“Just because you can; doesn’t mean you should.”  I heard this from a legacy of believers in Jesus over my lifetime.  It wasn’t until I began facing more adult situations that demanded a response from me that I began to pause and consider the outcomes of my choices.  Would what I am about to say or do confuse a young believer who is watching my life?  Am I responsible for the lives of others as well as my own life with Jesus as I walk with Him? 

The more I study Paul’s letter to the churches who were struggling to pull away from the behaviors of the world while trying to growing in the ways of God, I’m beginning to understood even more.  Yes, Jesus sets us free from our sins and our former way of life that held us in bondage.  Yes, Jesus leads us to enjoying a life free from the entanglements of evil—the one who loves to wrap us up in again in his control so we will be a slave to sin once more.  Yes, it is true that Jesus leads us to Life everlasting.  It is also true that Evil leads us to death forever. 

Jesus gave His life for ours.  Evil gives us nothing but heartache, pain with certain and death. 

Who then shall we choose?  Do our choices matter to others?  Yes, they do.

1 Corinthians 8, The Message

^1-3 The question keeps coming up regarding meat that has been offered up to an idol: Should you attend meals where such meat is served, or not? We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions—but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all.

^4-6 Some people say, quite rightly, that idols have no actual existence, that there’s nothing to them, that there is no God other than our one God, that no matter how many of these so-called gods are named and worshiped they still don’t add up to anything but a tall story. They say—again, quite rightly—that there is only one God the Father, that everything comes from him, and that he wants us to live for him. Also, they say that there is only one Master—Jesus the Messiah—and that everything is for his sake, including us. Yes. It’s true.

⁷ In strict logic, then, nothing happened to the meat when it was offered up to an idol. It’s just like any other meat. I know that, and you know that. But knowing isn’t everything. If it becomes everything, some people end up as know-it-alls who treat others as know-nothings. Real knowledge isn’t that insensitive.

We need to be sensitive to the fact that we’re not all at the same level of understanding in this. Some of you have spent your entire lives eating “idol meat,” and are sure that there’s something bad in the meat that then becomes something bad inside of you. An imagination and conscience shaped under those conditions isn’t going to change overnight.

^8-9 But fortunately God doesn’t grade us on our diet. We’re neither commended when we clean our plate nor reprimanded when we just can’t stomach it. But God does care when you use your freedom carelessly in a way that leads a fellow believer still vulnerable to those old associations to be thrown off track.

¹⁰ For instance, say you flaunt your freedom by going to a banquet thrown in honor of idols, where the main course is meat sacrificed to idols. Isn’t there great danger if someone still struggling over this issue, someone who looks up to you as knowledgeable and mature, sees you go into that banquet? The danger is that he will become terribly confused—maybe even to the point of getting mixed up himself in what his conscience tells him is wrong.

^11-13 Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn’t you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him—because, as you say, it doesn’t really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn’t worth it at the cost of even one of these “weak ones.” So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there’s any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

To Paul, nothing was more important than spreading the gospel, so giving up his rights was a worthwhile sacrifice.  Paul will reiterate this truth later in his letter—

“Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law,^[a] I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.

When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, NLT

One of our top priorities should be enabling others to understand the gospel.  Our behavior should be guided by the example of Jesus who came to earth to seek and to save the lost. Only Jesus saves us.  But we are His beloved who point the Way to Jesus!  Though God has given us many blessings and rights, we should be willing to give them up if it would help someone to know Christ.  Read that again.  You can protect your reputation or protect His. You have a choice.

As Paul took his “cue” from God’s Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus, we can and should as well.  Jesus “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:7–8).

Max Lucado writes;

“Christ abandoned his reputation. No one in Nazareth saluted him as the Son of God. He did not stand out in his elementary-classroom photograph, demanded no glossy page in his high-school annual. Friends knew him as a woodworker, not a star hanger. His looks turned no heads; his position earned him no credit. In the great stoop we call Christmas, Jesus abandoned heavenly privileges and aproned earthly pains. ‘He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.’”  (Read all of Philippians 2)

As God used Paul, He also uses us who are fully committed to Him to deliver the gospel of peace through salvation in Jesus to the His beloved world who needs Him.  We needed Jesus when we found Him and He delivered us.  Why wouldn’t we want others to know Him and be filled with joy and peace while discovering a love that has no bounds?!

Our culture encourages us to stand up for ourselves and demand our rights, even at the expense of others. Yet Jesus and the New Testament writers repeatedly point to the joy we receive from humility and self-sacrifice. “Consider it pure joy when we suffer trials…” says James.  Our response to the world can bring people to Christ or push them away!  We have freedom, yes, but with this freedom is the responsibility to help others know Jesus and be set free, too!

Paul uses the example of idol meat—should we eat it or not.  Probably the most powerful words in this passage are; “When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ.”  Our response matters.  It matters to God.  It matters to all those who are watching our lives in hopes of seeing Christ in us.

Lord,

Give us your extreme, powerful, decision-making wisdom for all the situations we face on our journey here.  We realize now the hefty responsibility we have to help others know, believe, and follow you, too.  Lead and guide us all day long and into the night.  Help us avoid unwholesome talk, jealousy and envy that leads to judgement of others, sarcastic remarks and other responses and actions that might hurt someone else and hinder their walk with you.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies for today, and continually restore the joy and peace of you in us and us in you.  Oh Lord, lead us.  I trust you.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen