1 Corinthians: Giving Up Freedoms and Keeping Our Scruples To Ourselves

The agape (self-sacrificial) love God wants all Christians to have for others must motivate each of us to not “seek his own good,” but rather “the good of his neighbor,” even to the point of being willing to forego that which God gives us the freedom to do.  However, we love our freedoms.  We don’t want to give up anything we have the right to do.… Read More 1 Corinthians: Giving Up Freedoms and Keeping Our Scruples To Ourselves

1 Corinthians: “I Will Never Eat Meat, Lest I Make My Brother Stumble”

There are some things which are inherently not sinful that still violate the consciences of some within the church.  In such cases, those whose consciences are weak have a divinely ordained responsibility to “grow up in every way” (Eph. 4:15) and heed biblical teaching which shows that what they are concerned about is not intrinsically sinful (e.g., 8:8; 10:23a, 25-27, 29-30).  In the meantime as they are learning and growing in their comprehension, their brethren who already understand that they have the freedom to participate in this non-sinful activity must also put the spiritual welfare of their weaker brethren before their freedoms and rights and abstain from this action which currently offends their brethren (e.g., 8:9-13; 10:23b-24, 28, 32-33).  This requires the agape love God wishes all of us to have (8:1). … Read More 1 Corinthians: “I Will Never Eat Meat, Lest I Make My Brother Stumble”