Law and Grace - Learn from the Law - Part 2
Vern Peterman · Nov 25, 2012
Law & Grace, No. 90
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926335373155

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Good morning. We've actually, as of this month, been going through the Law and Grace series for two years. And believe it or not, we're still going to continue on for a few more months. But we're here in the last half of 1 Corinthians chapter 10. as Brad read for us here.

Last Sunday, we saw that the Apostle Paul, as he wrote 1 Corinthians, drew from principles from Israel's past. And we use that word principles. Principles are either a fundamental truth or the way things work, sometimes both of those are true at the same time. In this case, it's fundamental truths from Israel's past that apply to us in the church. those who are believers in Christ from Acts 2 to the rapture, that is the time when the Lord comes for those in the body of Christ to take them to be with himself, including every single believer here. As the Apostle Paul continues, we're going to see that he draws from the law in order to draw principles that apply to us in the church.

He will address our daily living among the Jews, the pagan Gentiles, and us in the church So that, to the end that, God is glorified. Now, he's got a warning here. Verses 1-13, we saw that believers were warned not to be led by their feelings and cravings and desires, which is and leads to idolatry and other spiritual and moral errors.

That's stated in 1 Corinthians 10.6 to be explicit.

So, should our feelings call the shots? If we feel really ticked off, is that what we need to express? Or if we feel blessed, does that prove that it's a God thing? Or if I'm mad at God right now, so I'm going to. Our emotions do not call the shots. Our emotions are not automatically spiritual.

Biblical faith, as we pointed out last week, is founded in facts, the spiritual facts, which are revealed in God's Word. That's how we measure everything. We put our faith and trust, not in some blind leap of faith, but in the spiritual facts that God has revealed. Feelings are built on top of it and judged by God's Word.

Feelings do not call the shots. They're not automatically spiritual. The sin nature likes this approach. Let's put faith in our feelings. That's the way the sin nature likes to operate. So Paul warns against that. By leading with feelings instead of faith in the facts, believers can be spiritually confused. Go on a spiritual roller coaster ride. What is God doing? We will, if we operate by feelings, ask God to do things He has already done, or ask God to do things we should never ask Him to do. We need, first of all, to understand what does God's Word say?

People will have all sorts of feelings. Feelings that lead to conflicts. Feelings that lead to church splits. Feelings that may lead to affection for a time, or feelings that will tear relationships apart. Feelings can go all over the place, can't they? We don't found our walk, our spiritual life, our fellowship on feelings.

In verses 14 through 33, the passage that Brad just read for us, Paul is going to appeal to believers in Corinth to use the mind of Christ to judge matters according to biblical principles. Now he's going to do that, as we'll soon see, with a lot of questions. We walk by faith in the revealed spiritual facts. That's how our life gets lived out, not by how do we feel right now.

Now, one of the things that he spells out here, Christians have struggled with and have also been divided by matters in which they've not understood very clearly the basic principles, fundamental truths, about freedom, about absolutes, and what's beneficial. I read a survey recently of church youth groups. Less than 10% of those surveyed in church youth groups believe in absolute truth.

It's all relative. It's all independently and personally and subjectively determined. However, Paul's wanting to get clear before all of them that he's writing to in this passage from 8.1 through 11.1, he is telling them that they are free, they have liberty in Christ, but they are constrained by what is absolute and what is beneficial to others. We are free to do all sorts of things as Christians, but there is absolute truth, there are absolutes, and we may, even though we have freedom to do all kinds of things, we may constrain ourselves from that freedom for the sake of someone who is an unbeliever, or a believer.

Grace may in fact require things that the law never dreamed of. Other principles, other fundamental truths apply. Alright, now, one of the things he makes clear in 1014, Beloved, sometimes we really need fleas. F-L-E-E-S. What do I mean by that? Not this. What do we mean? Beloved, sometimes we really need fleas, and that is there are times in our lives when we need to flee moral and spiritual dangers. Get out of there. Get out of there.

1 Corinthians 6.18, Paul told the believers to flee immorality. Run from it. It's a real hazard in their time and it's a hazard in our own time. Flee immorality. Not just saunter away. Not, you know, hey, I think I better hang out somewhere else. No. Run from it. Paul starts off this passage by telling them to flee idolatry. He told Timothy to flee similar fleshly and worldly influences.

Twice. First Timothy, he wrote about it. Second Timothy, he wrote about it. It must have been an ongoing issue. Flee. There's a time when it's right for a Christian to run. Time when it's right for a Christian to run. Flee. He told them twice here in this book. He wrote twice to Timothy. The same thing.

Those Corinthians must have been really questionable because he asked them lots of questions. His approach to them is a series of questions. In these verses, Paul asks them many questions, one after another, after another, after another. It's not that he doesn't know the answer to the questions. It's not that he's trying to get answers from them. He wants them to think through some things. It is an invitation for them to do some thinking. That's what it's about. He wants their thoughts to follow his own. That's why he's asking the questions.

