1 Corinthians 8:1-3 – How You Can Know What the Bible Doesn’t Say? – Bible study

1Corinthians 8:1-3 How Can You Know What the Bible Doesnt Say We are in a section that starts here but Paul will still be discussing in chapter 10. It concerns eating meats that have been offered to idols, or, in a word, idolatry. Some Christians at Corinth were eating meat that had been offered to false gods and the question arose, Is it right or wrong? Before we assume an answer, we need to understand both sides. 1. On the one side were those who were eating this meat. They had their reasons. They would say: a. It would be difficult to know which meat had been offered to idols. Since idols cant eat the meat offered to it, most of it was taken to the town market and sold for money to the public. Unless you knew where the meat came from, you were just at the market buying groceries. b. Since this meat didnt cost the idol priest anything and since it was going to ruin if not sold, it was probably sold cheaper than what the farmer sold his meat. Times are always tough and money is always scare. If a woman could find a better deal to feed her family, shouldnt she take it? c. And their biggest argument is, "The idol is nothing anyway! Who cares if lost people gave it to an idol that is real?" 2. On the other side are those who say you shouldnt eat this meat. They also had their reasons. They would say: a. Gods money was going to support idolatry. The whole point in the idol temple selling the meat is to convert unusable meat into useable cash. b. We have a testimony to guard. What if someone sees you supporting the work of idolatry? c. Spiritually, this meat has been given to the devil. This is the original deviled ham! A person eating this meat is exposing himself to Satanic power. Consider the following: I. The issue for us is not whether we can eat meats offered to idols. A. The issue for us is, "How can you know what the Bible doesnt say?" 1. Eating meats was a contemporary issue for that time. 2. Until Paul wrote this epistle, there was no Scripture dealing with it. 3. Since there are no Pauls around today, how can we know what to do when the Bible doesnt discuss it? 4. Thats our topic for today. 5. There will always be another issue that the Bible does not address directly. B. An important truth we need to get is that even when the Bible doesnt give us the direct answer to our question, it will give us the principals needed to find the answer. II. The biggest problem in resolving a controversial issue is not the issue. The biggest problem is having the right spirit to accept the resolution. A. Dealing with a difficult problem is not all that hard. Dealing with difficult people is. 1. The Bible has given us a hard and fast rule that will resolve most all of difficult situations. 1Cor 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 2. The hard and steadfast rule is that if you dont know what you should do, take the loss, make the sacrifice, deprive yourself of the pleasure, do without. a. Often I have heard people say, "Show me in the Bible that this is wrong and I wont do it." b. What we should be saying is, "Show me in the Bible this is right before I do it." c. However, that kind of spirit is a hard one to develop. B. \#1Cor 10:11-14\ What is the right kind of spirit? 1. \#10:11\ Be teachable. 1Cor 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. a. The word ADMONITION means it is something for our edification, our education. b. Paul was saying that the things which happened in the Bible are recorded so that we might benefit. (1) The best education is one someone else paid for. (2) Dont pay to learn what someone else can teach for free. c. This is why we preach so much from the historical accounts of Scripture. (1) There may not be Bible doctrine per se being taught there. (2) But we can learn from the examples given. (3) This is what makes the whole Bible important. (4) Truths and principals that given are both universal and timeless. d. However, to benefit from them, we must be TEACHABLE. (1) One of the things that makes working with teenagers difficult is that they often become UNteachable. (2) As a pastor, I will tell you teenagers arent the only ones who think they know so much that they cant be taught anything else. (3) WE adults (and I include myself in that number) are just as bad. 2. \#10:12\ Be humble. 2Cor 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. a. The problem with a little bit of knowledge is that it makes a person proud. b. I need to say something, but it wont sound right if you dont listen carefully. c. The older I get, the less sure I am about what I know. (1) Immediately, I need to say that I am no less certain of the Bible. It is inerrant, complete, and absolutely trustworthy. (2) What I become less certain of is how much I understand about the Bible. (I know that is a real confidence builder in the pastor.) (3) The reason is the more I study the Bible, the more I see God does exactly what He says, but He often does it in a way that we would never expect. (a) Moses though he knew how God would use him to deliver the Jews. (It was he not they who needed the help in understanding!) Acts 7:25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. (b) Religious leaders of Jesus day – They thought they were correct in rejecting Jesus! i. Jesus tried to get them to open up to the possibilities of a God bigger than their understanding, but they would not. ii. We need to stay humble. 3. \#10:12\ Be careful "lest he fall" a. God is real and the principals found in His Word work, but when you ignore or even misinterpret those principals you leave yourself wide open to the devil! b. That old saying, "What you dont know cant hurt you" is a lie! (1) After Hurricane Harvey, a fellow was wading through a flooded yard to rescue a dog on a porch. What he did not know was a live power line was on the ground under the water. He was electrocuted. (2) Christians in ignorance are allowing things into our lives that are destroying our homes, our relationship with God, and our effectiveness in this world. (3) Just because we dont know about it does not make the effects in less destructive. c. BE CAREFUL. (1) Be prayerful so that you can hear Gods warnings. (2) Be alert to that you can see the results of your actions. 4. \#10:13\ Trust God 1Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. a. This is a great anchor verse. (1) A verse that will help you at all times and in a variety of situations. (2) However, it is not just the obvious truth that we find in the verse that makes it such a great verse. (3) It is also the point Paul was making when he gave us the verse. WE CAN TRUST GOD. b. The point Paul is making is that YOU CAN TRUST GOD. (1) The first reason people stiffen up when dealing with controversial issues is because they are afraid they are going to lose something they really want. (2) People are screaming out, "Dont take away my leisure, my hobbies, my pleasures, my entertainment, my free time, my fun, my, my, my.) (3) In dealing with these kinds of issues you need to remember that you can trust God. (a) If God takes something away from you, it is for His glory. (b) But it is also for your good. (c) When God takes something away from you, He has something better to give you. 5. \#10:13\ Seek the way out 1Cor 10:13 but God will also make a way to escape" a. The second reason most people stiffen up when dealing with controversial issues is because they dont think they can do without it. (1) God always provides a way out or a way to bear it! (2) As long as the Book is true, God will provide you the ability to be victorious! (3) Humble yourself and seek it! b. I am not saying it is going to be easy. (1) Life is seldom easy. (2) I am saying there is a way. (3) Find it. 6. \#10:14\ Flee idolatrous situations 1Cor 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. a. You may have thought this was not related to Pauls discussion of eating meat offered to idols, but it was. b. In helping Christians deal with controversial issues, Paul laid out another of those hard and steadfast principals. (1) If it is associated with idolatry, idols, Satans kingdom, or the occult – FLEE FROM IT! (2) Some things are not nearly as complicated as we want to make out. (3) Deliberately eating meat that has been offered to idols? (a) Why would a Christian want to have any direct and deliberate contact with anything of the devils? (b) Satanic meat? (c) Satanic music? (d) Satanic art? (e) Satanic worship? (f) Satanic entertainment? c. Somewhere along the way, Americans have forgotten some basic principles. You probably will never have occasion to eat meat that has been offered to idols, but you will have a lot of other contemporary issues which fall into the same category. If you are going to find the correct course of action, you must first have the right kind of spirit.