August 1928
501
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K i n g ’ s
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n b. The one true God and the Sav iour. V. 6 . The Problem of the Unconverted and Uninformed. Vs. 7, 8 . 1. Defiling of conscience through lack of knowledge. V. 7. 2. No moral nor spiritual values in foods. V. 8 . III. The Exercise o f Christian Liberty. Vs. 9-13. 1. The Christian to avoid becoming a stumbling block to others. Vs. 9-11. 2. Causing a weak brother to stumble is sinning against Christ. V. 12. 3. Paul’s willingness to refrain from an act which might be misinter preted by others. V. 13. 'T H E portions o f animals not offered upon the altars in the heathen rituals, belonged partly to the priests and partly to the officers of the heathen temples. whether dr not they shôSld purchase meat used in connection with idols. There was no question but that the Old Testament law forbade eating such meat (Num. .25: 2; Psa. 106:28; cf. Acts 21:25), but they were not under law, but grace;" . Some reasoned that idols were a nonen tity and that meat was not changed b e -: cause used in a heathen ritual. They believed there was no harm in attending banquets promoting friendliness with'-; heathen neighbors'. Others had come out o f heathen ways and could not easily get over the association of such practices,- They felt that their fellowship with God would be impaired and that it was al together wrong to eat such meat or attend' these feasts. Paul was asked to give light on these problems. “Now as touching things offered unto idols," he replied, “we know';that we'all have knowledge. Knowledge. puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (v. 1). Some claimed to be already enlightened and felt no need to discuss this question o f ceremonial uncleanliness. Paul reasons i that these should not take an unkind attitude toward those less advanced in Christian instruc tion. Even spiritual knowledge has a tendency to make one bloated. One can get intoxicated oh knowledge and be most unchristian toward fathers. Let us not get the notion that knowl edge is an achievement .to boast Of. It is a mercy and should make us humble and patient with others. Spiritual pride becomes very impatient with the imper fect enlightenment of others. Knowledge puffs up. Love builds up. T o be intolerant and overconscious of our knowledge, destroys our usefulness for Christ. Knowledge and lové are made for each other and should be married. How often, we hear¡one say of another believer : ’“He -is fanatical. He will not do this or that, in which there is ho härm whatever.” Love, tries to see thé other fellow’s viewpoint. Love realizes that what may be harmless fox one is sin ful for another. Lové makes one ready to forfeit his own rights if he sees his; in fluence is .going to weaken another. This meat was eat en at feasts in the t e m p l e s o r in private homes and sometimes was even sold in the markets. The Christians at Corinth were faced with the problem of
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTL INE
“I f any man think that he knoweth anyr thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" (v. 2). The first step to knowl edge is to know one’s own ignorance. We can learn from the humblest child of God. Thé wise man will remember how limited is his knowledge at its widest. “ There remaineth much land yet to be possessed.” If any man love God the same is known o f Him”;; (v. 3), This explains the nature of the love that edifies : it is first poured out upon God. Love to God is something more than the simple emo tion o f love. Love first directed to God ’ is' the foundation of all excellence and o f all real love to men. The more love we have for Him, the less conceit we shall have over what we know. “As concerning the eating o f those things offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know [we enlightened believers] that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one” (v. 4). Never theless, in the minds o f some recent con verts from heathendom, an idol was still something. What attitude should be taken toward those whose consciences were very sensitive on this point? “ To us there is but one God....and one Lord Jesus Christ” (v , 6 ). “Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge” (v. 7). Not all Christians have had our op portunities o f understanding the truth. “Some with conscience o f the idol unto this hour . eat as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak [scrupulous] is defiled." The plain teach ing is that while there is no harm in eat ing meat offered to an idol,, yet if a man has conscientious scruples, he should leave it alone. In other words do what seems to you to be right until you learn by the grace o f God to see clearly what , is right by God’s standard. Meat is not ¡snow disapproved of God (v. 8 ). Eating or not eating has nd effect upon one’s standing with Him (Rom. 14 :6)v “But take heed lest by any means this liberty', o f ; yours become •' a stumbling-block to them that are weak” S v . 9J., In;some things,the New Testa-' ment gives us no explicit' guidance. At these points our conduct must be guided b y , the •effect it may have upon others weaker than ourselves. "If any man see thee which hast knowl edge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience o f him which is weak be emboldened, twkeat these, things which are. offered to idols?” (v. 10)’. The very fact of your being avowedly ad vanced in spiritual knowledge makes your example more dangerous. Let us decide every issue upon this basis. : What about the card table, the theater, .the- use o f tobacco and stimulants, the dance? Through thy knowledge, the weak brother may perish ,(v. 11). It is obvious that one who goés contrary to his scruples always does wrong. Even a half-enlightened conscience is to be obeyed. Living up to the light we have is the germ out of which all true morality must grow. We shall not be ready to receive new light unless we live up to that which we have. There is ipore hope o f a conscientious heathen than o f a professor of religion who continually violates his own under standing o f what is right. W e should remember, however, that in dependent conscience is not author itative. It is. simply the “ lower court” Its verdict may have to be corrected by the higher court—the Word of God and
T ’ ELLOW l — ERVANTS M A ITH FU L S e r v i c e A U L L Y *S u r r e n d e r e d Let no one glory in man.—1 Cor. 3 :21. not forgotten his converts in Corinth. He has heard that there have been misun derstandings and disputes among some of the believers, and so Paul sat down and wrote a letter to his friends. Now you know, boys and girls, this is a wonderful letter and from it we can learn manjr lessons that will help us to live more like our Lord. After Paul left these people at Corinth, other teachers and preachers came in and some o f them were .jealous of Paul, and jealousy makes peo ple say things, even about their friends, that hurt and cause feeling. You boys and girls know how you like some teach ers better than others, and how unkind words are often spoken, and pretty soon when these things happen, people begin to take sides, and disputes and misunder standings take place. Paul loved his Christian friends, and he speaks often of the Lord Jesus to teach them not to dis pute about human teachers, but to re member the Lord Jesus who was their Saviour, and it did not make any differ ence wbo was the teacher or preacher. After all, there is just one leader, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us to reason together, and when differences come up we can meet together and talk and pray as brothers-and sisters, remem bering Christ is our one great Leader. Paul told them no other person was cru cified for them, but the Lord Jesus Christ. There has been only one death for the sins o f the world. When we see a great building going up, there are many men doing different work, but they are all fol lowing out the plan of the architect who drew up the plans. Each man does his part of the work, and when the work is completed, the building stands as a monu ment of'beauty and usefulness, because all have worked together in harmony. Some of the most unhappy people in the world are those who have their own way. Often we should give up our plans and wishes and let others have their way, that we may have peace and happiness. O f course it is never right to compromise with wrong, that is, say we will give up our way and do what some one else asks us to do, if it is wrong. (Teach M. V .) We can learn many lessons from the life of Paul, for. he suffered much f 6 ;r. the cause o f Christ. In all he did, he put the ;. Lord Jesus first, and was persecuted and put in prison. He longed to see people saved and living for Christ, (Prayer.) S eptember 23, 1928 Temperance Lesson Text ; 1 Cor. 8 :1-13 L esson in O utline I. The Freedom with tslhxch Christ Sets One Free.. Vs. 1-6. 1. Knowledge and love contrasted. Vs. 1-3. 2. God and idols contrasted. Vs. 4-6. a. The nothingness o f idols. Vs. 4, 5.
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