HOLD THE LINE

1. HOLDTHELINE A study in I Corinthians

2. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 The love of and from God compels us to give up our rights – even our freedoms we have in Christ – for the sake of loving others into maturity. HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

3. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

4. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one." For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"—yet for us there is one God, the HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

5. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

6. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knoweldge June 2, 2013 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

7. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knoweldge June 2, 2013 • Section 1: 8:1-3: Idol worship… • “All of us possess knowledge” (8:1) • Paul: This “knowledge” (worldly – based on pre-Christ experiences) puffs up. • Puffs up = phusioo = the primary sense of blowing; to inflate, that is, (figuratively) make proud (haughty): - puff up. HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

8. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knoweldge June 2, 2013 Col. 2:16,18: “Let no one make rules about what you eat or drink or about holy days or the New Moon Festival or the Sabbath… Do not allow yourselves to be condemned by anyone who claims to be superior because of special visions and who insists on false humility and the worship of angels. For no reason at all, such people are all puffed up by their human way of thinking.” (CEV) HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

9. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 • Section 1: 8:1-3: Idol worship… • 8:3 If you love God you are known by God… • “(For the Christian) There is no true and real knowledge which is not connected with love to God. This will prompt a man also to love his brethren… a man should not be guided in his contact with others by mere knowledge, however great that may be; but that a safer and better principle is love.”(Albert Barnes) HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

10. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 • Section 2, 8:4-7 • (8:7) However, not all possess this knowledge… (That loving God is the pre-requisite to maturity.) HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

11. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 Culturally relevant examples of idolatry today: “They’re Harmless.” “They’re Beneficial.” “They’re Kryptonite!” HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

12. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 • Where do you stand? • Harmless, Beneficial, or Kryptonite? • The mature person will answer: • “Harmless to those who LOVE God and are KNOWN by Him, but Kryptonite to the less mature brothers and sisters who believe them to be beneficial.” HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

13. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 • Section 3, 8:8-13 • A mature believer is a prayerful, selfless servant who loves God and puts others’ needs before his/her own. S/He is discerning of the enemy’s tricks, and is “prayed up” and dressed for spiritual battle when fighting for the souls of mankind. HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

14. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 • Eph. 4:11-16 • “God gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

15. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 Mature believers must TEACH the less mature. HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

16. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

17. 1 Cor. 8 Stumbling Over Knowledge June 2, 2013 • The Take-Away: • Am I growing in maturity? • Who’s watching me? • Do I teach why I do what I do? • Do I set stumbling blocks? • Am I too selfish to lay aside my freedoms if/when they fall because of my walk? HOLD THE LINE I Corinthians

18. HOLDTHELINE A study in I Corinthians