14:13-18
13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.
15
The Matters of Freedom, Conscience and Love
1 Corinthians 13
1 Peter 2:16 - Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.
“Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ
died.”
Do we think
of sin as destructive?
For whom has Christ died?
16
“Do not let your good be slandered.”
“Do not let that which is for your good be slandered.”
Your freedom is good. Do not allow it to be slandered by misusing it and turning it into evil in the life of another.
17
The kingdom of God is not …
Eating and
drinking – liberty, freedom
But, …
Righteousness
Peace
Joy
All in the Holy Spirit.
18
Whoever serves Christ in this way …
Whoever is
a slave to Christ
We are
either slaves to sin or to Christ.
Slavery to
sin leads to …
Slavery to Christ leads to …
Acceptable/well-pleasing to God
Approved by people
Both of
these are tied to obeying Christ in the way of the Kingdom of God –
righteousness, peace, joy.
Romans 14:19-23
19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. 20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats. 21 It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. 22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith,[b] and everything that is not from faith is sin.
Reiterates much of what has already been said.
What do you make of – “everything that is not from faith is
sin”?
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