Living Your Life Orientated to the Glory of God

Corinthians 10:23-11:1 - Riley Boggs

This morning we come to the final passage in an argument that Paul started to make in chapter 8. The argument began by Paul giving wisdom to the Corinthians as to how they are to approach meat that had been sacrificed to idols. He told them they are free to eat it, unless in doing so they should cause their brother or sister to stumble, in which case they should abstain.

Then he goes on to remind the Corinthians of all the liberties we have in Christ, and how they should all be seen as something that they should forego for the sake of the Gospel. He says that we are all running the race, and if we desire to run well, we must run with intentionality. And then last week, we looked at Paul’s words as to how we might approach sin. We should actively fight sin, flee from temptation and idolatry, and trust that Christ will sustain us through it all.

In the passage we are in this morning, we get a summary of all of this. Paul really gives us 2 quick reminders about our liberties, or freedoms, in Christ, and then he gives 3 overarching principles for the Christian life. 3 ways we are to live as followers of Christ. And so, this morning that is how we are going to break up this text. We’ll look at 2 quick reminders and 3 principles for life.

1.) Paul’s quick reminders

A.) Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should

The first reminder he gives us concerning our liberties in Christ can be seen right here in verse 23. Paul quotes the Corinthians twice here saying, “All things are lawful”. His response to this is not, “no they aren’t!” Rather, his response is, “yes, all things are lawful, but that doesn’t mean all things are helpful. And yes, all things are lawful, but not all things build up.” My simple rewording of this is simply, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”

Now there is certainly a principle for why Paul says this, which we will look at in a minute, but for now I simply want to focus on the point he is making here. In Christ, we have been afforded so many liberties. You are free to marry or to be single, to eat or not eat any kind of food, to drink or not drink any kind of drink, and so on. But the point that is being made here, that has already been made several times in the past few chapters, is that whether or not you choose to do something cannot always, or only, be determined by whether or not you are free to do it. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

So what are the other things we are to consider besides whether or not we have the ability? Well we are to ask, “is this going to be helpful, or is it going to be unhelpful?” If your answer is yes, it is going to be helpful, then do it. If your answer is not, this is going to be unhelpful, then maybe you ought to not do it. Same goes with Paul’s second response. We are to ask, “Is this going to build up or tear down?” If it is going to build up, you are free to do it. If it is going to tear down, you likely shouldn’t do it.

Let’s make up a scenario and put this into practice. Let’s say you are hosting a dinner at your house, and you invite several people over, and tell the people who are coming that they are free to bring a friend if they’d like. You’ve cooked this great meal and are celebrating some special occasion, and had planned to do a champagne toast before eating. But, you get a text from one of your friends and they say, “Hey, I wanted to let you know that I’m bringing George.” Well, you sort of know of George and he is a strong believer, but you also know that he once battled with alcoholism. This is where you need to ask these questions. Are you and others free to do this toast? Yes. Would doing this toast be helpful or build up? Probably not. And so, you just simply shouldn’t.

But look, this means just letting it all go. You shouldn’t complain to your friends or say before dinner, “Well, we had planned to do a toast, but decided not to.”  No, just give it up. It isn’t that big of a deal. Even though there is nothing wrong about it, even though you can, doesn’t mean you should.

I know it feels like I’m leaving out the real reason why you should choose to do this, and we will get there, I promise. Paul’s second quick reminder is this...

B.) Just because others can’t, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t

That is a lot of negatives, so let me try to parse out what I mean by this. Look with me at verses 25-28. Paul writes, “25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.”

We discussed this several weeks ago, but as a reminder, if you cannot do something in faith, you should not do it. If it bothers your conscience in such a way that it feels like you are doing something wrong, though it is not sinful, you should not do it, because for you it is sin. There are some who felt this way concerning meat being sold in the marketplace that had been previously sacrificed to an idol. They couldn’t break the connection in their mind, and so they could not, in faith, eat the meat.

And with this in mind, Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are not allow those who have weak consciences be the ones who determine what is and isn’t sin for everyone. In other words, just because others cannot do something, does not mean that you shouldn’t do that thing. Paul says eat whatever is sold at the meat market without asking questions or worrying, it’s all the same. And then he tells us why by quoting out of Psalm 24, which we read for our call to worship, which says that everything on the Earth is the Lord’s, and He has made all things clean. So you are free to eat or drink of any of it, previously sacrificed to an idol or not.