There are places in the Bible where you will see if and then, especially in the writings of Paul, and frequently that is in order to invite the reader to think along with the Apostle Paul or other author. And this is a similar kind of thing. He asks questions in order that you'd think along the same thoughts as he's having. So here's 1 Corinthians 10, 16 through 22.

He's got all these questions he's asking. Question marks at the end there. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Etc. He asks questions not because he wants them to be led by their feelings, but because he wants them to think. Think, not be led by the feelings. He wants them to judge with the mind of Christ. Earlier in this very same book, he has told them, we have the mind of Christ.

In our position in Christ, we have the mind of Christ. That's a spiritual accomplishment. We have the mind of Christ. In the class where they've been studying Philippians, they've noted that all through that, this mindedness is a key theme in every chapter in the book of Philippians. This mindedness comes from the mind of Christ. It's a part of our position in Christ. He wants them to think through things with the mind of Christ, not simply go on, what's my latest feeling?

In the end, Paul wants them all to see that the Lord's table and Israel's eating from their sacrifices, so he actually does both of those. He wants them to learn from the law, learn from what the sacrifices are, and even the pagans eating with a sacrifice of their idols is a sharing and a fellowship. We all do it, therefore it's a sharing and a fellowship. We will have the Lord's Table here in a couple of weeks, and what are we doing? We're having a sharing and a fellowship in what Christ has done for all of us. Each one of us individually will share in what Christ has done for the entire group, each individual one. There's some absolutes here. that come out. 1st Corinthians 10, 20, and 21.

No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. They do not want you to become sharers, excuse me, I do not want you to become sharers and demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

What's the problem here? There were Corinthians that didn't understand because they had been going to these pagan temples. And what some of them were doing was going to these pagan temples and coming to the church gatherings and taking from the Lord's table, and they didn't see the difference between the two. And he's trying to get them to understand, look, what you're doing there in these pagan temples and what you're doing here, those two don't mix. You can't just do some of one and some of the other. It's not a mix and match kind of thing.

Deuteronomy 32.17 and Psalm 106.37 also say that demons are behind the pagan idols. So this isn't something that Paul's just now revealed. It's something that in the Old Testament was revealed. Demons are behind those idols. Demons are behind the idols. Is that just a piece of stone? Yes. Or a piece of glass, or wood, or metal, or whatever it is. Yes, that's what it is. But behind that is a demonic being. What's a demonic being? A fallen angel. One who has stepped away from the authority of the Lord.

We can't get away from unbelievers or out of this present world until God calls that time. The Lord will take us home when He's ready. We can decide not to share in what we shouldn't. Not to share in what we should not. Paul's trying to get them to understand, I can't partake in this. We may not have quite the same instance. I did talk to one fellow one time who actually had some cake that had been offered to idols. He only found out about that afterwards. But we oftentimes will run into circumstances where we say, you know, I really can't share in this. I can't share in this. Is it a matter of legalism? No. It's a matter of there's a spiritual reality I can't take part in. Absolutes come from who we are absolutely in Christ. Are you in Christ? Absolutely. Is Christ in you? Absolutely. Absolutes come from who we are in Christ.

One could begin to just make lists of, well, we do this and we don't do that. That's not Paul's point. Many have tried to do that, try to be real moral by coming up with lists of things you do and don't do. And that's a toxic trap. It's corrupt legalism. That's not Paul's point. He's saying, what's the spiritual reality behind this? That's how we make decisions about what we're going to stay away from and share it. What's the spiritual reality? Here's the list of things to do and not do.

The absolutes really have to do with who we are in Christ. The point is, who are you? Who has God made you to be? He has made you absolutely to be in Christ. That's not something that has some kind of percentage deal. You are absolutely, totally, completely, and forever in Christ. Christ is in you absolutely, totally, and completely. Irreversibly. Not in some percentage deal. Not in degrees. There's no grayscale here.

It's because of who you absolutely are in Christ and Christ in you that there are absolutes to deal with here. We have been made to be in Christ in his crucifixion, in his burial, in his resurrection, ascension, and seeding. And that is true of you if you're a believer here today. It's not true of the unbeliever. And there are no degrees of this. the person who has been a believer and walking with the Lord for decades, and the person who just believed moments ago, both have this identical position in Christ.

When scripture presents absolutes of action, the basis of those absolutes is not because I've got the right list, but it's about the truth of who we are in Christ. Who we are in Christ is absolute. It is all of grace, not mixtures of law and grace, and it's not from any principle of law. Again, a principle is the way things work and a fundamental truth, sometimes both. We're not operating under law. We're not making lists operating under law. It's a matter of recognizing who we are in Christ and who Christ is in us. Absolutely.

