No Worse No Better

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

NO WORSE NO BETTER

1 Cor 8:7-8

7 But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

NIV

Whenever we come to Christ from a past life of living accustom to certain ideas which we thought were the truth, we have to make some changes in our though process. There were people in Corinth although they had accepted the Gospel and supposedly turned from their former life, still could not get over it. Paul was speaking specifically about food that had been sacrificed to idols, but there are a lot of things in the world as sinners we become rather accustomed to. We might even be in the same sort of circumstances as some of those people in Corinth. When we come to Christ, a whole new set of rules and regulations are set forth for us, some based on the Word of God, others based on what men think should be the appropriate manner we should behave, forgoing certain activities, and certain foods. It would appear that once saved, at last according to some, we should no longer smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, go to movies or dances and at one time, no mixed bathing, which is being on the beach with the opposite sex. But let is stick to the food stuff, like drinking for example. It would appear whether we drink wine or not drink wine it does not bring us any closer to God. We will learn from the next passage tomorrow we do have some responsibility to each other, but for now let us simply deal with our relationship with God. However we approach these ideas, that we think are not acceptable behavior, or activities we need to know how God feels about them. It may be true for some drinking wine simply goes against everything they believe, and for sure they should not every drink wine. But for others it carries not such stigma and feel no such compulsion from God. That kind of thing just does not matter in our relationship with God. Now surely the sin which is laid out in the scripture does, such as bitterness, unforgiveness, gossip, greed, as well as a host of other attitudes which some people seem to overlook, but certainly frown upon drinking and consider it a sin. When it comes to food and drink it simply is a personal conviction, but not one from God. It simply does not influence our relationship with Him, we are not better off if we refrain, or whether we don’t. But don’t forget about what is coming next. Some may have more freedom in their faith then others, but do we have any responsibilities in that? Yet we are no worse or nor better.   

Living For God

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

LIVING FOR GOD

1 Cor 8:4-6

4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

NIV

Is there any question about the fact there is but one God? Surely in Corinth there must have been the practice of worshipping the sun, moon, stars, rivers, trees, as well as other of their man made images of what they supposed some deity of their imagination looked like. Surely we do not place any value on anything in our world or give it a place of honor or worship it. We are surely aware of the scripture that we should not put any gods before our God. But the thing is He is not our God, He is God. We did not manufacture God, indeed He made us. He is the one and the only real God. We have no problem agreeing that all things made were though Him. We do not accept that foolish notion of the earth just happening all by itself, and that we eventually slithered from some pit of slime. We know God made the earth and the entire universe and we know He formed us as we are, in His image. We understand there is but one God for whom we live. Well there might be the rub. Do we truly live for Him? What does it mean to live for God? How does that look? It seems we sure do a lot for ourselves in this life. It seems we spend a far gather amount of time focused on our ambitions and desires than we do on living for Him, even though we are not sure what living for Him looks like. Could it be the difference between seeing how God benefits us or how we can benefit God? That may sound odd, us being a benefit to God. With God being the most all powerful being ever, how can we His creation be of any benefit to Him? In a world that may not know Him, at least as we do, we could be His ambassadors and introduce them to Him. That would benefit Him. In a world that may know of Him, we could bring glory and honor to Him for all we are, all we have and all we do. Do we tell people what we have done, or what we have, or what we just bought, or how we did this or did that, or do we give God all the credit? Do we tell others of what God has done in us, what He has given us, what He is empowering us to do? If we live for God and through Jesus Christ then perhaps we should look, talk and act as if we do. We should be living for God. 

Puff or Love

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

PUFF OR LOVE

1 Cor 8:1-3

8:1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But the man who loves God is known by God.