He then gives us a very practical example. Let’s say an unbeliever invites you over for a meal and they have meat on the table. You do not have to ask where it came from and make sure that you aren’t about to eat something unclean. You can simply just eat it. 

For some people, the knowledge of the meat having been sacrificed to an idol binds their conscience, but this does not mean that is the standard for all believers. Just because others can’t, does not mean you shouldn’t. You can apply this with any Christian liberties that might come to your mind, while at the same time taking into account the first reminder that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

There is a fun story from church history that finds it’s backing right here in this text. The event is called, “The Affair of the Sausages.” Ironically event this took place today, on March 9th, in 1522. Here’s what happened. The protestant reformation had begun and was slowly branching out and taking root in different places, one of which was Switzerland. There was a man named Ulrich Zwingli who was bringing this work about in Switzerland by preaching and teaching, and so he found a man who would print his sermons so that he could share them. Well, this took a lot of work and so one day, after a long day’s work, the printer invited a few people over, including Zwingli, to have some sausages. What’s the big deal?

Well, the big deal was that it was Lent. Lent was, and still is for the Catholic church, a liturgical event where they give up several different things during the 40 days before Easter. Part of this was abstaining from meat. Now you see the issue. Word got out about these sausage eating rebels and those who ate the sausages were arrested. Zwingli had not eaten, but quickly came to defend their actions in a sermon. Thinking on the passage we are in today, He said, “To sum up briefly: if you want to fast, do so; if you do not want to eat meat, don’t eat it; but allow Christians a free choice….If you would be a Christian at heart, act in this way.”

This event and his sermon is what really sparked the Reformation in Switzerland, and serves as a good example for us trying to apply this text today. As followers of Christ, decide what is helpful and what builds up, and feel free to do it. You don’t have to subject yourselves to rules that are not found in Scripture, enjoy your liberties, but you are to make your decisions with not just your own interest in mind. This is where Paul goes next, in giving us 3 principles for life. 3 things that will help us see clearly what we are to value, how we are to live, which should certainly cause us to choose to do or not do certain things.

2.) Paul’s principles for life

A.) Live to love your neighbor

This first principle we can see in verse 24. This is the reason, well it’s the first reason, for why you might not do something even though you are free to. That is, because you are not living just for yourself. You are not living for your own good, but for the good of those around you. You are living to love your neighbor.

Think back to the example about whether or not you should have a champagne toast or not, knowing that a man who struggled with alcoholism will be there. This is the principle that should push you to happily not do it. This is the principle should cause you to ask these questions. What is more valuable? Your freedom to have the toast, or your brothers fight against sin? What are you living for?

This is what Paul has been getting at all along, from chapter 8. As those who have been bought with the blood of Christ and are seeking to follow Him, we do not live for ourselves. We aren’t always looking to get the best and the most. Rather we joyfully keep our eyes open, trying to discern what others might need, and seek that. We seek their good, not just ours.

Paul gives an example of what this looks like in verses 28-30. He writes, “28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?”

This is a bit tricky to work through, but I think this is what he is getting at here. He just mentioned that if you’re in an unbeliever’s home and they offer you meat, you don’t have to ask where it is from. You are free to eat it, no questions asked. But now, Paul says if the unbeliever says, “hey, you’re a Christian right? Well, just so you know I sacrificed this meat to my god last night in worship.” And if this happens, Paul says, don’t eat it. 

What changed? Well, what has changed is that now the unbeliever is watching to see what you do. Your conscience isn’t the issue, you know that the meat is fine. But they think that their god is real and if you eat this meat, you clearly aren’t that committed to your Christian God. In other words, for your witness of the Gospel and for the good of your neighbor, don’t eat it.

Then, he sort of asks the question that the Corinthians might ask about this decision. They might say, “Wait, why would your liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?” And to that, he answers with a question himself in verse 30 and says, “Why would I be denounced for doing something that isn’t even wrong?” Or, another way of putting it would be, “Why would I do something that I am free to do or not do, knowing that it is going to make me look like someone who isn’t serious about their faith?”

And so, the principle is simple. Live for the good of your neighbor, and we have 2 examples of what that might look like. The second principle Paul gives us is this…

B.) Live to bring glory to God

This principle is really chapters 8-10 in one sentence, verse 31. Paul writes, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Notice how this goes beyond just eating and drinking. Whatever you do, everything you do, do it all to the glory of God. 

