Today's passage: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
Helpful thoughts:
- We live in community. Everything we do has an impact on others. Everything we do is seen by God and is to be done for His glory.
- Other people's consciences do not redefine law (What is right or wrong). But in love, we are willing to sacrifice temporal pleasures (Like eating a specific kind of food) in the presence of another who has a weak or misinformed conscience.
- The fear of man causes us to refrain so that we won't be judged by people. Paul does not commend this!
- The fear of God and love of neighbor compels us to sacrifice for the sake of one another.
- When we think of the well-being of others over our own temporal pleasures, we are imitating Christ!
Questions to consider:
- How can your eating and drinking be to the glory of God? How might looking at everything you do in a day change your perspective and motives?
- In what way is this passage simply an application of the greatest commandments (Mark 12:28-31)? How can these commandments be applied to some of the hot-button issues of our day and culture?
- How did Jesus Christ put our well-being over his own temporary desires? What did He pray in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39)? How then does the gospel inform our love of others?