The two uprights of 1 Cor. 10 are verses 13 and 31.

Paul said (at the end of chapter 9) that he was worried about not finishing well. Anticipating the Corinthians' response "no way Paul, you've seen too much, you'll never fail" - Paul says that seeing God physically, or seeing God work and bless your life at one point won't guarantee long-term success. We must battle with temptation knowing that others also battle, knowing that God hasn't allowed too much for you to handle with His help, and He has given you an escape route.

Today, we come to verse 31 - Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - Perhaps the overarching principle of the Christian life - we are here to knowingly and purposefully glorify God. Evaluate everything you do by this one criterion - is it to the glory of God?

PRAYER

ILLUSTRATION: Christian in West Virginia who won the lottery of $360 million. He wanted to pay a tithe or more on it, but every school or church he took the money too exploded in controversy as to whether to take the money.

1. Fleedom - No Fellowship With The World (vv. 14-22)

• Specific Situation for the Corinthians was going back to the Corinthian temples, hanging out socially, eating the meat offered to idols and battling with temptations to have sex with the temple harlots. Paul said in 6:18 "flee fornication" - run from it. Now he says "flee idolatry."
  
• Stay away from places of sin. Whatever crowd you join yourself to, or activities you participate in, you identify yourself with, you support, you celebrate.
  • When you go clubbing, you are saying this is good - the driving music, the dim lights, the girls looking to get picked up, the drinking, the drugs - this is good - I celebrate it as a Christian!
  • Piercing and tattoos - arguably nothing wrong in and of themselves - but what culture is pushing those? Do you mean to support it, celebrate it?
  • Partnership in the company - all goes well until the Christmas party - do you want to affirm this and be identified with this?
• Paul says that when you go to the Temples and hang out there, you are having fellowship (koinonia) with them - fully comfortable social engagement, exchange of possessions, partner (buddy, companion - seek out company when you don't have to)
• You can't feel fellowship with God's people and the Lord while also trying to fit in comfortably with the world - Are you trying to pick a fight with God?! (v. 22) You are celebrating demonic stuff - Illustration - Pam Jolly after following Christ
• Christians are to be in the world, but not of the world. When we mix with the world, we should be like the odd man out. Be afraid if you feel koinonia with them!

2. Freedom is limited by the goal of living for God's glory (vv. 23-33)

• "All things are lawful" - modern counterpart - "Hey, I'm allowed to - Jesus isn't a bunch of rules, a list of dos and don'ts"
• Here in vv. 23-24 and in 6:12, Paul says "yes, but …" - three restrictions
• Don't if it will lead to enslavement
• Don't if it isn't helpful
• Don't if it doesn't build up myself and other believers (could you invite others at MountainView to join you? Would you invite unbelievers to come so that this event would draw them closer to their Saviour?)
  
• Paul tells us that some things, when removed from their bad context, aren't bad.
  • Don't eat meat offered to idols at the Temple
  • You can eat meat dedicated to idols if you buy it in the marketplace and don't ask questions
    
  • You can eat meat dedicated to idols at someone's house, but don't ask questions. If they tell you that it's temple meat, don't eat it.
    
  • "I eat this to your glory, I drink this to your glory, I am watching this to your glory, I am listening to this music to your glory, I have this relationship to your glory, I am working this way for your glory, I am engaging in this hobby for your glory."

   

  Glorifying God

• Here's a little graphic I came up with. The fact is, in one way or another, we all glorify God.
• First look below the big black line - where we unknowingly glorify God.
  • First - positively. Psalm 119 says that the heavens declare the glory of God. We also know that humans who are made in the image of God glorify Him by being creative, taking dominion, doing work, etc. When engineers who do not know God build a bridge (taking dominon over a chasm), they glorify God even though their deeds don't count for righteousness. In a bizarre way, when a rock musician who hates God writes a piece of nasty music with horrid lyrics, even that glorifies God through its creativity.
  • Second - negatively. Humans who die with unpaid sins will glorify God forever as objects of His judgment and righteous wrath. Is that really how you want to glorify God.

• Now, look above the big black line. Thos whose sins are forgiven enter into a right relationship with God, and they can knowingly choose to glorify God. How? 1) By thoughts and actions that show God's worth; and 2) by thoughts and actions that please Him.

Now, we need to talk about the big black line. This leads us to the material on the back of your handout. What Is The Gospel? I am surprised at how many South Africans go through religious instruction classes and still don't know what the gospel is! Let's go through it:

The Bad News - Headed For A Bad Place

1. God is HOLY and PERFECT and He requires each of us, made in His image, to be PERFECT.

1 Peter 1:15-16 - we must be HOLY.

James 2:10 - God says that even ONE sin breaks the whole law.

Matthew 5:48 - we must be PERFECT.

2. God calls breaking his law "SIN" and says that ALL of us have sinned.

1 John 1:8, 10 - We're DECEIVING ourselves if we say we haven't sinned.

Romans 3:23 - ALL have sinned and fall short of what God requires.

3. God's says that the just and proper penalty for sin is DEATH.

Romans 6:23 - the payment for sin is DEATH. Death in the Bible starts with separation from fellowship with God in this life.

Revelation 20:11-15 - One day, God will enter JUDGMENT against sinners; afterward, there is separation from God forever in a place called THE LAKE OF FIRE.

4. I cannot "save" myself from judgment by GOOD or RELIGIOUS works.

Titus 3:5 - we are not saved by WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - salvation is not by WORKS; rather, it is God's FREE GIFT.

Isaiah 64:6 - God considers our good works as FILTHY RAGS.

The Good News - He Took My Place

5. God LOVES you and me, and He made a PLAN for us to be REUNITED with Him SAVED from the coming judgment.

John 3:16 - Because God loved us, he sent his SON.

6. Jesus died as a SUBSTITUTE for us. He paid the PENALTY for our sin. But Jesus defeated SIN, DEATH, SATAN and HELL - and He ROSE AGAIN!

Romans 5:8 - Christ died FOR US.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 - God takes our SIN and places it on Jesus, and He takes Jesus' RGHTEOUSNESS and places it on US.

7. God offers each of us the FREE GIFT of eternal life ONLY through Jesus' death.

Acts 4:12 - There is NO other way.

John 14:6 - Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life (not merely A way).

8. To receive God's gift of forgiveness of sins . . .
Acts 3:19 - TURN AWAY from your sin and ruling your own life.

Romans 10:9-10 - BELIEVE that God will forgive you and TELL OTHERS that Jesus is your Lord.

John 1:12 - RECEIVE God's free gift through His Son and become one of His CHILDREN.