Food Watchers
I Corinthians 8:1-13
I Corinthians 1:22-24
Paul is concerned with the problems
of the early church. There was a debate
about a secondary issue, but it was
becoming an issue that would divide
the body of Christ.
We need to recognize that the Jews were older in faith. They had more knowledge of the Pentateuch, the Psalms,
the Proverbs and so forth. They were tired of legalism of the Old Testament. By becoming Christians, they were finally
liberated from the “laws”.
Therefore, for them eating meat which was sacrificed to idols meant nothing
much.
On the other hand, most of
the new converts were Romans, or
pagans. They had offered sacrifices to idols in their past life. Now that they were CHRISTIANS, they were very careful to
separate their new life from the old.
Eating meat sacrificed to idols reminded them of their past pagan life.
They were upset by the more “knowledgeable”
Christians.
This moves me to the second
idea.
2- Knowledge can make us arrogant.
“We know that we all possess
knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (I Cor.8:1)
Last Sunday Dr. Ken Touryan
was talking about the importance of the
knowledge. Yes, we need knowledge. Knowledge is always important. We need
teaching in the church. Without teaching we will not grow in faith.
Yet, Paul sees a problem in
knowledge alone.
Knowledge can make you
arrogant. “Knowledge puffs up” (I Cor.
8:1). We are talking about Biblical knowledge. Because of this feeling of superiority,
we start judging others or seeing them as weak. Knowledge is a dangerous trap when God’s love is absent.
That is the reason Paul is concentrating on God’s Love: agape.
We find one of the best descriptions
of God’s Love in I Corinthians 13, the Chapter of Love. Going to Bible studies is
good, learning verses by heart from Bible is great thing, reading Christian
books is a wonderful way of in acquiring more knowledge. Yet if we do not have Love, what are we doing in the church? In
fact, if the knowledge of God did not teach one about Love, I wonder what we are
learning.
3- What do we learn about Christian love in today’s
passage?
We love one another and this
requires sacrifice.
Eating meat is nothing wrong.
But if it is a stumbling block for a weak brother or sister, I should
learn to sacrifice that little pleasure.
I read an illustration by
King Duncan:
There was a man who was
walking in a dark street one night. He saw a wavering pinpoint of light coming
to his direction. He thought that the coming person is drunk, but he was
astonished. He saw blind man with a flash light and a cane.
He asked the blind man why he
was carrying the flash light.
The blind man said: “I carry
my light, not so I can see, but so that OTHERS can see me. I cannot help being
blind, but I can help being a stumbling block.” 1
What a cautious person in
daily life! What about the spiritual daily life of our churches? We need to
learn to carry each other’s burdens. What is love without sacrifice?
“Carry each other’s burdens”
says Galatians 6:2.
Unfortunately, we think, “This is my lifestyle. If it offends you, get
used to it.”
Paul writes to the Philippians:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of the others” (Phil. 2:3).
Our best example is Jesus
Christ. One of the attributes of God is God revealing himself through service. Jesus bent his knees and
started to wash the feet of his
disciples. Even Judas was one of them.
Once I felt neglected when a
young person from my congregation did not come and congratulate me for the
concert I gave. I knew this person. I saw her almost every day. Everyone was
coming and saying something good. She, I thought did not care. My pride was
hurt!
Then one day I told her my
feelings. She said:
“Badveli, many will praise
your work. You are a conductor. I was busy in talking and helping a person that
is unnoticeable in our community. I thought I should help the weak one.”
This was a big lesson I can
not forget. If we are a big family, “the stronger” ones need to understand the
“weak” ones. And it is a pity if my action will lead someone into sin. Jesus
condemned the ones who become stumbling blocks for children.
“But is anyone causes one of
these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him
to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths
of the sea” (Matt 18:6).
3- Paul also writes to the same church saying: Yes, we
need to be careful in our walk with the church members. But, But, But, the
cross was a stumbling block for the Jews. (I Cor. 1:23)
When it is not a secondary
issue, we need to be careful.
Jews could not understand
that Messiah could be on the cross. They were not ready to accept such a God in
their lives. According to Deuteronomy 21:23, anyone who is on
the cross is “cursed by God.” Therefore, for the Jews the cross was an
obstacle in their Jewish faith, their faith and not Christ’s faith. And for Romans,
it was foolish. Roman gods can not be crucified.
Paul is saying, “Fine.” He does
not say, “I do not care.” No, Notice! He did work among them. He did not
give up from the Jews or gentiles. He visited many synagogues and Roman coliseums.
He continued to preach to them. Yet, his faith was not changed or compromised because
some group saw the cross as a stumbling block.
Yes, as church we should be
ready to be stumbling blocks because of OUR
FAITH in Jesus Christ, because of
His cross and not because of the kind of food we eat.
We should understand that
stumbling block, in Greek (scandalos),
could be understood in two ways:
In the former example of
eating the meat or not, stumbling block meant that our action lead someone into
sin.
In the cross example, by our
faith in Jesus on the cross, stumbling block meant one can fall from his or her
faith.
Even Peter
did not understand the cross at first. When Jesus explained to his disciples
that he would go to
What was Jesus’ response?
“Get behind me, Satan. You
are a stumbling block to me...” (Matthew 16:23).
When are we not ready to
carry his cross? When we think the cross is stumbling block, Paul is saying: “No
way, if my faith is a stumbling block, fine. I am not going to compromise my
faith in the cross of Jesus and his resurrection.” The cross of Jesus is not
negotiable.
Food watchers:
We are surrounded by people watching us everyday. We are watched in the church,
we are watched in our work, we are watched in our homes. It is good to know
that we are watched. Let us remember that God, too is
watching us.
Let us live by the principles
of the Bible. Our knowledge should help us to be sensitive people thinking
about others, loving them, caring for them, and considering others more important than
ourselves. Also let us carry the Cross of
Jesus Christ even if it is not understood by many. Let us not compromise our
faith. Let us pray for them and help them to find Jesus Christ in their lives.
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