A problem Christians have as "the church": we assume God thinks like us instead of allowing God to teach us how to think. A significant New Testament emphasis: Christ's people "think" differently. The difference results from seeking God's mind. God's thinking dramatically changes human perspectives.
No, human thinking ever reaches the level of God's thoughts. That has never been the situation and never will be!
Isaiah 55:8,9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Christians will never reach the heights of God's thoughts. God commonly did [does] things in human history that exceeded [exceeds] human comprehension [forgiving Ninevah (Jonah); using Babylon to punish Israel (Habakkuk); Jesus' crucifixion; saving non-Jews without requiring conversion to Judaism (Colossians 1:24-29)]. Yet, the closer we come to God, the more influenced we are by God's thoughts. A common instruction: "renew your minds."
Romans 12:1,2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Ephesians 4:23, "that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,"
Most epistles focused on changing Christians' thoughts. God's thoughts changed the thinking of Christians. Through Christ a merciful God filled with grace saved them. This merciful God filled with grace taught all in Christ a new way to think.
Consider the way "the church" thinks. Are our thoughts the result of human logic and deductions [human concepts] or from God's revelations [divine concepts]? Before you answer, read 1 Corinthians 8. Note Paul's divinely inspired insights reflecting God's revelations.
The first emphasis (verses 1-3): regarding idolatrous sacrifices [a worship issue!], "the church" must function with motives based on divine love, not human knowledge. Human knowledge produces arrogance in Christians. God's love produces compassion in Christians. Knowledge is prideful. Love builds up. Knowledge often is destructive (without apology!). Love encourages.
The second emphasis (verses 4-6): knowledge understands there is only one God. Knowledge understands idols represent nothing. Therefore, knowledge understands a sacrifice to an idol has no spiritual significance. Knowledge understands a Christian can eat food offered to an idol and not honor a god competing with the one God. Knowledge correctly understands that food is spiritually insignificant.
The third emphasis (verses 7-9): the problem--some Christians lacked correct knowledge. To them, nonexistent gods "existed." Therefore, eating food offered to an idol honored an "existing" god who opposed the God who raised Jesus. When they saw Christians eating food offered to idols, they were encouraged to eat such food. Their uninformed consciences, "after-the-fact," felt guilt for honoring a god who rivaled the God who raised Jesus. They concluded they had diverted back to their former state--simultaneous worship of gods--more than one!
Knowledge correctly understood food was without spiritual significance. Yet, it was unconcerned about weak Christians. It was only concerned about being right. It acted quite selfishly [is that not the soul of arrogance?]. The only concern was "my liberty" without regard for the impact of "my correct knowledge" on weak Christians. Thus knowledge created stumbling blocks love would never create.
The fourth emphasis (verses 10-12): correct knowledge prompted a Christian to disregard the impact of his/her actions. A knowledgeable Christian went to an idol's temple and ate. A Christian with inadequate knowledge saw this act, thought this "strong Christian" honored another god, and rejected faith in Christ.
Thus correct knowledge disregarded God's enormous investment in weak Christians. Correct knowledge destroyed Christians for whom Christ died. By wounding weak Christians, the knowledgeable Christian sinned against Christ.
Paul's conclusion (verse 13): "I will not use my knowledge selfishly to cause my brother to fall away from Christ." Did Paul know there was one God? Yes! That idols did not represent existing gods? Yes! That sacrificial food did not spiritually affect a Christian? Yes! Was Paul correct in what he knew? Yes! With all he knew, if the acts of correct knowledge destroyed the ignorant's faith, would he follow knowledge or love? Love! Regardless of what he knew, he would not destroy God's investment!
[Caution: Paul did not discuss the weak's preferences controlling the strong. Paul discussed destroying Christians for whom Christ died. He did not discuss those who say, "Do it my way or I will go somewhere else." He discussed those who stopped being Christians because they misunderstood the deeds of knowledgeable Christians. He said the foundation of an act must be love for the weak for whom Christ died, not mere knowledge. The issue: regard for the less informed, not "who controls in matters of preference."]
Thought Questions:
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 12