Book 28

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 2 * BOOK 28

Lord’s Supper Meaning

Now before we continue our study let me say that we are nondenominational, and this is the way that I have been teaching for many years. We have always taught with the idea that people of course are active in their own local Church. We are not competing with the Church, but rather hopefully are enhancing it, and a lot of our folks are Sunday School teachers and so forth. In my teaching environment I’ve always tried to stay on neutral ground, in fact I’ve learned that if I try to have a class for example in a Baptist Church, then the Methodists, Catholics, and Lutherans aren’t going to come. So when we teach we always try to have everything on neutral premises, because we want to reach people from every denominational background. This Book is not a denominational Book, but rather it is for everybody. Remember heaven is not going to be divided by denominations, we are all members of the Body of Christ, and if we’re saved we’re going to be in the same place regardless of denominational handle.

Now as we ended our last lesson we were dealing again with something that is not applicable for us living over here in America, but it is still a problem in some areas of the world. And that is this idea that if something has been offered to a pagan idol, then can a believer have anything to do with it? Well you see Paul spoke his mind when he said as far as he was concerned that dumb idol couldn’t affect that meat, and he could eat it and think nothing of it. But just like Paul taught back in the Book of Romans, eating ordinary meat, perfectly legitimate meat, if there were some that had become vegetarians, through whatever convictions, and if it was going to upset their Christian experience by watching Paul not be a vegetarian, then what did Paul say? “I won’t eat another bite of meat as long as I live if it’s going to be a stumbling block to others.” Well, it’s the same way here with regard to meat that had been offered to idols. He says, “If it’s going to cause a problem to the unbeliever, as well as to the believer, then I won’t eat it.” Remember where we left off in our closing moments in verse 28:

I Corinthians 10:28

“But if any man say unto you, `This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it,…'”

Even that pagan is going to be taught a lesson if he tells this Christian who is now a guest at his table, “Hey, this meat is what I got back from the temple,” then the believer should reject it for that man’s sake to show him that he does make a difference. And on the other hand it could have been a fellow believer invited to that same feast, and that young believer did not have the strength to say, “This meat can’t be affected by an idol,” so for that young believer’s sake, don’t eat it. And you can carry that into every aspect of life. Anything that is going to cause a weaker believer to stumble, then for goodness sake set it aside. Now I think the crux of this whole thing is wrapped up in verse 31:

I Corinthians 10:31

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

And that’s the only reason we’re left here is to bring glory to His name. Even in the mundane things that we think don’t really count. Yes they do if we do it as unto the Lord and for His glory, then that’s the way God sees it. Now verse 32, and here is another admonition that fits just as well today as it did back in Corinth in Paul’s day.

I Corinthians 10:32

“Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”

In other words, that verse divided the population of Corinth, or any other city at that time, into three categories. We normally think of two, saved and lost, but here Paul puts it in three. Because the Jew was still a factor to be reckoned with when Paul writes to the Corinthians. Now a little later in his ministry Paul’s writings are a progressive revelation in themselves. Just like the Bible is on the whole. Because you’ve certainly seen that by now, when you come from Genesis all the way up through the scriptures, it’s a constant progressive revelation of things that were not revealed back there, but now they are. Paul’s letters work the same way. He works from a simple beginning, and he comes on up and finally he’ll end with those deep spiritual things that the carnal believer can’t comprehend. So here he is still showing that there is a difference between the Jew and the Gentiles, and those Jews and Gentiles who were members of the Body of Christ. Then to finish up the chapter:

I Corinthians 10:33

“Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

Now as you study Paul’s letters I think you’re going to become aware of one overriding thought, and that is the man could never get lost people off his mind. All that Paul could think about was lost people. People for whom Christ had already paid their sin debt, people for whom the blood of Christ had been shed, people whose lives were ready to be ransomed by virtue of His resurrection from the dead. We never want to lose sight of the fact that when Christ went to that Cross, when Jesus died that death by crucifixion it wasn’t just another crucifixion because there were thousands of those. It wasn’t unique in that respect. But what made it unique is that He was the Creator God Himself Who took on human flesh to go to that Cross, so that on that Cross God poured out all of His wrath for sin. All the sin from Adam until the last person that will ever live in time, their sin was laid on Christ on that Cross and God judged it. He poured out His wrath on Him. Which means that even the vilest member of some mafia or whatever you want to think of as vile, lost, wicked people, their sins are already atoned for. They are already paid for. The only reason they’ll go to an eternal doom, if they don’t come into salvation in the meantime, is because they rejected Christ’s atonement. That’s why we maintain there’s only one sin that will ever put a person out in his eternal doom and that is rejecting the Gospel, because the sin debt has been paid.That has been finalized once and for all.