Now Paul presents A principle twice in 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 6, 12, he presented it personally. He wrote it this way. All things are lawful for me, so he pointed to himself, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. So there's the principle personalized. Principle being a fundamental truth, right? 10.23, here in this passage, what does he do? He takes the same principle and generalizes it, brings it up again. All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

I've actually, in my own life, just even in this last week, learned to see that this principle needs to be applied. that in fact there are lots of things, as a Christian I'm free to do a whole bunch of different things, but I may need to restrain myself and constrain myself from certain things, not because it has any matter of law, but simply because I have to ask what's spiritually profitable? What things will build up others? What's profitable for me? What's profitable for others? 6.12 here ends with the issue being Christ as Lord. 10.23 is the issue of being who gets built up, whether one gets built up.

Now, here's about our social interactions with others who are unbelievers. I'm sure a number of you encounter unbelievers a lot, right? You may encounter them daily, maybe even in your own household situation, places where you work, family members. We all have some contact, sometimes lots of contact, with unbelievers. So he gives some insight and understanding of how we deal with unbelievers here.

Paul here has written, in order to make it clear, participating in the pagan sacrifice is a kind of sharing that believers can't take part of. Social gatherings with unbelievers are an opportunity. We can't share in things that are contrary to who we are and who Christ is in us. But our interactions with unbelievers are a spiritual opportunity in their lives. See the distinction? I may say, I can't participate in this, that's not consistent with who I am in Christ and who Christ is in us.

On the other hand, it doesn't mean I never have anything to do with unbelievers. I may in fact be presented with an opportunity with an unbeliever, an opportunity for ministry to them, to have them come to know the Lord. In these gatherings with unbelievers, that I'm sure all of us encounter here, We ought to consider what will or will not be a hindrance to their reception of the gospel, and let that consideration govern our actions. I may be perfectly free to do something, but I may decide, no, for the sake of their benefit, I'm going to decide not to do it, or the other way around. My actions are not based on, here's my list of rules. My actions are based on how can I, as the Lord's agent, minister to them. And I will act based on that.

So here are some pivotal principles that go into 1 Corinthians 11.1. Whether then you eat or drink whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. So there's a spiritual principle.

Does it give you a list of things to do? No. Does it give you a list of things not to do? No. What's the motivation for everything I do and don't do? Is God glorified? Is God glorified? This isn't a law book. This isn't a list of rules. This isn't, boy, I better get this done or I better not do that. This asks the question underneath it, is God glorified?

Just a good principle to work with. In all that we do here on planet Earth, it's quite possible to get focused on what we do and what is happening here. It's quite possible for us to simply look at I'm responding to the situation right in front of me and not to see what the spiritual realities are or the spiritual consequences.

Since we're going to spend eternity glorifying God, let's get started. Okay? Let's get started. That's what eternity is going to be about. We're going to be glorifying God. But we don't wait until we get there to glorify Him. Let's get started now. What glorifies God here? The guiding principle, does it glorify God? It's not a list. It's not, here's the things to do. It's not, here's the things not to do. It asks the spiritual reality, is God glorified in this?

The next thing, give no offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks or the Church of God. So the next principle he lays out there. Now, give no offense, you might see some sports teams that don't do that. Well, that's actually offense. But anyway, give no offense. What's he talking about here?

It needs to be clearly understood. If we don't understand this clearly, we'll be just backing off from everything. It's not a matter of folding to everyone all the time so that you never ruffle any feathers any time ever. Christians are not called to be super wimpy all the time. That's not Paul's point. And Paul wasn't super wimpy all the time. In fact, he offended a number of people, and they got very upset with him. It's not a call to be wimpy. What is it? It's not a call to just put up the white flag all the time. Christians are not told to just give up, back off, and never do anything.

There are times when we must do and say things that are offensive to some people just to live biblically. Sometimes it's called for. Paul wrote to the Philippians, and I refer to this great book of Philippians again, beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision. I think that the guys who are being called dogs, evil workers, and false circumcision would probably be offended by that, right? In matters that aren't critical, and that's the key, in matters that aren't critical, we should not stand in the way of another's path to Christ. If it's no big spiritual moral issue, make a decision that won't get in the way.

The other thing that comes out of this verse is there are three people groups. In this verse, we see listed the three people groups who are primary before the Lord in time and eternity. In fact, these three people groups are identified in the last chapters of the book of Revelation in the New Heaven to New Earth. And those groups are the Gentiles, which we see first presented early in the book of Genesis. We see Israel that first begins with Abraham, and then Isaac, and then Jacob. And thirdly, we see the church only presented in the New Testament at the end of the Gospels and on into the rest of the New Testament. Those three groups are identified here in this verse.

