1 Corinthians 8

[Abd_Yesua_alMasih]

If this is the wrong topic to put this in please move it as I was torn between a number of them.

1 Corinthians 8 and especially verse 11 appears to take the 'P' out of TULIP. My cousin pointed it out just this very night and it has got me thinking. Eventually we agreed on the possible following although we are both too tired to comprehend what we are saying. Could people please explain it better for us? We decided this was if anything written in the practicle sense and by no means in the theological sense of looking inward at creation. It is the same as saying 'unless you repent...etc... you will go to hell' - but if God knows that person wont repent then that statement is meaningless if we look at it outside of time. Right I have confused myself. I am off to my first reformed church ever tommorow and I have stayed up as late as i can as it is. Sorry for this garble. Can someone explain it better?

Pray for my cousins and mine understanding.

 

[Scott Bushey]

Fraser,
The term "stumbling block" in this passage is to mean to sin. The younger believer here was convicted in conscience that partaking of meat was sinful (when in reality it wasn't). The believer should not take liberty in causing the uneducated, the young student of God, i.e. disciple, to act out against what his conscience deems as sinful. It is the responsibilty of them whom have the knowledge to educate the weaker brother so that they may be free also.

Verse 8:
1 Cor 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

To me, the above verse is foundated in justification by faith alone. We are no better or worse if we eat (or drink, or smoke)........

Verse 11:
Possibly, this weaker vessel would be inclined to sit in the idols temple in a more substantial way. These people were coming out of these environments. They had been told that these worships and offerings were an abomination to God. The meat was seen as being stained by what it represented by the Jews. Eating of the meat was a form of apostasy to the Jews. In Christ, these things do not 'commendeth' us to God. A weaker vessel seeing you exercise your freedom could in fact cause this weaker vessel to be drawn away from the church and return to the former, possibly never to return. This may incite the gist of your original question, that being, an assault upon the doctrine of perseverance. There are many warning passages in scripture; how can this be? If in fact Christ said that He would lose none, how can these passages be supported in light of Christs proclamation? The church is made up of confessing Christians. These confessing Chrisitians are not all elect (as in the case of Judas). These that are able to apostasize are those whom may be part of the visible church but are not part of the invisible ( and never will be).

Hope this helps!


[Edited on 10-30-2004 by Scott Bushey]