“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each one of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Those were Paul’s words to the Philippians as recorded in Philippians 2:3-4. But in many ways, this is the message of the book of 1 Corinthians. If you read through the book as a whole, this is the predominant theme. In a sense, obeying this exhortation could solve most every problem they are facing, whether it is concerning how to handle the Lord’s Supper, how to use spiritual gifts, or how to solve the problem of growing division in the church. And yet there is possibly nothing else that goes more against human nature than esteeming others above oneself and focusing on another’s interests even above one’s own interests.

However, there is good news for us, here. It is this: if you are in Christ, then you have been made a new creation in Christ and are not enslaved to our sinful human nature, which longs to exalt oneself above all things. You are no longer slaves to sin. You do not have to succumb to the temptation to behave just like the world does. That is why Paul says to the Corinthian believers in 3:3-4, when they were dividing themselves against one another, “For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not being merely human?” Now yes, this is a rebuke, but there is a subtle message of hope for us, namely, we are not merely like the world, we have been changed. We have been born again. We have been given the ability to be obedient to God.

Therefore, as we have clearly seen from this book, the church can and should be different than the world. We should think differently, speak differently, and behave differently. And one of the key differences between the church and the world is that the church is to be made up of individuals who truly love one another. In fact, this reality is so distinct and precious in the church that Jesus can say, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Love amongst those in the body of Christ for one another is a distinguishing mark that we truly belong to Christ.

Thus, as we have been asking as we have looked through this book, “What is the church supposed to be like?” clearly, one answer we can add is that the church is to be loving. But what does that look like? Paul, answers that question (at least partially) in these three chapters which we will look at this morning. Therefore, this morning I want us to see a picture of how love should demonstrate itself among those who are the church and why it should be this way.

In order to reflect the standard for Christ’s church, we must be willing to sacrifice our own liberties so as to display love to our brothers and sisters in Christ (8:1-13)

As I mentioned, this is very much a central theme throughout this epistle. More than once, Paul encourages the Corinthians to exalt one another above themselves. Thus, in chapter 6, he encourages them to be willing to suffer wrong and to be defrauded rather than to go to court. And the situation is no difference in chapter 8.

Apparently the Corinthians were having a problem concerning meat sacrificed to idols. Some were saying that there was nothing wrong with eating such meat, others thought it was sin, and so Paul is now writing to them concerning their struggle.

Within this, he first establishes that to be loving is superior to having much knowledge. And this is typical of Paul in writing this letter. For often, he is going to agree with what one party says, but he is always concerned about building up the rest of the body as well. Thus, he paves the way for his comments as he states that there is nothing inherently wrong with meat sacrificed to idols. He writes in 8:4-6, “Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and that ‘there is no God but one.’ For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth – as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ – yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

Do you see what he is saying? In essence, he’s saying, “Look guys, we all know that there is only one true God. Therefore, there are not gods in the meat or gods who have tainted the meat. Therefore, the meat is not corrupt.” However, as we have seen is Paul’s style, lest one group says to the other, “See, you are so wrong …”, Paul interrupts them and shows them what should be their practice. He writes in verses 7-13, “However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in a temple of an idol, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

Therefore, Paul’s answer is that eating meat sacrificed to idols is a liberty he has, however, if it causes his brother to stumble, then he will do without it. But why would he do without it? His answer is that he values one for whom Christ died.

Now, simply to contrast much of our thought with Paul’s, we might think giving up our liberties is absurd because we are entitled to a good and nice life. Paul however sees the thought of not willing to sacrifice liberties for the sake of your brother as absurd. For why would we want to bring harm to the conscience of one that our Lord loved so much he gave his life that this brother might be saved. Rather, in order to reflect Christ, may we love each other in such a way that we would readily sacrifice our own pleasure if only to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Therefore, as we have mentioned in past weeks, love requires that you see something greater than yourself; you consider the church. You make decisions not simply thinking, “How will this affect me?” but “How will this affect the church?” You do not say, “This will be what is best for me” before proceeding but rather, “This will be what is best for the church” when you proceed.

A believer places his liberties below the good of the church. That is something the world does not do naturally, and therefore it is a crucial aspect of love, that which distinguishes the church from the world.

Along these same lines, Paul gives an example from his own life in chapter nine. Paul can never be accused of someone who commands something other than he practices (especially in light of 11:1). He tells them in 9:1-18 that he clearly has a right to be paid for his labor, and yet he lays down that right so that nothing he does might be a hindrance to the gospel.

