Jump Start #1831

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

The background to our verse today involves eating meats that were sacrificed to idols. It’s hard for us in this country to understand, relate or see what the big deal is with all of this. It was for those early Christians. It wasn’t the meat that was the issue, it was what all it represented. If you ate meat that had been sacrificed to an idol, are you condoning, endorsing and even approving of idol worship? This was a concern in the book of Romans. It is the basis of two different chapters in Corinthians.

In the context of our verse, Paul gives some specific guidelines about what to do and what not to do. The issue wasn’t digesting idol meat, but what all of this would do to one’s conscience. Would this kill your influence? Would this create guilt within your heart? Would you be ashamed if others knew about this? So many layers of issues and questions.

There are a few thoughts that come from this for us:

First, Paul dealt with the practical aspect of living our faith. He didn’t teach theories and ideas, but how to live faithfully every day. Simple things, such as how to buy your meat or what to ask or not ask when eating at someone’s home, are what we find here. This is a lesson for us preachers. We can be so generic that people do not see any practical value of what we are saying. They need to be shown how to live every day. How easy it would be to assume that these Corinthians were adults, they don’t need to be told. The Holy Spirit felt otherwise. Nor, did the Spirit conclude, they have faith, they will figure it out. Our issues are not eating meats, but modesty, social drinking, honesty, ethics, being a servant. Make it plain and simple, preacher. Years ago, preachers were referred to as “sky pilots.” I was called that in my early days of preaching. I have no idea why or where that came from. But on this point, we need to come out of the clouds and make God’s word useful, practical, and livable.

Second, so often, we ask the wrong question. What we ask is, “What’s wrong with this?” We assume that someone has to prove that it is wrong before we will stop doing what we are doing. Show me that it’s a sin. Or, more bluntly, “Will I go to Hell, if I do this?” Our verse today says “do all to the glory of God.” What we ought to ask instead is, “What’s right with it?” Or, “Will I go to Heaven if I do this?” There are some things that may not be “wrong,” but there certainly isn’t much “right” about them either. Do all to the glory of God. Glory carries the idea of honor or praise. Do what God would want. Do what shines goodness upon God. Doing all to the glory of God is not the same thing as, “I like to do it,” or, “It makes me happy.” Self is not in the equation here. It’s about God. Asking, “Is it right,” carries the idea of thinking about God. Goodness, not shame and guilt, are found in glorifying God. What this meant for the Corinthians was eating meats was not a matter of preference but something to consider in relationship with God. Glorify God was the heart of the matter.

If we asked that more often, it would help us with our walk with the Lord.

• A marriage grows sour. Neither person in the marriage are happy anymore. They act like roommates in a college dorm, who tolerate each other but can’t wait for the semester to end so they can get away from each other. The thoughts that dance through their minds and the words that they are told by co-workers is that you need to be happy. Staying married isn’t accomplishing that. Divorce—that fills the mind. Instead of working on the marriage, now the thoughts turn to working out the details of being alone. Find a new place. Split the furniture. More and more this sounds good. More and more there is an eagerness for this. Never once, in all of this, does the thought, will our divorce glorify God? Will it honor Him? Will He be proud of what we are doing? Those thoughts never enter the picture. It’s all about self. What will this do to the church? What will this do to our influence? Where is God in all of this? Are we asking the right questions?

• A person is discouraged with how things are going down at the church. He is tired of the type of preaching that is done. He doesn’t like the class topics that are taught. His spirit becomes stale and sour. He begins to see problems and faults everywhere. He picks at petty things. The members get on his nerve. He starts pulling away—from people and from attending. He finds some radical websites that appeal to his sour mood. He feeds on wrong information. He gets excited about doing things differently. Soon, he’s reaching out to others that he feels are like him. They make plans to leave and start their own church. It will be different. It will not have any old traditionalists among them. Young rebels. Young, free-thinkers. Those who are not afraid to push the outer limits and even pass through those outer limits. Why, not? And so, they meet one Sunday in one of their homes. It’s exciting. No elders. No one fussing about the rules. Doing things that they were never allowed to do before. Word catches on. Others join them. And, in all of this, no one thinks about doing all for the glory of God. Their thoughts are religious freedom. Breaking away. Doing what we always wanted. Just like the divorce story above, self dominates their actions. It’s not about pleasing God. It’s not about doing what God wants. It’s not about unity, being one mind and one heart as God desires. Is God glorified by division? Is God honored by those who want to ignore His teaching? Are the right questions being asked?

The Corinthian meat eating issue wouldn’t be pretty today. There would be some who would shout, “You can’t tell me what to eat.” Paul did. Others would say, “I have a right to eat anything that I feel like.” Paul didn’t agree with that. Some would even be so bold as to proclaim, “If you don’t like it, you can just go somewhere else.” No God in any of that. No glorifying. No honor. Nothing but selfishness.

Do all to the glory of God puts God at the forefront of our decisions. Will God like this? Will God be honored? Will God be made to look good before others?

Paul ended the eighth chapter of Corinthians by declaring that if eating meats caused another to stumble, he would never eat meat again. Could you do that? Would you do that, for someone else? Or, would you say, “It’s their problem, not mine.” Paul had God in his eyes. How could he glorify God by walking on the feelings and the heart of another Christian?

God first. God always. Even before the things that I want. That spirit would certainly change things in many congregations today. It starts with each of us. Don’t wait for others. Glorify God. Do it now. Do it with your choices today.

Roger