NIV

Although this is the beginning of a complete thought about not causing a brother to stumble by doing something, it has its own stand-alone truth as well. We certainly have more than enough institutions of higher learning among all the various denominations within our country to gain far more knowledge about the scriptures than we may ever have in the past. But to what gain is that? It would appear if a person has not attained certain degrees from those certain institutions, that person is not qualified to be a professional minister. We also have a number of people who believe the more you know the better a Christian you will be. Being able to quote scripture, naming chapter and verse is surely a sign of a mature believer. But here we see that all that does is puff us up. All this knowledge simply makes us feel better than those who do not have the knowledge. Do we look down at them as being inferior or simply not interested enough in God to learn about Him? Does all that knowledge enhance us or does it bring glory to God? Have we placed knowledge on the throne of our lives? Let us remember that knowledge puffs us up. Sure, knowledge is not a bad thing in and of itself, but it is what we allow it to do to us which can be bad. We are far better off, with or without that knowledge to simply love. We need not know anything about the scriptures in order to love. If we understand the love of God, if we have experienced His love toward us, then we possess all we need in order to love God and love others. Does a great amount of knowledge increase God’s love toward us, or ours toward Him? Does knowledge cause us to be known by God? It is for certain that is all we do is love God we will for certain be known by God. And if we love others, we will neither offend them in word, thought or deed. That is the basis of all knowledge. God did not establish institutions, he established love. Should we puff or love?

Pure Hearts

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

PURE HEARTS

1 Cor 7:39-40

39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is — and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

NIV

It would seem a personal opinion yet also as coming from the Spirit of God. This is the last of the dissertation about marriage and singleness and it would appear the whole of the idea is that divorce is not on the table. Remarriage in the case of death is acceptable, but surely not in any other case. Why a woman would be happier if she remains a widow is certainly a strange concept to understand. We might think that people are happier in general if they do not have a spouse to love and to be loved by if we read between these lines. Yet we also see that if a women should lose her husband through the nature course of death, she may remarry, but only to another believing man. Once again, it would seem strange that a woman who has lived her life loving the Lord alone side a man who loves the Lord would even consider yoking herself to an unbeliever in marriage. Marriage requires work to be a relationship which is acceptable in the eyes of God even with both partners being believers. How much severe the relational condition if only one is a believer. We also know there is other scripture which instructs widows to remarry if they are of child bearing age, but if well beyond that age to stay a widow and serve the Lord more fully. Of course even being a widow we can see that if she excepts any assistance from the church that she would have to have met the qualifications enumerated in that same passage. But staying a widow if older she is still admonished to serve the Lord with all her heart. That is a widow should not become a busybody, a gossip but get involved wholehearted in some area of service. She should not be content to simply be all about herself. That is why we see here that Paul believes she should stay a widow so she can be of greater service to God. Yet once again we are brought to this issue that if married she is to stay married as most vows include, until death do us part. This would also imply that is we cross reference that other scripture the married woman should already be one who is faithful to her husband, well known for her good deeds such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. We surely would think that any woman with those qualities who becomes a widow would not have to wait long for another man to desire to marry her. So we are left here with the same idea, marriage is good, singleness is good, each should make up their own minds as to want is best for them in order to serve the Lord with a pure heart. 

Mutual Love and Respect

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

MUTUAL LOVE AND RESPECT

1 Cor 7:36-38

36 If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin — this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better.  

NIV

Once again we delve into the past seeing a cultural situation which for the most part has no bearing on our modern society in this country. This verse has been translated but as a man’s acting improperly toward a virgin as well as a father toward his unmarried daughter. In the cultural the power of his daughter’s celibacy was totally within the father’s right. He could choose that she remain a virgin dedicated to the service of the Lord or whether she could marry. If he had determined she should remain a virgin and after she has been so for years and is getting older and he changed his mind allowing her to now marry, it was alright, he had that right, but here the idea was that it would be better if he had not changed his mind. All sort of old fashioned in our cultural today. So how do we learn anything from this for our lives? It could be related, if we see it as men and woman making up their own minds whether they should remain a virgin or enter into marriage giving themselves to one another, as already stated that our bodies our not our own but are our spouses. That is it is neither a sin to remain a virgin or to marry, both are acceptable in the sight of God. In the context of what Paul has written including some, or what we might think are some, of his personal views, we could see this as once again giving preference to remaining a virgin, which is far more than remaining single. Yet once again it would seem God’s intent is for the two to become one flesh. How do we reconcile these seemingly conflicting ideas? Is this then directed singularly toward a certain culture at a certain time in history? But we could also view this as the proper relational behavior between a man and a woman, mutual love and respect. We should always have this kind of attitude toward one the opposite sex, whether married or single. We should also respect an individual’s decision of marriage or singleness. We need to always be aware that God may have a particular plan and purpose for one individual and that each person needs to follow God’s plan for them. In reality we all are God’s people and we need to see his plan for us as a church and as individual members of that church. Mutual love and respect.