And so this is why Paul just burned until his dying day that he might get the Gospel of Salvation out to the lost people. And if each one of us would just get a part of that same desire, we’d make a difference. I think personally the world is too far gone. I don’t look for a great awakening. I hope I’m not small in faith, but I just can’t see it. But IF every believer would burn for the lost world like Paul did, then we’d still turn the world around. We could turn this country inside out and turn the world around, but it looks like believers aren’t going to. Of course, it’s all in God’s providence and we know that things have to come to their conclusion. But anyway, Paul’s whole desire any place he went was that lost people might be saved.

How many times do we think about it when we go our way, and I guess we’re most aware of the masses of humanity when we’re on the road. You just see this constant rolling of traffic into the city and out, and I don’t care where you go, it’s the same everywhere. Highways just chock full of people coming and going, and that’s when I become aware of the masses of people and to think that most of them are lost, and we could care less, seemingly. But if we could do like Paul and just burn with that desire. Now come with me back to I Corinthians Chapter 4 and drop down to verse 16.

I Corinthians 4:16

“Wherefore I beseech (beg) you, be ye followers of me.”

That’s contrary to what most people think. Now come on over to Philippians Chapter 3 and verse 17.

Philippians 3:17

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”

Why does the Holy Spirit prompt the man to tell the world to follow him rather than to follow Jesus? Because this man is of the same human make-up that we are. He has the same failures, the same weaknesses, the same fears that we do. He went into one of these strange pagan cities and do you think he went in with a boldness and a facade that showed no fear? No! He trembled in his boots just like we would, not knowing what kind of a response he would get, but he went anyway. And that’s what we have to do. It’s a fearsome thing to take the Gospel out to a belligerent world. But this is what he means when he says, “Be followers of me,” and that we burn with that same desire as we see more people come to a knowledge of salvation. Now, if you’ll come back with me to I Corinthians and we’ll go into Chapter 11. And remember, he still hasn’t left the thought completely of the Lord’s Supper.

I Corinthians 11:1

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

Now remember Paul writes to Gentiles in the world today just as surely as he wrote to the Corinthians in his day and time. He says, “Be ye followers of me.” These are three verses right in a row that say the same thing. I Corinthians 4, Philippians 3 and now I Corinthians 11. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Now Paul isn’t setting himself up as the Savior of the world. He isn’t setting himself up as some god. Never! But what does he say? “As I follow the resurrected, ascended Lord, you follow me.” He makes that analogy throughout his letters. In fact, let’s go back and review for a moment. Let’s go back to I Corinthians 3. I know when I make statements like this I endanger myself to those who say I make too much of the Apostle Paul. Well, I don’t see how I can because the Apostle Paul is that man that God designated to take salvation to the Gentiles. And if God designated it, then I make no apology for it. And this is why he is defending his apostleship in all of his letters. I’m always stressing that Paul defends his apostleship because even the people of this day were accusing him of heresy and being an impostor, because he didn’t actually walk with the Lord Jesus those three years, like Peter, James and John did. But nevertheless, he still has to come back constantly and say, “I am an apostle! I am the one who has received all these revelations!”

I Corinthians 3:10,11

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that (foundation) that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Christ is the foundation of everything we believe in and hope for. The foundation and the finished work of the Cross. But who was the masterbuilder that laid it out? Paul was! And that’s why his letters are intrinsic to our doctrine, because he alone was given these revelations with regard to this Church made up of Jew and Gentile. Now Peter makes reference to it in his little epistles way at the end of his life, you might say. But Peter knows nothing of this in his early preaching. He absolutely has no concept of the Body of Christ, this composition of Jew and Gentile. But this apostle has had all of this revealed to him. Now let’s go on the Chapter 11.

I Corinthians 11:2

“Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, (the things that have been delivered, that have been taught by the Apostle Paul, and some of the other gifted men), as I delivered them to you.”