And this brings us to a second aspect of how a believer is to demonstrate love.

We are to let nothing in our lives become a hindrance to the gospel (9:1-18)

At the end of speaking about his right to be paid for his labor, he writes, “Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ” (9:12).

In fact, he gives a list in verses 19-27 of things he is willing to do in order not to hinder the gospel. He serves all men. To the Jew he acts as a Jew and to the Greek as a Greek. To the weak, he becomes as the weak, and to those under the law as one under the law. Paul wants nothing in his life to stand in the way of the gospel. This is indeed love.

The imagery is reminiscent of war movies in which a soldier carries the nation’s flag. I’ve watched a number of war movies in which there is a similar scene. The men are running to fight when suddenly the man carrying the nation’s flag is shot. And it is not a surprise, for he is defenseless. He is running into battle not even armed with a weapon. He is simply holding the flag. Thus, his death is almost sure. However, though one might think that the flag lie there on the ground with no one being willing to pick it up, the soldiers race to get it, one winning out over the others for the right of carrying the nation’s flag high in battle. He then lifts the flag high over his head, completely exposing himself to oncoming fire, he is killed, and the pattern continues until the battle is over.

That is the imagery of Paul’s view of carrying the gospel. He counts this privilege more precious than any other liberty he has so that he would shed all liberties if only to carry the gospel in an honorable way. If only to give a clear path for the gospel to go out, he would not only surrender his rights, but he would sacrifice his life. He would rather die than to think he is in any way blocking the clear procession of the gospel (9:15). He is bound to it and prizes this as his greatest privilege (9:16-18).

That indeed is the imagery of an individual whose heart has been changed by Christ to reflect his love. He is willing not only to lay aside his liberties but to lay down his life for others to hear the gospel. Is this not what John is saying as he writes, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)?

And so the believer sets aside his rights to build up the church. He sets aside his right so as to be no obstacle for the gospel. But why? What is a compelling desire in his heart? Paul makes this clear in the next session, and we see it clearly.

The reason we must be willing to set aside our own liberties is because we value the salvation of Christ’s church and his glory reflected therein above our own pleasures on this earth (9:19-27)

Paul leaves us no doubt why he does all he can for the advancement of the gospel and the building up of the church. Listen to the reason as he makes it clear over and over, writing, “ … that I might win more of them … in order to win Jews … that I might win those under the law … that I might win those outside the law … that I might win the weak … that by all means I might save some” (9:19-23).

Paul’s goal is the salvation of all the ransomed church of God. He labors for it. He is focused, not as one simply going through life, but one with his eyes set on the prize. It is clear that if one tried to question Paul on this saying, “Brother, don’t you think this is a bit extreme? I mean, don’t you want to make sure you’re taking some time to enjoy things just for yourself?” Paul would answer, “Brother, why are we here? Is it not to glorify God through the building up of the church? Get focused!”

For that is clearly his focus. In fact, as he does focus on himself, it is simply to ensure that he too is an honoring vessel to the Father as part of his church (9:24-27). He is singularly focused, and such is what all of those who are the church must be if we are truly to reflect Christ and his love through our lives.

And yet this focus on endurance turns him back to a warning to the church in case they might be tempted to treat sin lightly.

Realize that the Lord takes sin seriously (10:1-22)

Paul begins chapter 10 showing all the blessings that God gave to the Israelites. They were all led through the wilderness by the cloud, they all passed through the sea on dry land, they all ate food from heaven and drink from heaven, and in fact, they were given water from a rock, which Paul says was Christ (which we will see in a second). Yet he then states in 10:5, “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”

But why bring this up? Paul tells them twice, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did” and “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”

The Corinthians in many ways were wanting to continue to hold on to their former lifestyle. They were engaging in and tolerating sexual immorality. They were continuing to be caught up in idolatry. In fact, apparently the Corinthians were still engaging in sacrifices to idols, so that Paul writes in 10:22, “You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”

And this was absurd, but it did parallel Israelite history. For Paul writes of the rock that the Israelites grew tired of as their source for water, “the Rock was Christ.” By this he was probably saying that just as that rock was their source for sustenance, so is Christ the source of our spiritual sustenance. And just as it was absurd that the Israelites groaned and complained about bread God was providing for them straight out of heaven and water that he was providing for them out of a rock, so it is absurd that those who have been freed by Christ from sin to live a life unto him might return to such sin and long for it.

But the parallel continues in showing that God did not tolerate the Israelites’ sin but destroyed them – 23,000 in one day. Thus, Paul writes, “We must not put Christ to the test” (10:9). God treats sin in a serious manner.

Therefore, we must fight sin at extreme costs. But we can have hope. Paul writes, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (10:13).

So, bringing this together, if today the Spirit is revealing ways in which you are upholding your liberties and causing your brothers to stumble, and you are thinking, “Well, it’s not really a big deal.” Paul warns us not to put Christ to the test. He laid down his life for the church, and he will not tolerate those claiming to be his children despising her. But he also exhorts us, reminding us that God will give you a means to be obedient to his command. He will strengthen you to love as he has commanded.

Therefore, in summary of the Christian love reflected in this chapter, Paul concludes with 10:23-11:1. And it is a simple reminder of what he has said and will serve as a summary and conclusion of what we have seen this morning. And so, what the is summary of these chapters?

Though, as believers, we have may liberties, we should not look to what we may do to please ourselves but what we may do to build up the church of Christ that it might be saved (10:23-11:1)

Paul ends bringing this to a very pointed application. In essence saying, “So here’s what you should do in the following situation: …”

He writes: “‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For "the earth belongs to the Lord, and the fullness thereof." If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if someone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience – I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by the conscience of someone else? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

Therefore, do not call liberties you know you have been given sin. And do everything you do to God’s glory – whether it is eating, drinking, or whatever. But one way you can do that so as to imitate Paul as he imitates Christ, and therein to reflect God’s glory to the church is by sacrificing your liberties so as to build up a brother who might be offended by it. It is to decide that I will lay down my privileges so as to express my concern for the souls of others, even as Christ laid down his life for the church.

Therefore, this morning, let us examine our lives to see if we match up with Scripture. Let us ask ourselves a few questions as we close this morning so that we might rightly judge ourselves here:

1) Do you ask yourself, “What is best for the church” when making decisions as to what you will do in circumstances of life?

As a pastor and one who is on a quest to see membership become meaningful in the church again, one of the most common responses Christians give for not attending church regularly and not being involved as a member of a local church is that they don’t really feel they need it. Now, first, that point in itself might be disputed, but even if that is given, one must see that that answer is completely wrongly focused and must ask in addition if he can fulfill the command to love his brother and build him up without seeing him. And that is just one example of how many – even in the church – have become utterly individual-focused in our thinking. So ask yourself this question.

2) Do you know of liberties in your life right now that cause brothers to stumble that you are unwilling to do without because you treasure your own pleasures more than you desire to behold your brother grow to maturity in Christ?

As I have examined many areas of my life here, my flesh has often responded, “I’m not going to give that up” for my brother. And yet my soul longs to imitate Paul in this manner even as he imitates Christ.

3) Do you have a heart that gossips about the practices of your brothers and sisters or holds them in disdain for their practices instead of speaking to them about those practices?

Let me give you an example of what I’m saying. If you are someone who says to others, “Can you believe so and so does that!?” without going and talking to the individual about it, or you hold so and so in contempt in your heart because of what you think are his evil actions without speaking to him about it, you are sinning.

So if you’re conjuring up people in your mind that you think parallels the Corinthians eating meat without concern for weaker brothers around them (and possibly are yourself that weaker brother), then you have an obligation to go to that brother.

It may be that he can show you a better understanding and you can be corrected in thinking his action is sin. It may also be that he is ignorant of the fact it is sin. It may even be that he knows it’s sin and needs confrontation. However, if you say nothing while holding him in contempt, or worse yet, say something to another about your brother without going to him, then you are sinning. And you are not placing your brother’s ability to be built up in the Lord above your own simple pleasures.

4) Is there anything in your life that is a hindrance to the gospel that you are allowing to remain?

If so, brothers, you must remove it. For you must count the souls of others as more precious than your optional pleasures and privileges.

Now, yes, these are simply a few areas in which we should examine and only a few questions. However, as we close, may you ask the Lord to examine your life, your heart and see if today might be an opportunity in which you might be more conformed to the character of Christ, a day in which your love for the church might be more reflective of his. May God grant us such grace. Amen.

ESTEEMING OTHERS ABOVE YOURSELF FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL

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