Full Devotion

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

FULL DEVOTION

1 Cor 7:32-35

32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs — how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world — how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world — how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. 
NIV


Although it is true there is some sense of a divided concern, it is still a God given concern. Paul also gives instructions as to the responsibilities of both husband and wife, in fact that leaders of the church should be the husband of but one wife, this would mean an unmarried man could not be a leader of a church for he would not be a husband of any wife. So what is this talking about, that neither man nor woman should be married so they can have an undivided devotion to God? The key here is that Paul is saying this for the good of those who lived in Corinth. It may not be for general use, that is, for all believers. There was a certain situation in that church and Paul was speaking directly to them and them alone, or perhaps to other churches that were and maybe having the same circumstances. The case of staying single for undivided devotion to God has some merit for all people, however we know that is not the plan of God for His creation. Although it is true that a single person has no one else to be concerned about other than themselves, they can only be members of something. A married person has family, has posterity, leaves a legacy, has influence over the lives of his own kin, so not only does a married person have influence in the body of Christ, he also has influence in the world. It may be easier for a single person to dedicate all his efforts toward serving God, not being distracted with the responsibilities of family, yet we still have to understand that God desires that we should not be alone, that we should have family. Yes, Jesus never married, of course He was God, and how could God marry any human? But Jesus was born of a human and God told Joseph to go ahead and marry Mary. He wanted Jesus to be in a family. He could have just should up one day as the Savior of the world, but no He came into a family. We have to see this was Paul talking just to those Corinthians. Yet we should also see that we need to be devoted to serving our Lord and Savior. Even as families we should be devotion together for the one cause of being devotion to God. And this should not only apply to our human families, but also the all of us as the family of God. There should not be division among us as brothers and sister in the Lord. As members of the Body of Christ how could we ever be single? We are forever united in Christ as one, just as He and the Father are one. And as such we are forever interdependent on one another having concerns for one another as if we were among family. We have to see these comments by Paul, as inspired by God in the context of the whole dissertation about what was going on in Corinth. Although all scripture is profitable for our instruction, correction and rebuking, so we can see that we need to stay clear of the kinds of things that were going on in Corinth. We need to always be focused on the things of God. We need to devote ourselves to Him fully.

What is our Focus?

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

WHAT IS OUR FOCUS?

1 Cor 7:29-31

29 What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

NIV

Can we become so engrossed in our physical life that we forfeit any effort toward our spiritual life? Oh sure we attend church on Sunday and say all the right words, but is that just a part of our physical life as well? Men are surely not to ignore their wives for that would be so against all the rest of God’s Word, but the point here is all about being so physically concerned and so not spiritually concerned. We are not citizens of this world, but citizens of the Kingdom of God and as such we are His ambassadors to this world, here with diplomatic powers to speak for or on behalf of our Sovereign offering His peace treaty with those who war against Him. We should not be about mourning over losses here on earth, nor should be we finding happiness in the things of this world. We cannot consider anything we have as being ours for all of this kind of thinking leads to wanting to be to be a part of this world rather than being a part of the Kingdom of God. Sure we have this stuff for a little while but in all reality there simply is no trailer hinge on a hearse. We are not going to take anything from this world with us on our journey across the bridge of death into eternity life. Everything we experience or have here will vanish in the light of His wonderful face. The song writer uses the words, “strangely dim” but vanish is a more appropriate explanation for what is about to happen. Do we have the blessings of God to have and to hold our spouses until death do we part? Yes. Do we have the blessings of God to enjoy all the material things provided by His hand? Yes. Can we enjoy all the experiences He leads us in? Yes. But we are not to get so engaged, so engrossed in all of this that we do not remember what it is all about. God is not there to benefit us, but we are here to benefit Him. All we are, all we have, all we know, all we do is supposed to be able to benefit the Kingdom of God. What is this world or God at the center of our focus? What is our focus?