Now turn over a couple of pages to Chapter 15 when Paul says that “I delivered them unto you.” Now don’t lose sight of the fact that these Corinthians have heard none of this until the Apostle Paul came to town. It wasn’t that someone else had already been and had laid the groundwork and set the stage so that this guy could just come in and take all the glory. No way! When he first came to town there had never been a word concerning the Gospel of the Grace of God, how that Christ had died and been resurrected. He says it so plainly here in Chapter 15 and you’ve heard me say it on the program and in my classes in Oklahoma, and you all know it forward and backwards – that if you want a clear definition of the Gospel that will save a man, here it is:

I Corinthians 15:1

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you (not a gospel but ) the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.”

He’s telling them not to get blown over with every little wind of doctrine and every false teacher that comes along. You stand on this Gospel and you won’t have to worry about eternity.

I Corinthians 15:2a

“By which (that is this gospel) also ye are saved…”

I always have to stop at that word. I had someone tell me years and years ago that they wished I wouldn’t use that word. It sounded too much like someone they knew in town. And I said, “Now wait a minute. This is not a denominational word. This doesn’t belong to one group of people. This is a scriptural word. You go all the way back into the Old Testament and what were the Jews constantly told to be looking for? Salvation! The salvation of Israel. The salvation of the individual. What does salvation mean? To be saved from something!” And again, I’ve always used this simple analogy: you take some old boy that’s just about gone broke and is about ready to throw in the towel. There’s no way he can pick up all his debts. Some rich uncle dies and wills him a whole bunch of money and all of a sudden he’s back on his feet and is going 100 miles an hour. What do we say about him? “That old boy’s estate was that guy’s salvation.” It saved him from bankruptcy. This is the same word. We are saved from an eternal doom and this Gospel is our salvation. Now let’s read on.

I Corinthians 15:2b,3

“…if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain.” (Know what you believe). For I delivered unto you (what’s the next word?) first (see how plain that is? This is the first time the Corinthians have ever heard the Gospel and it was from this one man.) of all that which I also received (Now you have to know your Bible to know what Paul is talking about don’t you? You have to understand that when God zapped him off his horse on the road to Damascus and saved him, God didn’t send him back to Jerusalem to go and check in with the Twelve and come under their ministry. He separated him totally from the Twelve and sent him out into the backside of the desert and revealed these doctrines to him and then, yes, he went to Jerusalem for 14 days and visited with Peter. But of the other apostles he never saw one. And immediately Paul began his ministry amongst the Gentiles. And so his ministry just continued and went west across Asia Minor which is present day Turkey. They over the Aegean Sea and Greece, where Corinth is. And here is what he received) how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”

Christ didn’t just die for the sins of Israel, but the sins of these pagan Corinthians, the sins of America, the sins of Europe, the sins of the Orient. He died for them all. This was the fulfillment of God’s whole design from day one. That He would go to the Cross and take upon Himself men’s sins. Now let’s go on to verse 4.

I Corinthians 15:4

“And that he was buried, (He had to be in order to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was dead. This was not some tomfoolery, or beguiling whatever. He died. He was dead three days and three nights in the tomb.) and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Again, the Sovereign God was in complete control. How can the unbelieving world continue to ridicule the Book when they know from history, from archaeology, that these Old Testament writers lived. They were real, they were flesh and blood. We’ve found excerpts of their writings, whether it be on clay tablets or whatever. They lived and we know those things were written a thousand, fifteen hundred, two thousand years before Christ came. But here He came. And we know that David wrote in the Psalms a perfect picture of the crucifixion. We know that David wrote in 1000 B.C. concerning His resurrection. But it was in such vague language that it took this Apostle to bring it out into the open. It was all back there and that was why he mentions it. It was according to the scriptures that the Gospel came about and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Now that’s the Gospel that he received and he took to Corinth.

Now let’s go back to Chapter 11 and we have it here again, that all the things that Paul had instituted in the little group of believers. You want to remember that none of these New Testament churches were in huge edifices as we see in America and Europe and so forth. Where did they meet? They met in homes! The average local church probably didn’t have more than a common ordinary home would accommodate. A dozen, two dozen, and if they had a huge home maybe they could get 30 or 40 in there. But they weren’t huge congregations, but nevertheless, whatever they rested on, they had gotten it from the Apostle Paul.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 1 * BOOK 28

Lord’s Table Order

Now as we begin a new book we’ll still be in I Corinthians Chapter 10.

