1 Corinthians 10:23-30 (WEL) 23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify. 24 No one should be looking out for themselves but for others. 25 Whatever is sold in the meat market, eat without asking questions for the sake of conscience. 26 For the earth is the Lord’s and the abundance of it. Psalm 24:12 27 If any of those who do not believe invite you to a feast, and you want to go, eat whatever is set before you. Eat without asking questions for the sake of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered to idols.” Don’t eat for the sake of him who told you and for the sake of conscience, for the earth is the Lord’s and the abundance of it. 29 I say conscience, not of your own but of the other, for why is my liberty judged by another’s conscience?30 For if I am partaking with thankfulness, why am I harshly criticized for what I give thanks?
V23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify.
All things are lawful because the Mosaic Law has been superseded by the Law of Christ. See Hebrews 8:13, Romans 10:4, and 2 Corinthians 3:7-14.
Many foods were declared unclean in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:26 and Deuteronomy 14:6), which in the Law of Christ have been declared clean (Acts 10:15 and Romans 14:14).
Compare Galatians 5:13.
V24 No one should be looking out for themselves but for others.
Love is the motive. It is not our ways first. We must be thinking of others. We must be aware when we can be kind and help others (Philippians 2:3-4).
Nevertheless, do not let people take advantage of you (2 Peter 2:3). Jude 1:16 (EHV) “These are discontented grumblers, who walk according to their lusts, and their mouths speak boastful things as they flatter others to take advantage of them.”
The order of importance is God first, then spouse, then children, then local church family, then worldview church family, and finally nonbelievers.
V25 Whatever is sold in the meat market, eat without asking questions for the sake of conscience.
The meat market had meat dedicated and butchered in such a way as to honor idols. Buy and don’t ask. If someone tells you it is dedicated to a false god, then avoid it.
(Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible) “There were cases wherein Christians might eat what had been offered to idols, without sin. Such as when the flesh was sold in the market as common food, for the priest to whom it had been given. But a Christian must not merely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient, and to edify others. Christianity by no means forbids the common offices of kindness, or allows uncourteous behavior to any, however they may differ from us in religious sentiments or practices. But this is not to be understood of religious festivals, partaking in idolatrous worship. According to this advice of the apostle, Christians should take care not to use their liberty to the hurt of others, or to their own reproach. In eating and drinking, and in all we do, we should aim at the glory of God, at pleasing and honoring him.”
V26 For the earth is the Lord’s and the abundance of it. Psalm 24:1
God created everything, owns everything, and has delegated to humans to take care of it all according to His laws.
Genesis 2:15 (NKJV) Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
Compare Psalm 50:10, Psalm 89:11, Proverbs 27:18, and Acts 17:25.
This is stewardship. (Dictionary of Bible Themes) “The careful use, control, and management of the possessions of another that have been entrusted to one. The term is also used to refer to the responsible use of wealth and possessions by Christians.”
V27 If any of those who do not believe invite you to a feast, and you want to go, eat whatever is set before you. Eat without asking questions for the sake of conscience.
Warren W. Wiersbe: “Paul applied this truth to the impending question of meat offered to idols. He had already warned against a believer publicly participating in pagan feasts (1 Corinthians 8:9-13), so now he dealt with private meals. In 1 Corinthians 10:25-26, he instructed the believers to ask no questions about the meat purchased at the market for use in their own homes. After all, everything comes from God (he quoted Psalm 24:1) and all food is permissible to the believer (see Mark 7:14-23; Acts 10:9-16, Acts 10:28; 1 Timothy 4:3-5). The mature believer can enjoy in his own home even meat sacrificed to idols. Even if meat purchased at the regular market originally came from the temple (which was often the case), he would not be harmed.
“But what about those times when the believer is the guest in the home of an unbeliever? Paul handled that problem in 1 Corinthians 10:27-30. If the Christian feels disposed to go (Paul did not make this decision a matter of great import), he should eat whatever is set before him and ask no questions (see Luke 10:8; 1 Timothy 6:17). However, there may be present at the meal one of the weaker brothers or sisters who wants to avoid meat offered to idols, and who has done some investigating. If this weaker saint informs the stronger Christian that the meat indeed has been offered to idols, then the stronger saint must not eat it. If he did, he would cause the weaker believer to stumble and possibly to sin.”
V28 But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered to idols.” Don’t eat for the sake of him who told you and for the sake of conscience, for the earth is the Lord’s and the abundance of it.
Everything is God’s, but if we find out that this food has been dedicated to idols, don’t eat it. We wish to give a good testimony for our Lord Jesus to the saved and unsaved. If the unsaved person sees us eating at a false god’s religious feast, they will think we are hypocrites. If a weak believer sees us eat food dedicated to an idol, they may think it is wrong but will eat and violate their conscience.
V29 I say conscience, not of your own but of the other, for why is my liberty judged by another’s conscience?
The important conscience we should be concerned with is our fellow believers in Jesus Christ. The principle is that we should be careful in all we do to honor God and not flout our freedom. We must be aware of others. We must always do what is right and pleasing in God’s sight.
V30 For if I am partaking with thankfulness, why am I harshly criticized for what I give thanks?
I can do it, so why are others criticizing me?
(Robertson’s Word Pictures): “Paul carries on the supposed objective to his principle of love. Why incur the risk of being evil spoken of (blasphēmoumai) for the sake of maintaining one’s liberty? Is it worth it?”
We learn:
• The principle of concern for others, especially believers.
• Just because we have freedom does not mean we have the right to hurt others when using it.
Questions:
• Are you concerned with other believers’ spiritual health?
• Are you doing what you want without regard for others?