Strong or Weak
“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.”
Today’s Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
This might be one of the most radical and practical illustrations of what it means to love one another in the church that there is. The most obvious touch point to our own context might be the consumption of alcohol.
The idea is that the “weak” person is wrestling between two ideas. One idea is that drinking and carousing and getting drunk is really no big deal (even though so much stupidity is manifested through it). Drinking is such a big part of our culture, that (figuratively speaking?) people set up these beautiful, shiny “altars” in their homes we call our alcohols cabinets.
The other idea is that drinking alcohol of any kind is a big no-no in the Christian life. In fact, drinking alcohol may disqualify people from leadership positions or serving at all in the church. In the seminary where I studied, I had to sign a document that included, among other things, a promise not to drink any alcohol while I was in the program—whether I was on seminary grounds or not.
The mature Christian position avoids both of these extremes. But the issue is not about alcohol, any more than it is about food sacrificed to idols. The issue is our consideration for the other person.
A mature Christian who drinks should put away their alcohol cabinet so that others cannot see it. Who knows, we might want to share the gospel with an alcoholic or an alcoholic going through recovery. With the alcohol on display, that is all they will see. They won’t see Christ.
Not only that, there may be children or teenagers, whose minds and hearts are still forming. In combination with the general cultural attitude about alcohol, they might be drawn to the party life rather than the holy life.
A mature Christian who chooses not to drink should act upon the knowledge that “food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (verse 8).
Obviously, alcohol abuse is a different matter, because it does lead to the destruction of health and relationships. But in terms of spiritual principles, those who do not drink should not condemn those who do.
We had a going away party for a brother from our church a long time ago, and there was beer served at the party. The pastor, his wife, and their son came to the party, and immediately the air got a little tense.
I was the praise leader at the time, and I was talking with another one of the leaders, when the pastor’s wife came and started chastising us quite harshly. She was holding onto one of the bottles of beer and tapping it on the counter to emphasize her displeasure. Of course, you can guess what happened. The bottle shattered and beer spilled all over the counter, along with shards of glass.
Talk about “buzz kill.” Needless to say, the party ended right then and there. The pastor, his wife, and their son left, and we were all just in shock from what had just happened. The going-away brother, though, was extremely bothered and angry at the pastor’s wife for her behavior.
Who was right? No one. Who was wrong? Everyone. What none of us were doing was considering the other.
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ZAMBIA UPDATE
We had such a wonderful time of ministry over the weekend. We had a seminar with about 30 single adults on Friday night. Carleton shared the three circles evangelism tool, and the young adults responded to it very well and were even able to replicate it quite well. Then we had some time of Q&A about faith and biblical relationships. They were so responsive and open. It was a blessed time.
On Saturday morning, we had a seminar with about 30 married couples from several Baptist churches. We introduced them to the Wisdom in Marriage Bible study written by David and Denise Glenn (Fatherwise and Motherwise). Again, we had such a wonderful time, and everyone was so engaged.
And of course, on Sunday, I shared God’s word at Twin Palm Baptist Church. But we had an unexpected blessing by going to the ordination ceremony of two pastors at Lusaka South Baptist Church. It took me off guard when the officiating pastor asked me to join the other pastor in praying over the candidates. God is working in Lusaka, for sure.
We are getting ready to return home. I miss my bed, and we miss you all. Our original flight on Tuesday from Lusaka to Dubai got cancelled so we have to wait to return on Wednesday, but that gives us one day in Dubai to sight see a little bit. May the Lord protect our travels. We will see you all soon.
Please pray for us every day: (1) for safety and health, (2) that the village pastors and wives would be able to model biblical marriage to their churches and spark revival in their churches, (3) that God would use us to help bring the gospel to the lost in Zambia, and (4) that God would use the Chromebooks being donated to grow disciples and advance the gospel in Zambia..
Love you all. Blessings
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Father, You are God, and we are Your children. Forgive us for thinking only of ourselves. Give me, and give us a more mature perspective about food and drink and everything else, so that we would be considerate of others, not ourselves. And may we not become proud for any sacrifice we make for the sake of others. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