Church, everything you do, do it to the glory of God. Prioritize Him and His desires above yours. Submit everything you do unto Him. You might ask, “what does this look like?” Paul tells us exactly what this looks like in verses 32-33. He writes, “Give no offense to the 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.” In other words, Paul says that he will never do something that is going to hinder someone coming to know Christ. Whatever it is that might hinder is simply not worth it.

R.C. Sproul comments on these verses saying, “When the purity of the gospel was at stake, Paul had no interest at all in pleasing people (which we know from Galatians 1:8-10). But where his personal preferences were concerned, he gladly subjected them to God’s greater purpose, the salvation of His elect from all nations.” 

There it is. Wherever our personal preferences rub up against God’s greater purpose, we are to live by the principle. We are to give up our desires, our preferences, even our liberties, so that we might do all to the glory of God. And of course this is easier said than done. We are selfish people. We like what we like, and we want what we want.

Let me give an example of this that took place right here in Glasgow, in front of the whole city. Some of you might be aware of the situation, some of you may not. And I know that we might have differing opinions on this, and there is room for discussion on this. I just want to simply consider what this looked like, and how Paul might have encouraged the church here in Glasgow to respond.

Several months ago, our city was selected as a city where 30 people who had gone through the process of obtaining refugee status where going to be placed. These were families who had fled for their lives from Honduras and had been waiting for over a year to be placed somewhere. Refuge Bowling Green was selected, and then Glasgow was selected for this one-time thing.

I personally went to the second city council meeting about this and was blown away. Those who were helping orchestrate this entire thing explained the whole situation very well and answered tons of questions. Then, the public go to go to the mic and express their encouragement and concerns. You want to know what happened? Person after person, many of them I know to be professing Christians, came to the mic and were outraged. They blatantly disregarded what the people had just told them, and they kept expressing over and over again, “Well, what about my this, or our that?” 

And look, I get that. I want this to be a safe place for us. I want this to be a wonderful city to raise children and so on. But these were people fleeing for their lives, refugees. Vetted, background checked, and all the rest, refugees. And it was the Christians who wouldn’t hear it. They wanted to shut it down immediately. I left that meeting quiet frustrated and upset. And, as a result of that meeting, Glasgow was considered an unsafe place for these refugees, and they had to be sent somewhere else.

I want us to think of this situation, and other situations like it, in light of what Paul says here. Do everything for the glory of God. Give up your preferences if you need to. Lay them aside, so that many might be saved. The nations on our doorstep, and we might have held too tightly onto our preferences.

I want to be fair here and say that this was not everyone, but it was some. And there are multiple ways to think about this situation. But I also want to be honest with you about it, as your pastor. As I read through this text and was trying to think about an application, this situation felt a bit like a gut punch.

So, we have 2 principles so far. Live to love your neighbor, and live to bring glory to God. Easier said than, I know. I also know that we have the perfect example of this, and that is where Paul ends his argument. 

C.) Live to imitate Christ

Chapter 11, verse 1, Paul writes, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Another way of saying this would be, “In the ways that I live like Christ, live like me.” Or even more simple and to the point, “imitate Christ. Live like Him.”

This is the final call, the final principle. Look to Jesus and live like Him. And as those around you imitate Christ, imitate them. Learn by example what it means to live selflessly, sacrificially, seeking the good of your neighbor and the glory of God above all. Look at your Savior, walk like He walked.

How did He live? Humble, yet strong. A leader, yet one who served those around Him. Mighty, yet meek. Tempted, yet sinless. Gentle, loving, and obedient. He ate with sinners, called people to repentance. He words were honest and pure. He was compassionate, brave, gracious, and merciful.

Church, He is our example. Our wonderful Savior, our friend. The one who loved us so much that He laid down His life for us. The one who took on flesh and was tempted in all the ways we are tempted, yet remained sinless. The one who was beaten, mocked, ridiculed, and crucified. The one who bore our sins, and who took the wrath of God that we deserved. This is our example.

What an example. That is who we seek to imitate. And because He rose from the dead, defeated death and sin, and is currently reigning at the right hand of the Father, we are being enabled day-by-day to be more like Him. With the help of the Spirit within, we are striving to be more like Christ. To be imitate Him, and to imitate those around us who are imitating Him.

Church, it is a tall task. To live to love your neighbor, to bring glory to God, and to imitate Christ. But we do not walk alone, we walk together. And this morning, we are going to demonstrate this by coming to the table together as one body. A people who are committed to obeying this very text in our lives.