Day 228

Nehemiah 11:1–12:26; 1 Corinthians 10:14-33; Psalm 34:11-22; Proverbs 21:14-16

IN OUR READING from 1 Corinthians today, Paul answered a question about whether passive participation in a sinful activity was permitted. The specific issue was whether a person could eat meat sacrificed to a false idol. In Corinth, people worshiped Greek and Roman gods, and the meat from those sacrifices found their way into the meat market, making it virtually impossible for a believer to know whether they were eating sacrificed meat and thereby participating in idolatry.

Paul made it clear that the meat was not the issue, and they could eat in good conscience, but actively attempting to put one foot in the body of Christ and another in idol worship was something to completely avoid. In other words, the meat wasn’t the issue; the posture of the heart was.

But this raised other questions: What if a friend or associate who worshiped another god invited a believer to share a meal? That meat could have been sacrificed to an idol, and the household could be eating it in the idol’s honor. Wouldn’t this be participating in idolatry?

Paul answered like this: “If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. (But suppose someone tells you, ‘This meat was offered to an idol.’ Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you.)” (1 Corinthians 10:27-28).

In other words, if your host pays homage to your faith convictions and warns you about the food, then the right thing is to honor them by not eating.

Today, we rarely (if ever) consider whether our food supply has been part of a cultic ritual. But the underlying principle applies. We must be vigilantly aware of the effect of our lives on others and treat them with respect and honor —especially if they are giving respect and honor to our convictions.

To summarize this posture, Paul said, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:31-33).

We are following the path of Jesus if we adopt this posture as our own.

MEDITATION:

Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.