1 Corinthians 9:1-6 - Support Paul & Barnabas

1 Corinthians 9:1-6
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
4 Do we not have a right to eat and drink?
5 Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
6 Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?

Am I An Apostle?

V. 1 - “Am I not free?” - It appears that Paul is under attack. I don’t know the details. Interpreting the next few sentences give the impression there were people in the Corinthian church that objected to supporting Paul in his missionary work. His credentials are being questioned. He starts with his status as a “free man”.
Paul was a Roman citizen and a Jew. He asserts his natural Roman citizenship in Acts 22:-29 when he asks, “Is it okay for you to flog a Roman citizen who has not been found guilty?” (paraphrased.) Panic ensues! He was not the member of some conquered, subjugated country. His status was even higher than the Roman commander to whom he asked the question. That Roman soldier was ‘naturalized’ - he had purchased citizenship. Paul was Roman by birth. He has rights and privileges others do not.

On the other hand, Paul is free in Christ. No longer a slave to sin. Paul is reminding them of Christ’s teaching: “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (John 8:31-38).
The Jews were self-deluded - they were under Roman rule, not an autonomous nation. (Need proof: The Jews had to appeal to Pontius Pilate when trying Jesus Christ.) They were self-deluded - refusing to recognize that sin had control of their lives; they were not free from sin, nor the penalty of sin.

“Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?” - This is the next line defense - his apostleship. From Easton’s Bible Dictionary, an apostle “is, however, generally used as designating the body of disciples to whom he (Jesus) entrusted the organization of his church and the dissemination of his gospel, ‘the twelve,’ as they are called (Mat 10:1-5; Mar 3:14; 6:7; Luk 6:13; 9:1)… It was characteristic of the apostles and necessary (1) that they should have seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (Jhn 15:27; Act 1:21,22; 1Cr 9:1; Act 22:14,15). (2.) They must have been immediately called to that office by Christ (Luk 6:13; Gal 1:1).” Paul meets these criteria. He met Christ on the road to Damascus, and was taught by Jesus. (See Acts 9:1-19; Gal. 1:12)

“Are you not my work in the Lord?” - Next, Paul appeals to his personal involvement in their lives. He was called to be a missionary to the Gentiles. Many believers in Corinth (and elsewhere) were saved by their faith in Jesus Christ because Paul preached, witnessed to them and taught them. He was in Corinth for an extended period of time, not just an itinerant preacher. They are the living proof that Paul was called to spread the gospel.

V. 2 - “If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you” - He is saying, “Hey, you guys! I understand that other people may not think I am an apostle. But you you know better. You have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior - you heard it from me. You are living your life as a believer - as you learned from me.”

“you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord” - You are all the proof anyone needs. Important documents, legal documents may have a ‘seal’ - whether it is a inked stamp, or a wax seal, or an impression embossed into the page - which is verification that the document is official.

V. 3-6 - “My defense…” - IF all the other apostles - Peter, James, John (to name the famous ones) - are able to devote their time and effort to the gospel, THEN Paul and Barnabas should have the same privilege to be full-time servants of Christ.

“A right to eat and drink… to take along a believing wife… refrain from working?” - Early in the beginning of the church, it was decided that the apostles needed to be teaching and preaching the gospel. This was not just the twelve making a decision, but the congregation came to the apostles to urge them to devote themselves (the apostles) to study, teaching and preaching the Word of God. (See: Acts 4:31-35; 6:1-5) From that time on, the leaders of the church - preachers, teachers, evangelists - did not work at a secular job to support themselves or the groups of believers. (Note: It is believed that Paul worked as a tentmaker on one of his extended stays in his missionary journeys. See: Acts 20:34). After initial reticence to Paul (Can you blame them, after all he was rounding them up to be imprisoned or killed for their belief in Christ? See: Acts 7:58-8:3.), and after a council in Jerusalem in which Barnabas and Paul presented their case for reaching the Gentiles, it was decided that Paul was legitimately an apostle. Paul lived Peter’s admonition, “But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.Yet do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame.” (1 Pet. 3:15-16)