Don't give offense to any of them. For those of Israel need to be saved. Don't give offense to those of Israel. Those of the Gentiles Need to be saved too. Don't give offense to them. Those in the church are all those of the saved. Don't cause them to stumble either. The Greeks were the Gentiles of the day. The Roman Empire in the eastern part, where Paul was, was dominated by those who were of Greek cultural background. So we use that as an equivalent to Gentiles.

The Church of God, that includes us here at Holly Hills. That includes us here at Holly Hills. God has a plan and a place for all three groups on into eternity, into eternity future. Last couple chapters in Revelation will point that out. The Holly Hills website. The very last item there has materials. If you click on that, we even have a write-up on that. Three groups which make up the people of God in eternity. And it points out God's eternal plan for the Jews, the Gentiles, and the church. Those three groups. Now, the next one, verse 33, is the next principle that's outlined there.

Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, so that they may be saved." Here is the Apostle Paul. He is of Jewish background. There was a time when anybody else would be the object of his wrath. As a matter of fact, he says, when I had the chance, I voted for death for Christians. Now he comes to a place and he says, I will do anything. anything for profiting those who are not saved that they might be saved.

As believers, we are free to do anything that is consistent with who we are in Christ. We have liberty. We may be free, however, love for those who are not saved and glorifying the Lord ought to motivate us. That ought to be what motivates us. Here's the list of things to do and not do. That's not the point. The question is, what will encourage them to come to the Lord and what will stand in their way of their coming to the Lord? If it's not really a big deal, if it's not critical, I'll do whatever. It doesn't matter because what I want is for them to come to the Lord.

So we constrain our choices in front of them in such a way that they would see in our lives no obstacle to either receiving or believing the gospel of Christ. No obstacle to either receiving or believing the gospel of Christ, that they might be saved. Christians can often make things, and usually this is a legal principle, Christians can often do things where the unbeliever looks at you and they just say, well, you're all about the rules. In fact, I had one unbeliever say, you know, I can tell when somebody is a Christian, they don't do anything. So he's saying that's not the point either. This is a matter of saying, you know, I'm free to do all sorts of things.

The principle of glorifying the Lord and the principle of what will be the greatest spiritual advantage to that unbeliever, that's what governs everything. It's not a list of rules. It's not a I always do this or I never do that. It's not a we've got the right list of rules and you don't. It is always a matter of glorifying the Lord. and looking at what will provide them, the unbeliever, the greatest opportunity to come to the Lord. So chapter 11 verse 1, be imitators of me as I am of Christ.

You have here as a slide on your handout as well a list of passages in the New Testament, starting with Romans, and including this verse, 1 Corinthians 11.1, that have either this word imitate, in fact, the Greek word behind it, mimetis, comes from that, or tupos, that is a type, an example.

In some cases, as in Philippians 3.17, both words are used.

Now, critical we understand, when he says this, he's not talking about an acting job. He's not talking about an acting job. There was a movie in which Anthony Hopkins played C.S. Lewis. He did a very good job of acting like a Christian, but it was all acting, as you can tell from his other movies. He did an outstanding job of acting.

That's not what the Apostle Paul is calling for here. We're not supposed to just get all the nuance and inflections and mannerisms and everything down straight. That's not the point. Paul is calling instead for us to look at the spiritual realities underneath as we live out life, not just try to superficially on the surface act like Paul. It's what are the spiritual realities? And that's the substance of this entire passage. What are the spiritual realities that govern life?

We're going to be glorifying the Lord forever. Let's get started now. Eternity is going to be a long, long time. Matter of fact, time probably doesn't describe it very well. Eternity is going to be a long time. We're only here for a short period of time.

So don't get hung up on all the, OK, now I've got this list of things to do and a list of things not to do. But instead, what are the spiritual realities underneath? That's what he's asking them to imitate. Not an acting job, not following a list. What's the spiritual reality underneath?

Our imitation is based on a deep imitation, following his example deeply, not just acting, not just on the outside. spiritually real So he's not asking us to carry on this acting job What he does point to and I'll finish with this 2nd Peter 3 team He says but grow which is an imperative in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Okay, grow in the grace and knowledge of him You see it's it's not a superficial acting job It's a matter of growing, that imitation is growing in Him. It's personal and it's Christ-centered.

That's what He's talking about. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory. There we are glorifying God, right? Both now and in the day of eternity. Amen. We live this day for that day when we go to see Him face to face. That's what matters, not all the stuff. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you as you've spelled this out here.

The Apostle Paul has dealt with various issues in the church there at Corinth, and they're in fact issues that we ourselves have to deal with. And he asks us not to start glancing superficial here, but instead to see deeply and to see the things that really matter. Not just externals, not just the lists, not just I've got my law and it's better than your law. But in fact, we have principles that are simple, principles that are centered upon Christ, principles that are centered also upon the short time that we have here on this planet. And we look forward to that day. And I hope it's today when we see you face to face. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.