Every so often I tell you that we are nondenominational and we never try to attack anyone in our teachings, but rather just teach as the Holy Spirit leads us. When we first started the television ministry I guess my biggest fear was all the hate mail we would get, but in the six years we have been on the air we have only received two letters like that, and they weren’t all that bad. So I have to just count it a real blessing that we’re not making people downright angry. If you disagree with me, that’s your privilege, the Word of God is such that I think we can have some differences of opinion, and still not be heretics or anything like that. I have to totally depend on how the Holy Spirit opens it to my understanding, and not how some would have me to teach it.

Now in the Book of I Corinthians, as we have been stressing ever since we started teaching this little letter, evidently from Chapter 7 verse 1 some questions had arisen, and I think this is the clue for Paul writing this letter of I Corinthians. Now granted it’s all inspired by the Holy Spirit, and everything that has happened has been directed by God’s Sovereign Grace, but nevertheless the human element always enters in as well. Now this is the beauty of Scripture as it’s all inspired of God. Every word has been directed by the Holy Spirit, and yet every author maintains his personality. In other words, Isaiah writes from a totally different personality than Ezekiel. The Four Gospels are from a totally different perspective than Paul’s writings, and so on and so forth, and yet they are all in a composite way authored by the Holy Spirit. And so here in Chapter 7, and verse 1, the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to write this, but yet it gives us the human element as to why he wrote I Corinthians and it was in response to:

I Corinthians 7:1a

“Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me:…”

So what did they do? They had a whole ton of questions, and I can just see them as they just put them down on the page, and were asking Paul, “What about this problem, and what about that problem,” and so forth. So this whole letter of I Corinthians deals with problems that Paul does not commend them for, and he’s too kind to just out and out condemn them, but neither does he brag on them, but rather Paul is just kind of backing into this situation so that he doesn’t flare up their anger, and put them into a place where he can’t deal with them. And yet he is not going to agree with all of their problems, and we know the reason is that they are still so carnal. Remember they are the most carnal of any group that Paul deals with. Even here in Chapter 10 in their practicing of what we call the Lord’s table, or the communion service, or whatever your particular denomination may call it, the Corinthians had made it a problem. They were having all kinds of things going on that should have never taken place in the Church, and Paul has to address it.

Now we just came out of the situation of eating meats that had been offered to idols. And there again that tells us that the Corinthians were having to deal with things that you and I know nothing of. You know we’re not living in a culture where people have offered meat to idols in some pagan temple, and then have it end up in our butcher markets. And then when we buy meat have to wonder, “Well, has this come from that pagan temple?” We’re not up against that, but the Corinthians were, and even before that they were going to law with one another, they were suing each other in the pagan courts. Paul says, “That’s not the way you do things when you are a believer.” And so the whole Book of I Corinthians is dealing basically with problems that were besetting the Corinthian Church. Now we touched on verse 16 in our last lesson, but let’s look at it again.

I Corinthians 10:16,17

“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (or fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion (or fellowship) of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”

When we get into Chapter 12 we will see Paul make the analogy of the Body of Christ being put together like the human body with all our various functions of fingers and toes, and the rest of the body. But yet we’re under one central nervous system aren’t we? Everything is centered in the head in our brain. So also is the body of Christ, because He is the Head in heaven, and every born again believer is a member now of that Body, and we’re all members of each other.

The bread speaks of much the same kind of thing, because you all know where bread come from don’t you? From wheat. What makes a bin full of wheat? Kernels. I remember when I was farming up in Iowa, I would, every now and then, just look at a 10,000 bushel bin I had, and would just stand there amazed that this whole 10,000 bushel bin is comprised of individual kernels. All right, that’s the analogy. Every time you eat a loaf of bread, what has comprised that loaf of bread? Umpteen kernels of wheat that were ground into flour, and then made into bread. The analogy still holds. What are we as members of the Body of Christ? We’re just like that loaf of bread that has become a composite of those individual kernels of grain. Now with that in mind let’s look at verse 16 again:

I Corinthians 10:16,17a

“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (or fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break is it not (in picture form) the communion (or fellowship)of the body of Christ? (Which is that group of believers) For we being many are one bread,…”

Even that loaf of bread coming from several thousands of kernels of wheat, yet in the final make-up it’s one loaf. In fact let’s even stretch our imagination a little further. Within that one loaf of bread there may have been a composite of wheat shipments from all over the United States that have ended up maybe in a Kansas City mill where it was in turn ground into flour. So we have that loaf of bread here in Oklahoma and where may some of that wheat have come from? Ohio, North Dakota, Colorado, Kansas and so forth. But it all ended up as part of that one loaf of bread. And so is the Body of Christ: we’ve got believers in China, we’ve got believers in Europe, in America, and South America, regardless of their background we are all members of that one Body by virtue of the blood of Christ. We’re blood bought.