It may have been outsiders urging the church to reject Paul - hadn’t he persecuted believers; how do they know he isn’t setting them up for arrest, etc. It may have been jealousy of local believers, or others who didn’t want to support a preacher/teacher who wasn’t serving the local church.
I don’t know if Paul was married, but earlier in this letter he advises the unmarried to remain as he is. (See: 1 Cor. 7:6-8) He did not command them, but reminded them they would have more time for the ministry and church if they weren’t spending time on family matters. He did not denigrate Peter (Cephas) or others for being married.
That being said, if Peter as an apostle was supported by the church, then Paul and Barnabas were equally worthy of support.

***

1 Corinthians 9 - Introduction

Outline: Chap. 9
9:1-6 - Support Paul & Barnabas
9:7-11 - Soldiers & Oxen
9:12-18 - My Reward
9:19-23 - For Gospel’s Sake
9:24-27 - Discipline to Win
***

Up to this point, Paul has answered questions about:

•   Living harmoniously with other Christians (Ch. 6), 
•   Marriage (Ch. 7), 
•   Christian behavior and concern for other believers (Ch. 8). 

Next he turns to the validity of his ministry and financial support for him and Barnabas. It seems odd to me that he would need to defend himself to the Corinthian church. On the other hand, he had his own past to live down - starting with the stoning of Stephen and other acts of persecution. See Acts 7:57-8:3, in which the NASB reads “Paul began ravaging the church…” That is quite a reputation to live down. After the Lord accosted Paul on the road to Damascus and he gave himself and his life to Jesus, Paul witnessed for Jesus Christ with the same verve as when he was persecuting believers. Understandably, some Christians were skeptical. Perhaps they were thinking Paul was faking it in order to identify believers. Getting names and addresses of believers would be an easy way to round them up.

Add the confused Jewish leaders to the Christian skeptics. The man who had been vocal and committed to eliminating Christians was now behaving like one of them. They were confounded (Acts 9:22). He was so successful as an apologist, the Jews decided to kill Paul! (Acts 9:24) The church acted, sending Paul away from Jerusalem to Caesarea and Tarsus - which is about 600 miles north of Jerusalem. This is perhaps the actual beginning of Paul’s missionary work. The persecution of the church lessened - a little - since there seemed to be a short period of peaceful co-existence with the Jews. As the gospel spread throughout the region due to the dispersion of believers, more and more Gentiles heard the Gospel and believed. Barnabas goes to Tarsus to get Paul, bringing him back to Antioch, where believers are first called “Christians”. (Acts 11:26) Paul and Barnabas work and learn together in Antioch. They are commissioned to spread the Gospel “throughout the world”, and also go to Jerusalem to received the commission from the other apostles.

This is a head-snapping change in direction! What’s this all about? Paul, who had persecuted Jews when they converted to Christianity, was now taking the Gospel to Gentiles. Gentiles! This caused some consternation among the Jewish believers. Now Paul is asking for money and support for the church in Jerusalem. Reading through verse 18 of this chapter we can deduce that some people in the Corinthian church were objecting to sending money and supplies to support Paul. Most Biblical scholars think Paul wrote this letter during his stay in Ephesus, near the end of his second missionary journey. Two major churches were established on that journey - Corinth and Ephesus. This letter may have been written between two and four years after he left Corinth, and is perhaps the second letter written. (We do not have any copies of that letter, but it is referenced in this letter. I don't think 2 Corinthians is the second letter, but is the third and just the second letter preserved or saved. ).

1 Cor. 8:7-13 - Use Knowledge Wisely

1 Cor. 8:7-13 - Use Knowledge Wisely

7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
12 And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

So No One Can Boast

This is a continuation of the discussion about idols. Some believers, most probably Jewish Christians, were feeling smug because they did not worship idols or the gods represented by those idols. That smugness and arrogance was upsetting some of the Gentile believers. There is an additional problem with respect to the idols.

