Follow-up Versus
1 Corinthians 10:23-33
The Believer’s Freedom
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
~ 1 Corinthians 10:31
23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Pondering Point
Is the phrase "whatever you do" too broad for your application? Or maybe too simple? Rather than trying to do everything to the glory of God, maybe we can start by simply eating to God's glory – keeping Him in mind with what we eat, when we eat, how much we eat, with whom we eat – even where we eat? Try it – see if you can eat to God’s glory.
Prayer for the Day
As a simple but strong start to living to God’s glory in big and small ways, try to remember to thank God for all food you eat today— eat to His glory.
Micro-Group (MG) Moment:
Consider a life of apprenticeship to Jesus
as a case for participating in Micro-Groups
Our discipleship point today is drawn from The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, our book study over Lent. The Greek word often translated as “disciple” can also be translated as “apprentice.”
The whole point of apprenticeship is to model all of your life after Jesus... To experience what Jesus called “life... to the full.” What the New Testament writers call “salvation.” Keep in mind, the Greek word that we translate “salvation” is soteria; it's the same word we translate “healing.” When you're reading the New Testament and you read that somebody was “healed” by Jesus and then you read somebody else was “saved” by Jesus, you're reading the same Greek word. Salvation is healing. Even the etymology of our English word salvation comes from the Latin salve. As in, and ointment you put on a burn or a wound. This is what Jesus was all about – healing people, saving them, at a soul-deep level. How? Through apprenticeship to him. So everywhere Jesus went, he was constantly offering an invitation. Usually it sounded like this: Come, follow me. Or like this: Come, be my apprentice. That was Jesus’ go-to language for people to come and find healing in apprenticeship to him. And I love it.
~ J.M. Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, p. 77, 78
Prayer Prompt
[Insert your own prayer about today's devotion.]