I Corinthians 10:17b,18

“…for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: (the nation) are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?”

Now you want to remember that when the pagans set up their animal sacrifices, it was the satanic counterfeit of what God had established to be the right way with the nation of Israel. Satan established the counterfeit, and is the master counterfeiter. So when the pagans offered their animal sacrifices, and then had the meat from the temple taken to the market place or maybe given to the individual who brought the sacrifice, where did they really copy this practice from? Well from Israel, because Israel did the same thing. If Israel took a sacrificial animal up to the priest, who could eat of that meat first? The Priest did. But on the other hand if there was more than the priest could handle, evidently it was within his power to designate who would get it, maybe the individual who brought the sacrifice in the first place. So even the Jew who brought the sacrifice could end up partaking of that sacrifice, and that is what Paul is saying in verse 18. Now verse 19 and here Paul is going to bring in the idolatry side of it.

I Corinthians 10:19

“What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?”

Now you know it’s hard for us to comprehend Paul’s thinking. On the one hand he makes it sound like there’s absolutely nothing wrong with eating meat offered to idols. As far as Paul was concerned that idol was nothing more than dead stone or wood, it could never have an effect on that meat so far as he was concerned, he could eat it without compunction. But on the other hand he would warn people that there was something associated with those demonic gods, and these gods had power, and so there were instances where Paul says, “Don’t eat of it.” And we’re going to see that in the next few verses. But right here in this verse Paul is saying, “That idol can’t affect that meat, because it’s dead.” But on the other hand the idol may be dead, but what about the power behind it? Hey, it’s not dead, and that’s Satan. See? Satan works through idolatry. Now verse 20.

I Corinthians 10:20

“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils,…”

Demons. Why did they sacrifice to demons instead of the true God? They didn’t know the true God. They didn’t know Who God was. Remember back in the Book of Acts? Let’s go for a moment and look at it. I don’t intend to do these things when I’m preparing for this, but in Acts Chapter 17 we find the Apostle Paul coming to Athens. And you want to remember Athens was a thriving city of intellectual imports. They had all the philosophers, and good universities today still study the Greek writers: Aristotle, and Homer, and Plato and all the rest of these fellows. So Paul comes into Athens and now verse 16:

Acts 17:16

“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”

In spite of all their intellectualism, and intelligence, and philosophy, did they know anything of the one true God? Nothing. They were given over totally to the worship of idols, and the mythological gods. And then just come on down to verse 21.

Acts 17:21

“(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)”

But listen, did they every hear anything of the One True God in the new things that they heard? No. It was just a rehash of another oriental god of some kind, or another mythological goddess sitting up on some mountain top supposedly in their minds at least. Now look at verse 23: I’m just doing this so you can get the picture of these people among whom Paul is ministering.

Acts 17:23

“For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, (their idolatrous worship) I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

Just like a fellow told me once when I was going through some real financial hardships, and he knew I was. Boy, he came flying into my farmyard one day, and the dust was flying as he came to a stop, and said, “Les, I was just going down the highway and I was thinking of you. Have you ever thought of praying to St. Jude?” “No.” I said, “Why should I?” He said, “Well I’m a firm believer that you plug every hole.” And that’s the way these Athenians were. I mean they had all these gods and goddess, and all their worship, and yet just in case they had missed one they set up a special one and dedicated it to “the Unknown God.” They knew absolutely nothing of the God of Creation. They knew nothing of the God of Abraham, although the Jews had been in their midst for hundreds of years. Now let’s come back to I Corinthians again.