V. 7 - “Not all men have this knowledge” - The church is becoming ‘multi-cultural’, i.e., Gentiles and Jews are being saved. Some, or all, of the Gentiles will know of sacrifices made to idols and the pagan altars. Most of the religions in that time had idols, and the gods that inhabited the idols. And often the gods of these religions may have been powerful, but also limited in some way, not being omnipotent. Gentiles coming to faith in Christ may be newly introduced to the concept of Yahweh God who is above and beyond all others.

“some, being accustomed to the idol until now” - It seems that some people were eating food that had been offered to idols. Since Jews and Jewish Christians did not believe in the idols or the gods of the idols, they may have had no problem eating the food left from the sacrifice.

From a different point of view, the Jews were very aware that food that had been offered as a sacrifice (with a very few exceptions according to the Law) were never eaten by the Jews. Some was eaten by the Levites, some was eaten by the priests, but that is about it. (See: Exodus 34:15; Dt 27:7; 1 Sam 9:13 ) (See Note 1, below) Jews may have been leery, uncomfortable, eating food offered in a sacrifice.  
David Guzik (in his commentary on 1 Corinthians) indicates that pagan offerings or sacrifices were distributed in three possible ways - one portion burned on the altar, one portion given to the offerer to be eaten as a feast, and one portion given to the priest. The priests might sell the meat in a market place. Matthew Henry’s commentary says something similar.

“Eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.” - The question seems to be centered on whether eating food (meat, especially) that was originally offered to a pagan idol is okay to eat. Have they sinned against God if they eat the offered meat? Obviously, some of the Christians had no problem eating food formerly offered to an idol - after all, the idol meant nothing. However, others were bothered significantly, bothered to the point they felt defiled by the practice.

I think this may be like the question, “Should Christians drink beer?” There are believers who see no problem having a beer (as long as you don’t go to excess and drunkenness). There are believers that think any consumption of alcohol is leading to sin. Which one is correct? Well, it depends. Back to the dilemma presented to Paul: If you are not tempted sin, when eating meat sacrificed to idols, go ahead and eat. If your conscience will be ‘defiled’ by eating meat, don’t eat the sacrificed meat. That is, if eating sacrificial food will lure you away from living for Christ and into sin, stay away from it.

V. 8 - “But food will not commend us to God” - What you eat does not bring you to a closer relationship with the Lord.

“we are neither the worse... nor the better” - Being a vegan will not cleanse you of your sin. Only Christ’s death and resurrection can do that. Eating meat will not move you up the ‘approved’ list of God’s people. We have all fallen short and are in need of the cleansing blood of Christ.

V. 9 - “But take care that this liberty of yours” - However. What you do can have negative consequences for other believers. We now have moved from theoretical theology into living the Christian life, caring for and about others. Put other’s needs above your own. See the following: “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13) “... encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:25) “We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thes 5:14)

“a stumbling block to the weak” - Let nothing you do cause a fellow believer to be weakened spiritually and fall into sin. If drinking beer with a believer weakens his resolve - don’t do it. I am not sure it is ‘your fault’ if a Christian weakens and sins, it is his personal choice. He will bear the consequences of his sin, not you. But if your behavior, your activity, causes that believer to question his commitment to the Lord, and commit a sin, you have become a ‘stumbling block’. Don’t do it.

V. 10-13 - “For if someone sees you” - Paul sets up this hypothetical lesson.

“will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?” - So you ‘know better’ than others, and don’t have any problem eating meat or food that was dedicated to an idol or a god. On the other hand, another person isn’t so sure that eating such dedicated food is not a sin. Your actions encourage them to violate their own conscience to partake.

“For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined” - As a result the other person, led by your actions, has remorse and guilt because of the perceived sin of eating dedicated food. The joy of living for Christ has been sullied, dirtied.

