The past several articles have considered the balance between two truths that seem to be in conflict: On the one hand is freedom in Christ, where His salvation and His truth release us from a life of sin (which was, by definition, one of bondage and slavery) into a life where countless opportunities await us. On the other hand is our love for others, whose human condition means that expressing our freedom in the wrong way could pull them away from Christ, rather than lead them towards Him.
The good news is that these two facts are not mutually exclusive, and our decisions can help us to embrace both of them at the same time. In 1 Corinthians 8-10 (portions of which have been studied in recent articles), Paul has offered some practical advice for Corinthians trying to harmonize these two ideas.
Even beyond tactical suggestions, though, 1 Corinthians 10:31 helps us step back and remember a key principle to guide us in both freedom and love.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
Once we (or someone else) choose to follow Jesus and received His salvation, our next steps aren’t to do whatever we want. Yes, our sins have been paid for, but we weren’t saved to sit. We were saved to serve, and – as Paul points out here – we should bring glory to God.
Sometimes, we bring Him glory by being thankful for our food (no matter where we got it from). Other times, we bring Him glory by showing the same love to others that Jesus did by giving up a privilege that we could claim. However, we do so not out of some self-righteous asceticism, but for the benefit – even the very salvation – of others.
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 10:32-33 NIV
Here’s a flashback to chapter 9. Paul isn’t trying to accommodate all kinds of people so that they will like him and make be popular. He’s not a people-pleaser for his own benefit, but he’s being considerate of others’ specific backgrounds for their salvation. By doing so, Paul can be a partaker of the gospel [see 1 Corinthians 9:23].
By the way, there is a prerequisite for us to be accommodating to others’ beliefs, backgrounds, and burdens: we must get to know them well enough to understand what they believe, where they are coming from, and what they struggle with. This takes time spent listening to them, as well as showing respect to them by not “steamrolling” our own agenda into their lives.
So, what do we do with what we have learned from the past several articles’ study of 1 Corinthians 8-10? If you’ve been following along, I hope that the Holy Spirit has been speaking to you directly. If you just read this article today, though, here are some additional thoughts for us to consider.
- May our decisions not be based on our rights or a bunch of rules, but instead upon our relationships with God and with others.
- May we be considerate of others and respect their backgrounds. While we aren’t called to follow others into sin, there are times when it’s better to have a chance to tell someone about Christ, versus getting what we want.
- May our decisions bring glory to God, both privately and in the sight of others, rather than focusing on mere comfort and leisure for ourselves.
My summary is something like this: I think that it’s important to not take away the freedom of others in the body of Christ, by saddling them with rules and regulations that aren’t part of God’s commands or direction. However, as an act of love, it is often appropriate for Christians to voluntarily yield their “rights” for the benefit of others, rather than flaunting those rights in front of those who are struggling.
In this way, we become a little more like Jesus, who chose to be born into humble circumstances as a human being, and to give up His life for us when we were helpless to save ourselves.
So, if – as the Lookout says – “Paul was willing to become a vegetarian and forfeit his freedom rather than cause a fellow believer to fall.”, what might you and I need to give up this week for the glory of God and for the good of others? Is there a right that we are holding on to, even as it continues to hurt others? Or, are we needing to live in greater freedom in Jesus, letting go of extra rules that don’t actually further our maturity in Christ or the kingdom of God?
Let’s close with one more verse.
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
From Sunday School lesson prepared for March 17, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, March 17, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1 Corinthians, by Richard E. Oster, Jr. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 