So these were idol worshiping heathens as we would call them. I don’t like to use the word `heathen,’ because most of us in America think of heathen as those that our missionaries ministered unto a hundred years ago. They would go into the deep, dark jungles in foreign countries, right down into deep dark paganism, and we still get that connotation when we use the word `heathen.’ But in Scripture the word `heathen’ just means any non-Jew. Anyone not a Jew was considered a heathen or Gentile. So keep your definitions straight. Now verse 20:

I Corinthians 10:20

“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils (demons), and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” (demons)

Oh horrors, that’s why when we get to II Corinthians Chapter 6, Paul says, “You can’t have fellowship with God and demons.” There has to be that separation, and here Paul is saying that so clearly. Also remember that Paul is building his case for the communion table. Verse 21.

I Corinthians 10:21

“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: (demons) ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. (demons)“ You can’t. I think Jesus made the statement Himself:

Matthew 6:24b

“…You cannot serve God and mammon.” You can’t have one foot in the world, and the other in the Church, it just doesn’t work like that. Oh, you can get by for a while but you’re miserable. Now verse 22.

I Corinthians 10:22

“Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?”

Remember the argument that Paul is building is that they have to be careful how they practice the Lord’s table. In verse 23 we find Paul shifting gears again, and here in this verse he seemingly changes the subject and drops into something totally different, but it’s still coming home to the effect of the Lord’s table, compared with fellowship with demons, and fellowship with the Lord and His work of the Cross.

I Corinthians 10:23

“All things are lawful for me, (that’s frightening isn’t it? How in the world did the Holy Spirit see fit to inspire the man to say something like that?) but all things are not expedient: (now what does that mean? Well, there was no set law resting on Paul’s shoulders that says, `Thou shalt not.’ The Cross finished all of that. We’re no longer under law, but even though he is set free from law, yet is he free to do the things contrary to the law? No. And when we say that we’re not under law, but rather Grace, I never imply that we are now free to do as we please. Remember Grace is not a license.) all things are lawful for me, (so far as legalism is concern) but all things edify not.”

And again he is going to be building his case here that every believer has to be careful what they do, and what they practice because there are people constantly watching us. Paul does use the expression that everyone is a living epistle.

II Corinthians 3:2

“Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:”

What does that mean? There are a lot people who will never pick up this Book and read it, but they can look at you, and they can read. You are a living epistle, and this is what Paul is trying to bring these Corinthians to understand, that even though they were living in the midst of abject immorality, and idolatry, and mythology, yet wherever those Corinthians went within that Greek culture they were to be a living epistle. They were to be something that the world around them could read, and understand. Now verse 24, and remember he’s still building to the practice of the Lord’s table.

I Corinthians 10:24

“Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.” Now in that verse the last word “wealth” is italicized which means it’s been added. That’s unfortunate, I think it should have been left blank. This is a hard verse to explain, but you know that Paul is not saying that you are to try to get what the next man has, because that flies in the face of everything that he teaches. So what I think he is really saying here is that we are not to just constantly look for what’s in it for number one. That’s been the cliche for the last generation or so. “What’s in it for me,” is what it’s saying. Don’t be concerned about what you do for yourself, but be concerned what’s it going to do for my neighbors? How is it going enhance his situation, and that’s exactly what he’s driving at. Now verse 25:

I Corinthians 10:25,26

“Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, (here I think Paul is talking about the open market that we referred to earlier) that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.”

Now I think we can get a little glimpse of verse 26 when Peter saw the sheet come down in the Book of Acts. And of course the Lord was teaching Peter something totally different, but it was the same analogy. Here came this sheet filled with all manner of four-footed animals and creeping things and what did the Lord tell Peter? “Kill and eat.” Boy that was the shock of all shocks to a good kosher Jew. What did Peter say? “Not so Lord, I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” But you see here comes Paul in I Corinthians with that freedom that Grace brings even to the Jew, and that is, you don’t worry about whether it’s kosher or not, the Lord has created it, thank Him for it, and eat it. And that is where we are today. Now verse 27.

I Corinthians 10:27

“If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; (in other words you are going to respond to the invitation) whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.”

Now if that same individual when he invites you to that feast says, “The meat I’m serving tonight came from the pagan temple,” then that makes it a little bit different. See in verse 28:

I Corinthians 10:28

“But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, (Why? Now you are going to show him that you are not going to have anything to do with that which was tainted by being offered to some demonic god.) and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof:”

But other than that, Paul says, if you don’t know the difference go ahead and eat, because there’s nothing wrong with that meat. Offering it to that idol didn’t affect the meat one iota. It’s nothing but a dead, dumb idol. So it always depends on the circumstances.