“the brother for whose sake Christ died” - Jesus died for the other person’s sin, just as He died for yours. You are no better than any other.

“by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience” - The brethren were doing okay in their Christian life. Now, because they were tempted to sin (it may not have been a sin to you, but with their background and understanding...) their conscience tells them they have done wrong. You can say that it was their responsibility, not yours. Indeed, they had to make the final decision. But they did it against their own best judgment and now they believe they have sinned.

“you sin against Christ” - Your encouragement to eat dedicated meat was not an enlightenment for them. You were part of the temptation for them to sin. You have offended Christ Jesus our Lord because you didn’t care enough about your fellow Christian. That is your sin - not loving others as Christ has loved you!

“Therefore” - Paul’s conclusion to the object lesson:

“if food causes my brother to stumble” - Your actions do not follow these words in Hebrews, “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13) Or, “let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:24-25)

“I will never eat meat again” - More than saying, “Sorry ‘bout that.” I know there are some Christians who drink beer occasionally (myself included). I know there are some for whom drinking beer is anathema. If drinking beer while with them bothers them, I will refrain. I will not, to the best of my ability, live my life in a way that harms another’s faith in the Lord. This is a pretty low hurdle to clear! Live so as to not harm those who already believe in Jesus. An even more important life goal is to live so non-believers will want to know who Christ is and how He has changed your life. God loves us, and Jesus Christ is the only way we can know and understand that love.

*** Note 1: The Biblical law specifies which offerings were eaten and which were wholly consumed. Burnt offerings (olah) were wholly burned on the altar and not eaten (Leviticus 1:9 ESV). By contrast, grain offerings and peace (fellowship) offerings had parts burned but other portions were for the offerer and for the priests to eat—“it shall be eaten on the day of his offering” (Leviticus 2:3,10; 7:11–15 ESV). Some sin and guilt offerings gave the priest a portion to eat in the sanctuary in certain cases (Leviticus 7:6; Numbers 6:19–20 ESV). (From faith assistant AI on “Leading the Way” website.) ***
End of Chapter 

1 Corinthians - Chapter 8 Introduction

Introduction:

What does ‘liberty’ in Christ mean? Paul just finished a long discussion of the concept of Christian marriage. It seems that in the very next breath as he was dictating this letter, the subject changes.
As mentioned at the beginning of chapter seven, Paul is responding to questions being sent to him about how to live the Christian faith. Although Paul almost always started a missionary visit in a synagogue in the town he was visiting, we should remember that many of his ‘converts’ were not of Jewish background. Paul was called by God to spread the gospel to Gentiles. I suspect that most non-Jewish people, not living in Jerusalem or Judea, would ‘know’ some Jews, but know very little about the Jews or their faith, or their scripture.

It might be like it is today in America. Most people know there are churches in their towns, but unless they are regular attendees they only have a vague notion of Christian teachings and beliefs.

Even as we look back to chapter seven, it is quite possible the concept of marriage being a permanent bond because God wanted it that way may be ‘news’ to the Gentiles. Paul’s teaching about the permanence of marriage, through God, would be a major change in the way people think about marriage. Again, looking at the United States today, marriage is not the revered institution Paul is discussing in this letter. Sometimes is seems our leaders or entertainers change marriages like we change underwear. The marriages are thrown away like we throw our dirty clothes in the hamper.

Paul deals with ‘living the Christian life’ more in this letter than any of the others. He deals with more than canonical issues (how to run the church, elders, deacons, pastors, teachers). He is addressing how you live your life for Christ, because you will be unique in your community. You may be the only Christian there. Make sure people see Christ in the way you live, and see Him in such a way that they want to be His also!

