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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : 1 Corinthians 8: 10-13

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MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 1 Corinthians 8: 10-13

1 Corinthians 8: 10-13

10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

___________________________

As I have been considering these verses I began to examine my own heart.Do I truly love others in the family of CHRIST so much that I am willing to die to self so that they might not stumble. Am I really willing to be a servant to them and put their needs before my own. There are many areas I was thinking this could easily be applied in my life as HE gives leading. Just because I have the freedom to eat does not mean that I must eat...I think there are times when not eating may do more to help another then my demanding my right to do so.

God bless
maryjane

 2013/7/15 10:25Profile
havok20x
Member



Joined: 2008/9/14
Posts: 980
Pineville, LA

 Re: 1 Corinthians 8: 10-13

This is something I really struggle with. So many times I think of myself and how unfair things are to me. I need to get over it. This life is about so much more than me. I should be thinking about how I can honor others more than myself and how I can count them as more important than myself, even if I take a disadvantage in this life.

 2013/7/15 15:50Profile









 Re: 1 Corinthians 8: 10-13

Hi MaryJane,

I believe "meat" here means "food".

Can you give a practical example of what is "eating in an idol's temple" and how that relates to us today?

Would that be like taking communion in the Catholic Church?

Eating a fellowship meal in a religious Christian church whose god is really money (mammon).

Eating in a Bar

Eating in a Restaurant whose owner is not submitted to Christ.

I understand what it can mean in India (lots of temples for idols), but I just can't think of what that means today in America.

Thanks

 2013/7/15 16:43
havok20x
Member



Joined: 2008/9/14
Posts: 980
Pineville, LA

 Re:

Just-in,

A really good example of this line of thinking, especially where I live, is whether or not God is offended by me walking into church with my cowboy hat or ball cap on. Here in Texas, everyone is taught that it is rude to walk into a building and especially rude to walk into a church with your hat on (unless someone is getting married. I really don't know why this is the exception). So an unbeliever who grew up with strict, southern parents will still, after conversion, take his hat off when he walks into the church. Then he will come up to me and tell me that I should take off my hat, because I am in the house of God. Now there is a lot wrong with his statement. But I love him. He is a brother. So, I will take my hat off for his sake. He takes it off and in his heart, he is showing respect to the Lord. I take mine off to show respect to him, because I know the Lord does not care if I have a cowboy hat on or not. It is just a hat.

 2013/7/15 17:17Profile
MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:



I understand what it can mean in India (lots of temples for idols), but I just can't think of what that means today in America.

Thanks
_____________________

For me I think Havok20x gave a really great example. I have some of my own that I have been praying about. One example might be there are some sisters who fellowship together that feel very strongly that wearing a sleeveless top is immodest and while I may not share that conviction it doesn't hurt me to wear tops with sleeves when I am with them or we are in fellowship situations. Its easy enough to demonstrate my love for them by covering my arms so they are not made to stumble. This is just one example but really I think what the LORD is showing me is to have the heart and desire to put others before myself. I think its about loving others and demonstrating HIS love for others, that's what I am seeing.

Thanks for asking.

God bless
maryjane

 2013/7/15 17:35Profile









 Re:

Quote:
by havok20x on 2013/7/15 14:17:06

Just-in,

A really good example of this line of thinking, especially where I live, is whether or not God is offended by me walking into church with my cowboy hat or ball cap on. Here in Texas, everyone is taught that it is rude to walk into a building and especially rude to walk into a church with your hat on (unless someone is getting married. I really don't know why this is the exception). So an unbeliever who grew up with strict, southern parents will still, after conversion, take his hat off when he walks into the church. Then he will come up to me and tell me that I should take off my hat, because I am in the house of God. Now there is a lot wrong with his statement. But I love him. He is a brother. So, I will take my hat off for his sake. He takes it off and in his heart, he is showing respect to the Lord. I take mine off to show respect to him, because I know the Lord does not care if I have a cowboy hat on or not. It is just a hat.



I believe all of that is cultural. Every culture has their idiosyncratic customs.

Remember, Jesus set us free from all laws except the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus (Loving God and our neighbor with all our heart). With that said, it is loving to be polite with other people's customs unless you feel you are violating your spirit led conscience.

When it comes to the fruit of the Spirit there is no law that can trump it because it's root and motivations are love for others, and that means our own law of self, stubborness to be polite and loving and consider others whether we we are causing them to stumble.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW.

Let's not be so free that we rejoice in our own freedom and careless for how others feel.

All that to say, I get your point.

 2013/7/15 18:31
derektina
Member



Joined: 2010/3/28
Posts: 9


 Re:

havok20

The "tradition" of men not wearing hats was actually an original directive from God's word that got lost in the Western Countries due to changes in fashion and a gradual "culturalization" of teachings that were clearly adhered to for centuries around the world.

"Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head." 1 Cor 11:4

The same is true of women, who once veiled their heads and faces. It morphed into a doily pinned to the top of the hair, then hats, then eventually none...

