Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The Apostle Paul was willing to set the example by his abstinence from meat offered to idols. He willingly gives up his right to ensure that he will not stumble the weaker brother in Christ. A commendable spirit that he seeks to inculcate in the hearts of the believers at Corinth so that the brethren look out to strengthen and build up the faith of one another. A noteworthy lesson for the believers.
Jesus said that you do good to the least of your brethren, you are doing it unto Me (Matthew 25:40). Here, in our text, the believer may be going about his own life and may be oblivious that his words and actions can weaken the faith of a fellow believer. And the offence against such a one is as you have sinned against Christ. Christ will not be pleased when we so sin against the brethren.
A truly soul-searching question for the believer to realise that he has been bought by Christ, through His death, and he no longer live for himself but for a testimony to the people around him. He provides an influence through all that he does. And the fact that he goes to sit in the idol’s temple and eat food sacrificed to idols will not make him a better Christian. How edifying can that be? This is the question that the Apostle Paul is bringing to us.
Acts 14:1-20 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving …
Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians Knowing Your Privilege in Christ “The Progress of the Church” (Ephesians 2:11-22) 11 Wherefore remember, that ye beingin time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the …
The command to “take heed” is from the verb “to see”. In other words, “to see to it” or “”to perceive spiritually”. It speaks of the believer continually exercising care to not overstep his spiritual boundary that would cause a weaker believer to stumble in the faith.
Seven Fundamentals of Personal Finance (Part 2)
Principle 5: Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labour
Having acknowledged that God is the One who has enabled man to work (Deut. 8:18) and having returned the first fruits to the Lord, man should enjoy good in his labour (Ecclesiastes 2:24), it is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 3:13; 5:19). However, the fruit of our labour should not be wasted upon lustful desires as everything we do must be for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Whether one chooses to eat or to abstain from meat does not make him more spiritual or gain any special favour with God. However, when one’s choice of eating or not eating affects the faith of another, it matters in the sight of God. Thank God for showing His people the need to watch their actions when these seemingly personal choices affect the faith of others.
William MacDonald said illustrated well, “For instance, as far as God is concerned, it is not wrong for a believer to eat pork. It would have been wrong for a Jew to do so in the OT, but a Christian is at perfect liberty to partake of such food. However, a Jew converted to Christianity might still have scruples about this. He might feel that it is wrong to eat a roast pork dinner. He is what the Bible calls a weak brother. It means that he is not living in the full enjoyment of his Christian liberty. Actually, as long as he thinks that it is wrong to eat pork, he would sin if he went ahead and did it. That is what is meant by the expression their conscience, being weak, is defiled.”
There is but one God. The mathematical representation of our God is not 1+1+1. For 1+1+1=3, rather its 1x1x1=1. One God manifesting Himself in three Persons – God the Father is God, God the Son is God and God the Holy Spirit is God.
1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Mind-boggling yet most blessed truth that we receive by faith.