1 Cor. 8:1-6 - Sacrifices to Idols

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;
3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

Now On to Other Matters

V. 1 - “Now...” - Change of subject. We’ve answered the question about marriage thoroughly. On to the next.

“concerning things sacrificed to idols” - This seems to be a huge change of subject. However, Paul is answering questions or responding to problems that have arisen in the Corinthian church. There are a couple of things to consider when reading this letter. Paul was called to witness and win Gentiles to Christ. Many of the Christians asking the questions grew up in cities, or city-states, that did not have a history or tradition based on the Jewish faith. The religions, whether from Greece, Rome, Egypt, Babylon, etc., had idols - statues or symbols of their gods.
The Jews were given very strict instructions regarding idols. (Lev 19:4, 26:1, 26:30; Deut 32:21; 2 Ki 23:24; 1 Chr 16:25; 2 Chr 15:8, 24:18) Not only were the Jews to worship no one but Yahweh, the Lord God, but they were to not have any idols representing the Lord.
We tend to think the pagans worshipped the idols. Michael Heiser, in his book “Unseen Realms”, says the idols were the ‘home’ for the gods here on earth - the people were worshipping the god who occupied the idol. In similar fashion, the Tabernacle with the Holy of Holies was where God resided when He came to visit the Jews on their travels. It was His ‘home-away-from-home.” The Jews had no idols they worshipped. The closest thing we might consider an ‘idol’ is the tabernacle or temple. There is where the offerings were presented, the bulls, goats, lambs, etc., were sacrificed.

Sacrificing to idols meant the worshipper was giving credence to the god the idol represented. They were buying into the rituals and religion of that particular god. It may start off simply or innocently (“I’m just being polite so I don't offend my neighbors”), but worship of another god will change the person, and begin to take away their dedication to the Lord. They will fall away completely, sooner or later.

Christians have no idols we worship, similar to the Jewish faith. The cross of Christ should never be an idol for us. We do not pray to the cross. We do not pray to the empty tomb. We pray to God the Father in heaven, to Christ the Lord in heaven (and in us), to the Holy Spirit given to us as a guarantee that Christ will return for us. We have no images or statues that we worship.
I understand there are believers who pray to persons or saints other than Jesus. These saints are former famous or revered believers in church history. I personally not comfortable praying to anyone other than God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We never see someone in the Bible praying to an angel, or to the spirit of Moses, David, or any of the prophets. I've heard it said that angels carry our prayer requests to the Lord. That makes no sense to me, since God hears all, knows all. Plus we have the Holy Spirit given to us as a gift to help us when we live and worship. We don't have to go out of our own head or heart to have access to the Lord our God, the Savior of the world.

“we all have knowledge” - If the believers in Corinth (or elsewhere) had been listening to the apostles and missionaries, they know that idols can do nothing for them.

“Knowledge makes arrogant” - It seems the problem is not just that some of the new Christians have idols in their homes - whether idols set up to represent Jesus or idols for the pagan religions - but some believers who “know better” are making life difficult for the others. Or perhaps some of the Christians are being ridiculed - some (or many) of the believers are Gentiles, and most likely had idols in their homes because of their former beliefs. It is possible that Jewish Christians were giving the others a bad time. On the other side, it is possible that Gentiles were mocking Jews because, how could the Jewish Christians know who to worship without an idol to focus on. 

Paul is saying we all know stuff, but that ‘knowledge’ is no good reason to feel proud. We are all on the same footing - we do not deserve salvation, it is a gift from God.

“but love edifies.” - Instead of shaming someone (for almost any reason) let the love of God flow through you to them. Let them know, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23)
And teach them, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8)
Plus, they need to know, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”(Titus 3:5)

V. 2 - “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know” - If you think that deriding a new believer because they do not have the same understanding as you, then you are missing a significant part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are operating on a “little knowledge”, which can be a dangerous thing. The idiom, “jumping to a conclusion” is focused on making a decision based on incomplete information. Sometimes this can be justified. If you see a deer lying along side of the road, broken, busted and dead, concluding the deer was struck by a car or truck is probably a correct assumption. But - if you assume a person in dumb or stupid because of their race, or if you assume a person is racist because the other person is white, or you will be killed because the other person is a police officer, or... Decisions made on faulty or incomplete information can be deadly.

