God and gods
1 Cor 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
I believe it was Billy Graham who said, people don't care how much you know, they want to know how much you care.
Paul is talking of meat offered to idols, the pagan priests sold some of the meat in the market at a discounted price. Christians like bargains, but what of the rightness of this?
Next Paul speaks of knowledge and love. Knowledge puffeth up, love edifies or builds up. Paul speaks of the more excellent way of charity (love).
1 Cor 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1 Cor 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1 Cor 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Cor 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1 Cor 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1 Cor 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Being puffed up is a work of the natural man.
Col 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
1 Cor 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
1 Cor 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
Receiving God's love enables us to love others. We love God first and with a whole heart, and he knows those who love him.
1 Cor 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
We know an idol is nothing, but God is the one true God.
1 Ki 8:60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
1 Cor 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
There are many called gods, in heaven the angels have been called sons of god...
Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
On earth are the principalities and powers of satans kingdom, satan himself being called the god of this world.
2 Cor 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Satan the god of this world the devil. The fallen angels are demonic spirits that often give power to the idols of the world. Last night I met a lady who consults the Ouija board, a devilish game for knowledge. It had indicated that she has cancer. Listen, satans kingdom seeks to kill and destroy. Do not go to gods, mystics, witches and fortune tellers. They are powered by demonic spirits. The woman I spoke too was demon posessed, it talked to me of seeking to destroy her. I told her to receive Jesus for forgiveness and life. The demon signed her off, lest she hear and be saved.
Jesus is God the son who gives us new life and the Holy Spirit of God to indwell us. God has given us himself, His Son and his Holy Spirit. This is Elohim, the plural name of the one true God. Don't try to explain the three in one. The Bible shows us the three, and they are one.
1 Cor 8:6 But 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.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
There is one Holy Spirit in which we are sealed unto the day of our meeting with the Lord in eternity. God is spirit, Jesus is the risen Christ, our Lord Jesus is God and man in a glorified body. When we are with him we will be like him.
We know in part now, but the greatest thing in us and from us , who are in Christ Jesus, is love.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Weaker Brother
1 Cor 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
If when eating meat sacrificed to an idol you think it is receiving satan, then it will defile you. The meat is only meat, but if you think it is evil it is evil for you.
1 Cor 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
1 Cor 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
I think one of the most evil acts is to purposely defile a person in the mind. For example forcing a person who fears eating meat sacrificed to idols to eat the meat while accusing them. If we ourselves are not offended by the meat, we should eat it in private and not to offend another. We dont pour a shot of whiskey in front of a recovering alcoholic, even if it is harmless to us.
1 Cor 8:10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
1 Cor 8:11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
Suppose a priest becomes drunk in front of a church member at a wedding reception . The member may be seeking God to help him stay away from alcohol, this may cause him to stumble.
1 Cor 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
Sinning against a weak brother is sinning against Christ. Your bad example may cause another to fall.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
No one is perfect, we all fail at times , but we must be careful with a weaker brother.
1 Cor 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Sometimes we do not get a second chance. I recall my nephew who left his daughter's at a baby sitter. The woman had gone through a divorce and was constantly talking of suicide. One night my nephew placed a rifle against his head. The woman remarried and is happy. My nephew left two young daughters for my brother to raise. Be careul how you live and speak. There are others watching and listening.
Gary
1 Corinthians Chapters
1 Corinthians 9
1 Corinthians 7
1 Corinthians 1 Index