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T HE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
SEPTEMBER 18, 1931 ABSTINENCE FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS (A Temperance Besson) Golden Text: W hether th erefo re ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to th e glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31. BESSON TEXT 1 Cor. 10:23-33; 3:16, 17. (Read Rom. 12:1; 14:13-21; 15:1, 2; 1 Cor. 6:^-20; 9:19-27.)
lib e rty Judged of a n o th e r m an’s con science? (30) F o r if I by g race be a p a rta k e r, w hy am I evil spoken of for th a t fo r w hich I give th a n k s? (31) W h eth er therefo re ye eat, or d rink, or w h atso ev er ye do, do all to th e g lo ry of God. (32) Give none offence, n e ith e r to th e Jew s, nor to th e G entiles, no r to th e ch u rch of God: (33) E ven a s I please a ll m en in a ll th in g s, n o t se e k in g m ine own profit, b u t th e profit of m any, th a t th e y m ay be saved. (16) K now ye n o t th a t ye a re th e tem ple of God, and th a t th e S p irit of God dw elleth in you? (17) If a n y m an defile th e tem ple of God, him sh a ll God de stro y ; fo r th e tem ple of God is holy, w hich tem ple ye are. g ainst idolatry. Verses 16-22 reveal to us th e bless ings .of th e communion service which binds in heavenly bonds th e h earts of those who are made one by th e broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ, our adorable Lord, and which differ entiates them from the fellowship of un believers. (1) The L iberty of th e Christian, vs, L3-26 “All things are law ful” Here we have a message from th e Holy S pirit th rough Paul, the apostle, to th e church a t Corinth, which was composed of Jews and Gentiles. The Jews, by reason of th e ir religious teach ing and habits, were very punctilious concerning th e use of food which had been prepared for table use. They sought to avoid contam ination w ith any th ing unclean, even eating w ith unwash ed hands, and for th is reason th e Chief P riests refrain ed from m urdering Jesus on th e feast day. The Gentiles were accustomed to offer a g reat number of cattle upon th eir altars, th e blood being poured out as a libation to th e ir gods. The question
(23) A ll th in g s a re law fu l fo r me, b u t all th in g s a re n ot exped ien t: all th in g s a re law fu l for me, b u t all th in g s edify not. (24) L et no m an seek his own,' b u t every m an ¿.nothor's . w ealth. (25) F o r the e a rth is th e L ord’s, and th e fu ln ess th ereo f. (27) If any of them th a t believe no t bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; w h atso ev er is se t before you, eat, a sk in g no q u es tio n fo r conscience sake. (28) B ut if a n y m an sa y un to you, T his is offered in sacrifice, un to ‘idols, eat not, fo r his sa k e th a t shew ed it, and lo r conscience sake: fo r th e e a rth is th e L ord’s, and th e fu ln ess th e re of: (29) Conscience, I say, no t th in e own, b u t of th e o th er: fo r w hy is my Theme: L ight on the Bife of a Christian. Outline: (1 ) The L iberty of th e Christian, vs. 23-26. (2 ) The L im itations of Liberty, vs. ?.7-30. (3 ) The Law of Love, vs. 31-33. (4 ) The Living Temple, 3:16, 17. In troduction: The whole chapter should he read before th e teacher gives special atten tion to th e verses allotted for th is les son, which ds un fo rtun ately called “A Temperance Lesson” BESSON when the lessons it EXPOSITION contains go far deep- T. C. H orton er th a n w hat i s . com monly understood by th e word “ temperance.” Verses 1-11 contain admonitions from practical experience in connection with- the life of Israel, and are w ritten for th e instruction of th e church. Verses 12 and 13 are w arnings a- g ain st' tem ptation and assurance of power to meet and overcome them . Verses 14 and 15 contain warnings a-
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