I just read a devotional thought by Watchman Nee. "Here is the simple basis of all our fellowship with others. It is that they belong to the Lord and so do we... Instead of dwelling on the Lord we have in common, we turn to the negative ground of our differences sand stress what is right or wrong in them... The question is not whether he believes exactly what I believe, or has had the same experience as I have had. The sole question is: has God received him." (See note 2, below)

V. 3 - "but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him"- God knows who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God alone makes that call. God knows what is in the heart of every person. God knows if you are faking it - saying you believe, but living and acting based on your former beliefs. God knows if you are simply immature in your faith, and haven’t yet figured out how to leave your old beliefs behind. We are reminded, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.” (Heb. 4:13-16)

I am not saying that when we see a fellow Christian stumble or have difficulties in the faith, that we are to ignore it because it is their personal problem. Again, we are instructed, “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called ‘today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13);
“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2)
“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thes. 5:11)
“We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thes. 5:14)
“and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds.” (Heb. 10:24)

V. 4 - “we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world” - This is an interesting translation of this phrase. Other versions read, “an idol has no real existence” (ESV), or:
“An idol is nothing at all in the world” (NIV). It’s not that the idols people worship are images of gods do not exist (that is: gods, or spiritual beings who are not God, the Lord, Yahweh). Of course they exist. In comparison to the Lord, our God, idols and the gods they represent are inconsequential. Why can I say this?

“there is no God but one” - There is no other. See the following: “For this reason You are great, Lord GOD; for there is no one like You, and there is no God except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” (2 Sam. 7:22)
“See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can save anyone from My hand.” (Deut. 32:39)
“Hear, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!” (Deut. 6:4) (See Note 1, below)  
“Then he said, ‘Tomorrow.’ So he said, “May it be according to your word, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.” (Exo. 8:10)
“Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, Israel! The LORDis our God, the LORD is one.” (Mark 12:29)

The other gods are imposters, impersonators. They are created by the Creator - our God, Yahweh!

V. 5-6 - “For even if there are so-called gods... yet for us there is but one God, the Father” - We will not be drawn away to other gods. Compare this to Hos 11:2, in which reminds them that it was the Lord God who rescued them from Egypt, but still the people call out to the ineffectual false Gods.

“from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus” - No one says it better than Paul in one of his other letters. See: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Col. 1:15-20)

***

Note 1: This verse (Deut 6:4) is known as the Shema, a holy prayer of the Jews. It is repeated when they go to bed, and when they arise. Our pastor gave us a detailed explanation of the Shema in his sermon on 25Jan26.
Note 2: Watchman Nee; "A Table in the Wilderness"; CLC Publications; 2022.

1 Corinthians 7:39-40 - Widows and Re-Marriage

39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
40 But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

‘Til Death Do Us Part...

V. 39 - “A wife is bound as long as her husband lives” - This whole chapter is about marriage. If you get married and are a Christian, you are to stay married as long as the other partner lives. Again, looking back at the beginning of the chapter, remain married unless the non-believing partner insists. (See vs. 10, 11) You need to live in such a Christian manner that the non-believer does not want to leave, instead wants to know Christ for themselves. If at all possible win your mate to Christ.

“if her husband is dead, she is free” - The bond of marriage is broken by death. The widow can remarry. Paul urges her to consider carefully, and to be sure this is the way God wants you to go. Prayerfully take the matter to God, ask Him to show you what He wants for you.

V. 40 - “But in my opinion” - Paul thinks you should stay single. This is a repeat of his opinion given earlier in the chapter, and he is sticking to it.

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End of Chapter (2-20-2026)

1 Cor. 6:12-13 - All Things Lawful

12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.
13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.

