The Problem of Christian Freedom

GOLDEN TEXT: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” —I Corinthians 10:13

I CORINTHIANS 8

THE eating of meat which had been offered in sacrifice to idols was one of the issues in the church at Corinth—was it a sin to eat such meat, or was it not a sin? Paul wrote to them that it was not a sin unless by doing so it would cause a brother, who considered it to be a sin, to eat contrary to his conscience. Thus the brother would be injured, and it would be a sin for any brother in Christ to cause another thus to injure himself. So Paul’s final answer was, “If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” (vs. 13) Dr. Wilson in the Emphatic Diaglott translates this Greek word, “to offend,” “ensnares”; Dr. Strong, “to entrap”; the Revised Version, “to stumble.”

“We know that we all have knowledge,” Paul wrote, then added, “Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.” (vs. 1) This text is often misused in an attempt to prove that a knowledge of the plans and purposes of God is not important, in fact rather dangerous, but that “love” is the only really important consideration in the Christian’s life. However, Paul is not here writing about a general knowledge of the divine plan, but simply an understanding of the difference between the true and living God, and idols which were called gods.

Paul wrote, “To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge.” (vss. 6,7) It would seem from this that some of the “babes” in the Corinthian church still thought that in some way the gods represented by idols had some influence in the world, at least that the meat offered to them would thereby become defiled for Christians to eat.

Paul was at the conference of apostles at Jerusalem where the decision was taken to send instructions to the churches not to eat meat offered to idols. In fact Paul was one who was commissioned to take the “letters” to the brethren bearing this information. But Paul understood that this “burden,” as it was designated by the apostles at Jerusalem, was designed to help avoid misunderstandings between the Jewish and Gentile converts in the church. He knew it did not imply that meat offered to idols had thereby been defiled. It was in keeping with this understanding that, while he would not personally hesitate to eat such meat, he would not do so if it would cause injury to a brother in Christ.

In our Golden Text, the English word “trial” conveys more nearly the thought expressed by the apostle than does the, Common Version translation, “temptation.” All the trials experienced by Christians are those, as the apostle says, which are “common to man.” These include the sufferings due to the reign of sin and death; as well as persecution and misunderstandings.

Those in the world may be persecuted for different reasons than those which lead to the persecution of Christians. Some are persecuted because of their fanaticism; others because of their loyalty to an unpopular cause. However, the persecution itself is similar to that which comes upon those who are “persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”—Matt. 5:10

But the followers of Jesus are in a much happier position than those of the world, for the overruling providences of God serve as a canopy of protection for them, assuring relief from trials which would be too severe for them to endure. Besides, the Christian knows that his trials are accomplishing a glorious purpose in his life, that they are preparing him for “glory and honor and immortality.”—Rom. 2:7

In I Peter 1:7 the apostle speaks of the “trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire.” Here Peter uses the process by which gold was then refined by subjecting it to heat, as an illustration of the manner in which Christian faith and fidelity is tested. The refiner of gold knows just how much heat to apply, and when the refining process has been accomplished.

So it is with us as Christians. Our Heavenly Father is cognizant of every heartache we experience, of every pain, mental or physical, which we feel. And we have his promise that he will not permit the fires of trial to become too hot. If, perchance, he does not remove the trial when it increases to the point that would crush us, then he provides a way of escape.

This being true, we can go forward in the narrow way with rejoicing, knowing that we are in the hands of Him who is too wise to err, and too loving to be unkind. Ours is truly a favored lot.

QUESTIONS

Under what circumstances was it a sin for those in the Early Church to eat meat that was offered to idols?

How do we harmonize the decisions of the apostles at Jerusalem with respect to meat offered to idols, and Paul’s teaching in I Corinthians 8?

Explain the lesson set forth in the Golden Text.

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