From a letter written by the apostle Paul,
with Sosthenes,
to believers in Corinth and everywhere:
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 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. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.-1 Corinthians 8:1-13/the complete chapter***Canaan was a land inhabited by idol worshipers when the Lord God promised to give Canaan to childless Abraham (Abram the Hebrew) and Abraham's descendants. When Abraham was 86 years old, Ishmael was born to Abraham and Hagar, the maidservant of Abraham's wife Sarah (Sarai). When Abraham was 100 years old, Isaac was born to Abraham and 90-year-old Sarah. When Isaac was 60 years old, fraternal twin sons Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel) were born to Isaac and his wife Rebekah, Abraham and Sarah's grandniece. Canaan was inhabited by idol worshipers when the Lord God promised to give Canaan to Isaac and when the Lord God promised to give Canaan to Jacob. When Jacob was 130 years old, he moved with his family from Canaan to Egypt, the country wherein Joseph, the 1st son born to Jacob and his 2nd wife Rachel, Rebekah's niece, was second-in-command. When Jacob was 147 years old, he died in Egypt and his body was buried in Canaan. Sometime after Joseph and his siblings were dead, their descendants the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt. Aaron and his brother Moses were from the tribe of Levi, descended from Jacob and his 1st wife Leah, and Jacob and Leah's 3rd born son Levi. Leah was Rachel's older sister. When Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83, they led the Israelites away from Egypt, across the divinely parted Red Sea and into the desert wilderness of Shur, according to the commands of the Lord God. In the desert wilderness of Sinai, in the region of Mount Sinai, the Israelites heard the voice of the Lord God proclaim the Ten Commandments to them, and the Lord God began giving Moses judgments, statutes and laws for the Israelites. The Lord God commanded the Israelites not to have, make, bow down to, worship, or mention the name of any idols. The Lord God told Moses that the Israelites were to drive out the idolaters and destroy all items of idolatry. When Moses was upon Mount Sinai with the Lord God for 40 days and nights, the Israelites told Aaron to make gods to go before them. Aaron made a gold calf and proclaimed the idol to be the gods that brought the Israelites out from Egyptian slavery. In Shittim, the Israelites worshiped the idols worshiped by the Moabites. During the 40th year of their journey to Canaan, the Promised Land, 123-year-old Aaron died and was buried upon Mount Hor. The same year, the Lord God commanded Moses to tell the Israelites that after the Israelites began living in Canaan they were to drive out the idolaters and destroy all items of idolatry. Upon Mount Nebo, the Lord God showed Moses the Promised Land, and 120-year-old Moses died and was divinely buried. Joshua, Moses' successor, was from the tribe of Ephraim, descended from Joseph and his wife Asenath, and Joseph and Asenath's 2nd born son Ephraim, whom Jacob proclaimed to be his own son. Joshua led the Israelites across the divinely parted Jordan River and onto the Promised Land. Afterwards, Joshua and his fellow Israelites defeated and displaced many of the idol worshiping inhabitants throughout Canaan. Yet, after each of the Israelite tribes received their portion of the Promised Land, most of the tribes were not able to completely conquer or eliminate the idolaters. Moreover, the Israelites did not remove all items of idolatry. After 110-year-old Joshua died and was buried in his tribe's portion of the Promised Land, and the Israelite elders of Joshua's generation were dead, the Israelites began worshiping idols. Over 100 years after the Israelites cried out to the Lord God for help, and the Lord God told the Israelites to cry to their idols, Solomon, the 2nd child born to King David and Bathsheba, became the 3rd king to reign over all of the Israelites in the Promised Land. Rehoboam, the son born to Solomon and Naamah, was the 4th king to reign. After Rehoboam gave a specific answer, the Israelites split into 2 kingdoms, according to the will of the Lord God, due to the idolatry and other wickedness of Solomon. Judah was the nation in the south, Jerusalem was the royal city, and Rehoboam was the 1st king to reign. Israel was the northern nation, Samaria was the final royal city, and Jeroboam, the son born to Nebat and Zeruah, was the 1st king to reign. Jeroboam established idolatry throughout the northern nation and none of the kings who ruled the northern nation removed idolatry from the land. Rehoboam's son Abijam (Abijah) was the 2nd king to rule Judah. Before Abijam's battle against Jeroboam, Abijam, an idolater, proclaimed that the the 2 golden calves made by Jeroboam were not gods. King Ahab was the 7th king to rule over all of the Israelites in the northern nation of Israel. During Ahab's reign, Elijah the prophet presented a challenge to the Israelites and the false prophets and their idols. Abijam's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson Hezekiah was the 12th king to rule Judah. In a prayer to the Lord God, Hezekiah proclaimed idols to be work of men's hands. During the reign of King Pekah, the 18th king to rule over all of the Israelites in the northern nation of Israel, the Assyrians invaded the kingdom and King Tiglath-pileser, ruler of Assyria, began taking Israelites to Assyria. During the reign of King Hoshea, the 19th king to rule the northern nation, the Assyrians conquered Samaria, according to the will of the Lord God, due to the idolatry and other wickedness of the Israelites. Hezekiah's great-great-grandson Jehoiakim (Eliakim) was the 17th king to rule Judah, During Jehoiakim's reign, the Babylonians (Chaldeans) invaded Judah and Jerusalem and King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of Babylon, began looting the temple of the Lord. During the reign of Jehoiakim's son King Jehoiachin, the 18th king to rule Judah, the Babylonians took more prominent Israelites, including Jehoiachin, his wives and his mother Nehushta, to Babylon. During the reign of Jehoiakim's brother King Zedekiah (Mattaniah), the 19th king to rule Judah, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, according to the will of the Lord God, due to the idolatry and other wickedness of the Israelites. Over 500 years after Israelites began returning to Judah and Jerusalem, Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, was born. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, a virgin, and Jesus was born into the tribe of Jacob and Leah's 4th born son Judah, the tribe of David, Solomon and all of Judah's kings, to Mary and her husband Joseph when Mary was a virgin. Before Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary, and after Jesus was betrayed, arrested, crucified, buried in a tomb, resurrected, and returned to heaven less than 33 1/2 years after he was born, the Roman Empire was ruling the land whereupon the kingdoms of the Israelites previously stood. Paul (Saul) was an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, descended from Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob and Rachel's 2nd and last son Benjamin. Paul did not believe Jesus to be the Christ. Throughout Jerusalem, Paul persecuted and imprisoned any Israelite who called upon the name of Jesus. When Paul was journeying to the synagogues in Damascus, Syria to find, bind and take to Jerusalem any Israelite believers he found, Paul and those with him saw a light from heaven flash around them. Paul heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him, and Paul spoke to Jesus, and obeyed Jesus. In Damascus Paul was baptized. From thenceforward, Paul the apostle journeyed and wrote divinely inspired letters, teaching Israelites and Gentiles, people not born into the Israelite tribes, the good news of Jesus the Christ, and everlasting life, and other revelations he received.-Genesis 11:26-50:26, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles 1:1-34, 2:1-17, 3:1-24, 6:1-81, 7:20-29, 10:1-29;30, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Isaiah 36:1-39:8, Jeremiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts 1:1-26
Reference Information:
charity = agape/agapao = love
edifieth = oikodomei/oikodomeo/oikodomos = builds up, build a house, build someone up
Reference Scriptures:
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.-Deuteronomy 4:39
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.-Romans 14:2...But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.-Romans 14:15...For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.-Romans 14:20-21
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?-1 Corinthians 10:27-29
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.-Colossians 1:2...In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:-Colossians 1:14-16
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.-1 Timothy 2:5-6
Click the link below to read more posts in this category: