:22a The faith – or knowledge – that you have, KEEP BETWEEN YOURSELF AND GOD. I told you two weeks ago that faith should be thought of as knowledge. For example, verse 4 says As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. It would be better to understand this as weak in [knowledge] or lacking knowledge that others have, b/c this isn’t an issue of having strong or weak faith. We should keep our knowledge to ourselves so we don’t lead others to disobey their consciences. Look at the rest of the verse… Romans 14:22b Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves…or on himself for what he thinks is acceptable. This is interesting… If we don’t keep our knowledge to ourselves, we could cause others to sin by violating their consciences…and