"But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 6For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered." 1 Cor 11:5

Many would seek to call this legalism or a form of Galatian bondage. However, if those who claim this are really willing to trace the traditional adherence to these teachings, even in our Western societies, they would be hard=pressed to claim it to be cultural...

Not trying to renew contention but wanting to share what the Lord has lovingly shown my husband and I after much diligent seeking and study of these scriptures..

God bless you brother...

 2013/7/15 20:03Profile









 Re:

Quote:
by havok20x on 2013/7/15 12:50:30

This is something I really struggle with. So many times I think of myself and how unfair things are to me. I need to get over it. This life is about so much more than me. I should be thinking about how I can honor others more than myself and how I can count them as more important than myself, even if I take a disadvantage in this life.



derektina,
Thank you for your testimony and for not turning this into a head-covering thread. There are plenty of threads already on that topic where everything under the sun concerning head-coverings has been talked about. I think people are burned out on the topic.

Havok, I have a good friend who was an Army Infantry Officer in the Vietnam war. He was in the battle of La Drang, ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxPeHqH4XxI&feature=player_embedded ) and spent 9 months in Walter Reed Army Hospital with severe injuries (but lost no limbs).

He was telling me today how you could walk the the halls of Walter Reed and see a sea of men with missing limbs. He had one friend that had lost his right arm and 2 legs and yet was excited and happy that he had a good mind and a left arm.

He has one of the best attitudes about life I have ever witnessed and I know why. He has seen men who seemed to have lost everything that others consider important and yet, they won't feel sorry for themselves. Talking to Ron, is always good medicine for me. He is a very giving and kind person. He is always helping others out and giving people things. He walks in a lot of love. With 3 purple hearts, 2 legs and 2 arms, he is a very grateful person.

 2013/7/16 0:05
MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:

But as Paul said, all those things are meaningless unless you are primarily a Holy “lover”—one who is first and foremost filled with deep love as the very wind in your sails. Do you want to be a “great man” or a “great woman” in God’s sight? Well...God is love. So how can we be endued with power from on High if we are not primarily lovers? A “great man” or “great woman” is NOT primarily one who performs miracles, or understands or teaches all the great mysteries, or is willing to give their body to be burned. According to God, a great man or woman is one who primarily loves very, very much.

Many or maybe even ALL the problems that any of us would ever have would be taken care of if we Loved more! As Jesus said, all the law and the commandments are summed up in these two things: Love God and love everybody else. Besides that, you don’t need any other commands. Why is that? Because if you fall in love with God and with everyone else, you’ll not be a self-centered person anymore. You’ll not be so concerned about prophesying the future or casting mountains into the sea. If you’re primarily a lover, you’ll want to LOVE PEOPLE. You will find ways to give and ways to be creative. Your personality, your patience level, your pain-tolerance level, and many things will drastically change. Your personality will change. Like if you’re basically a fearful person, there may come a time when Real Love begins to bloom and blossom and manifest itself—and then maybe you just won’t be so fearful anymore. You won’t be so self-centered and inward, thinking about yourself all the time. “Phooey on all that!” You’ll just bust out of that when Real Love comes in.

So many different things have caused us to fall short over time, like being totally intellectual or getting caught in our thoughts all the time. You’re not going to do that if your passion is for loving people around you. If that’s your primary purpose in life—to love people—you won’t be caught in this intellectual cycle and three-ring circus in your mind that you’ve been a slave to. The mind games in your head and so many other things just won’t be important anymore, when you love. That doesn’t mean everything else is without meaning or value. But on the other hand, if the primary force in your life is to be a lover—one who’s desperate to find ways to express the love of Jesus—then most of the other stuff goes by the wayside. Name your sin: whether legalism, selfishness, vices, or whatever. If you’ve really opened yourself up to the Father’s Love for people (brothers and sisters, people in your neighborhood, your city, country, or planet), you’ll be HIGHLY motivated to put aside foolish sin in your life.

If you can feel a true love in your heart for those who God has redeemed by the Blood of His Son, then you know there’s a part you can play in their lives. And you can play a part by sanctifying yourself for them. As Jesus said, “For them I sanctify myself.” By putting aside your vices—the way you think, the stuff you permit into your eyes and ears and thoughts—you can actually contribute to someone’s life on the other side of the world. You put sins aside because you LOVE them and you want the best for them. They are more important to you than your own selfish things. If you really love, you’re going to have an impact on other people’s lives. You’ll even have an impact on people you’ve never met because of that principle of sanctifying ourselves for others.

___________________________

Just reading through this teaching this morning and seeing more of what GOD has been showing me. This is what I want, I want to have a heart that loves HIM and by HIS strength loves others. I want to put others before myself and care about them and to demonstrate HIS love to those around me.


Just wanted to also say thank you to those who shared here with me on this topic.

God bless
maryjane

 2013/7/16 8:16Profile









 Re:

And a great lover of God is one who obeys Him. John 14:15

 2013/7/16 9:41





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