August 24-August 30

Answering Questions
Joan Gupton
St. Louis, Missouri

In this passage, Paul is answering questions presented by the Corinthians in their letters to him. He writes about eating food sacrificed to idols, about the Lord's Supper, and about spiritual gifts.

Paul knows that the Corinthians had many gods, but he reminds the Corinthian Christians that they now worship the one true living God "from whom all things come" and "one Lord, Jesus Christ through whom all things come and through whom we live."

Meat sacrificed to idols was eaten in the temple by families and priests or sold in public meat markets. Because the Christian knows that idols are nothing but mute, ineffecitve objects with no power, eating the meat means nothing spiritually. However, Paul cautions them about causing a weaker brother to stumble. A Christian has freedom in Christ. Paul says "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." The current world view is that "I can do what I want when I want. It's my life!" We don't eat sacrificed meat, but what are some controversies for Christians now? Paul says that individual freedom should be exercised with thoughts or consideration for our fellow man and not cause anyone's conscience to be offended or turned away from hearing the gospel.

Regarding the Lord's Supper, Pauls says to examine oneself to determine how one partakes. Is it a mindless ritual? Are our thoughts on lunch, reading the bulletin, or that cute baby in front of us? Are we aware of the significance of the Supper as a remembrance of Christ's death, burial and resurrection and the grace this gives us? We are to examine our hearts each time, every Sunday, whenever we partake.

Since we are the body of Christ, we all have a job to do. No one part is more important than the other part. Each of us has been given the gift especially tailored by the Spirit for us. Some can sing on key and lead the rest of us. Some love to cook and feed others. The list is unending and diversified. Most people in the body know their gifts and many use them fully. Some have yet to discover their special gift. Just as one sin has no greater importance over another sin in God's eyes, our gifts are of equal importance to Him.

Paul says we should be considerate to each other and think of the other person before ourselves. Everything we have--freedom, spiritual, gifts--comes from one and the same Spirit. We worship one God and are saved by one Lord, Jesus Christ.

[Joan Gupton is a resident of St. Louis. After graduating from David Lipscomb University, Joan taught for several years in the Nashville area. She retired in 2005 from the State of Missouri’s Department of Social Services where she worked as a social worker. Joan is active in several ministries including the Room at the Inn, serving the homeless in the St. Louis area; mission work with Por Los Ninos in Honduras; and Celebrate Recovery.]