We Do Not Commit More Sin in Order to Receive More Forgiveness

V. 12 - “All things are lawful for me” - Some people link this verse to the list in verses 9-10 above. I don’t think so. This phrase is used by Paul twice in this verse. Most commentators think this is from the Corinthians stating that now they are forgiven of all their sin, so anything they do is acceptable. They probably may have said this when they were upbraded for living licentiously. Paul refutes this saying twice - “not all things are profitable” and “I will not be mastered by anything”. 

How could adultery be ‘lawful’ as a Christian? How could any of these sinful practices by ‘lawful’? To be lawful would be behavior that is acceptable to the Lord and does not require forgiveness. I understand that Christians are forgiven their sin. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection took care of that.

Forgiveness is not license for licentiousness! We do not commit more sin in order to receive more forgiveness. Deliberately committing sin, especially those on the list above, must seriously throw doubts on your belief and faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. I cannot pass judgment on the efficacy of your faith in Christ. I do not know your relationship with Him. However, if you do not follow His teaching and commands, your commitment may be in question. This is between you and God.

“but not all things are profitable” - Just as a starting point, anything forbidden in the Ten Commandments would not be ‘lawful’, it is sin - therefore ‘not profitable’. Many of the things we do in life are not on a list of acceptable or unacceptable activities. But some may cause distress, anger, or harm to another person. Those are ‘not profitable’.

There is no list for these things. We must be led by the Holy Spirit to recognize when we are drifting away. I suspect we do not get a flash of light, a majestic being standing before us saying in stentorian tones, “Don’t do that!” (That may and could happen, but I am sure it is rare.)
God deals with our conscience, we feel ‘not right’ doing this. Accepting that leading, that nudge can sharpen our tuning to His leading. Likewise, rejecting the guidance of the Holy Spirt can de-tune our conscience. That makes it harder for us to repent of the sin, turn away from it, accept the forgiveness, and choose to go a different way when the situation crops up again.

“I will not be mastered by anything.” - Rejecting the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit is ‘not profitable’. The Holy Spirit has been promised and given to us so that we may follow Christ in our daily lives. We are not towed through life like a car attached to a wrecker, or a rail car attached to a freight train. Our daily life is not to be passive, but an active relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit - they do not force us to follow.

We may do wrong as we go through life. We do not need to be addicted to sin. We do not need to commit a sin again when the Lord has indicated it is ‘not profitable’. “Tell them, ‘As I live -- this is the declaration of the Lord GOD -- I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die...’ “ (Eze. 33:11) Do not be deceived. This way of Christ’s is not hard. He himself has said, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:30)

V. 13 - “God will do away with both of them” - We are physical beings. As long as we remain alive, we will need food to keep our bodies going. At some point, either when we die or when Christ returns, the body will no longer need food. (See: Note 1, below) How does this connect with the “lawful... profitable” discussion in verse 12? All food is available to me. But eating too much, gaining weight, etc., is not profitable. I am responsible to take care of my body. It is profitable for me to stay healthy.

“Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body” - Does this seem like a huge logical jump? We (humans) like to compartmentalize, trying to believe that two different activities in our lives are not connected. Paul has led us from the subject of Christians defrauding one another (see: 1 Cor. 6:1-8), to unrighteousness (vss. 6:9-11), to immorality (vss. 6:12-13).
These are not disparate subjects, but all part of one message: Christians are to live differently than non-Christians. God has saved you. You are His own. No longer should you allow yourself, spirit and body, to be used for immoral purposes - whether immoral interpersonal relationships (6:1-8), or immoral behaviors and activities (6:9-11), or personal immorality (6:12-13).

Why? Because you are the Lord’s; you are Jesus’ own people.

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Note 1: This brings up an interesting dilemma. Our spiritual bodies do not need food because God is eliminating the physical body. So, in the new earth and city (Rev. 20 & 21) there are trees along the river which flows from the city, and the trees bear fruit. I always assumed the fruit was for food. “Eating” is not mentioned much in the book Revelations, so why the fruit? It probably is important, and interesting.