To Do or Not to Do, That Is the Question

If you would turn in your Bibles to 1st Corinthians chapter 10. The title of the message tonight is to do or not to do. That is the question.

To do or not to do. That is the question. I'm going to go ahead and put up the next slide that shows you our considerations tonight. Six points that we'll look at. Some of them will be very brief. The one on edification will probably be the longest, but I'll put that up and you can be copying those down if you care to.

I'll show it again at the end. And of course we'll be dealing with them one by one as we go through the message. Let me say this before we read 1st Corinthians 10 31 through chapter 11 verse 1. It goes without saying that there's a lot that has changed in our country.

If you were to describe what you see today to someone 10 to 15 years ago, they wouldn't believe that it's happening. Sadly, folks, not only is there a lot changing in our country, there's a lot changing in the church as a whole. And I think it's very needful for us just to be reminded, what do I use as someone who has been saved for some time to determine making decisions about whether I'll participate in something? As I interact with weaker believers, and by that I mean newer Christians, what should I use to determine whether I should participate in something or not? And I hope tonight that we can share with you some principles, these principles that will be beneficial. Not to fear that I'm going to get off on an athletic tangent again, but I do want to begin by saying one thing. Over the years of coaching, whatever you do, whether it's in business or coaching or church work, as Pastor Bartman alluded to this morning, you develop a philosophy over the years. I was looking in my lateral file, and my philosophy that I have, the file on philosophy of coaching literally is about an inch and a half thick. And as I grew more mature as a Christian, I came to realize that if I could practice 1 Corinthians 10, 31 through 33, and verse 1 of chapter 11, that's philosophy for anything.

And if you would look at that with me, we'll read it and then I'm going to read a brief introduction. But 1 Corinthians 10, starting with verse 31, and the context is eating meat off of dietals, and Paul says, Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of many, that they may be saved. And then starting verse 11, he writes, Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. That philosophy of athletics that I mentioned, I called finishing, which simply means doing your best for the glory of God, 1 Corinthians 10, 31, and the eternal good of men, 1 Corinthians 32 and 33.

Short introduction. This message, we're going to consider six principles that can help us determine whether we should participate in something that's potentially harmful to a believer who's young in the faith. And we're not talking about decisions that are unoffensive by their very nature, like eating at Cracker Barrel or playing chess. The example we'll consider is how Paul addressed eating meat offered to idols. Some established believers had the liberty of conscience dated. For new converts who were saved out of idolatry, eating the meat would have violated their conscience.

And I want to give this note because you're going to hear this as we go through the message tonight. Paul emphasizes words like weak, conscience, and liberty often in several texts to show the seriousness of our decisions. We will be in the book of 1 Corinthians, two or three different chapters, and then we'll look at Romans 14 briefly. So it won't be a lot of turning in your Bible, but you will have to do some.

The first thing they want to consider, the first principle, is the enslavement principle. Does this activity in any way control me? And beloved, that takes being honest. Does this activity, good or bad, in any way control me? You need to turn back a few chapters, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter 6, 1 Corinthians 6. And we're going to read verse 12, 1 Corinthians 6, 12. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of many, or any, I should say. Paul has purposed that he's not going to be brought under the dominion or power of anything. Now you note that statement, all things are lawful for me.

It's almost like he's starting out advocating a blank check to do anything and everything, and it couldn't be further from the truth. All things are lawful for me was a popular phrase in Corinth, and it was based on a false view of Christian liberty. We don't become free from the law, see the grace of Christ, only to become in bondage to something else. We don't become free from the law and then continue in sin. Paul rebukes that in Romans. As Christians, we must ask ourselves, will this thing enslave me?

Is this activity really profitable for my spiritual life? Now concerning things that are sinful, as we said, Romans 6, 12, clearly states that we have a choice when it comes to bondage. Paul wrote, therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it and it's lust. So the bottom line, when we're considering the enslavement principle when it comes to sinful practices, God is going to give us the grace and the strength and the wisdom to overcome these. We do not have to be enslaved by them. And we can put it simply, as you see on the screen, choose to master sinful lust or sinful lust will master you.

It's just that straightforward. Choose to master sinful lusts or sinful lust will master you. And I give you the reference James 1, 14 and 15, and you know what that's referring to. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed, and it ends up saying when sin is finished, it brings forth death. It could be physical death, beloved, but it could be the death of your reputation or testimony.

It could be the death of an occupation. If I fall into sin, mark it down, I'll no longer stand behind this pulpit. But the bottom line is this, if we're not careful, our lust will master us. Well, what about sins or activities that are not sinful? What about things that are out there that are not patently sinful, not condemned in God's word?

Charles Hodge gives the following. He says, Some believers are slave to certain forms of indulgence, which they defend on the basis that they're not wrong in themselves, forgetting that it's wrong to be in bondage to any appetite or habit. Let me read that last part. They defend their involvement on the basis that this thing is not wrong in itself, forgetting that it's wrong to be in bondage to any appetite or habit.

I've jotted just a few in my notes, sports, cell phones, television, et cetera. In and of themselves, nothing wrong with them, but if we become enslaved to them, where they're dominating our lives and our time, they're wrong. Matthew Henry adds this slant. He says, Christians should not barely consider what is in itself lawful to be done, but what is fit for them to do, considering their profession, character, relations, and hopes. They should be very careful that by carrying the notion that all things are lawful for me too far, they're not brought into bondage. He's saying that when you make a decision, determine whether it's fit for you to do, considering your profession, that can involve your profession of faith or what you do, considering your character, your relations, and your hopes. Quite frankly, in a millisecond of time, I believe I can honestly say that I consider my position as a pastor, a husband, a father, a grandfather, when deciding to participate in something.

Now, how can you say that you do that in a split second? You make a lot of these decisions ahead of time. There are some things I'm not going to do.

When instantaneously the opportunity pops up, the decision is already made. As a pastor, I will not do this. As a husband, I will not do this.

As a father, et cetera. There are questions to ask when it comes to enslavement principle two. First, what is my reaction if I cannot do this activity when I really want to do so? What is my reaction if I cannot do this activity when I really want to do so? Do I get angry? Do I get frustrated? If that's the case, then perhaps you're addicted.

Perhaps you're enslaved. Second question, does this activity habitually hinder me from doing more profitable things? Does this activity habitually hinder me from doing more profitable things? If it does, then that's a priority issue. The next principle, we've looked at the enslavement principle. Does this activity in any way control me? The next one is the edification principle, the edification.

And this would be the longest of the ones that we consider tonight. And it'll take a couple of different texts. The edification principle, does my participation help or hurt the development of godliness in me and others? Does my participation help or hurt the development of godliness in me or others? If you would, turn back to 1 Corinthians 8.

We're only going to look at two verses in this. 1 Corinthians 8, verse 1, states, Now concerning things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. Knowledge puffs up.

Charles Hodge again. He says the Greek word here is used in the New Testament in the sense of to blow, to fill with wind, to inflate. Knowledge divorced from love tends to inflate the mind. In other words, it makes us vain. It makes us conceited.

I'll mention this again later, but we've got to be very careful that our liberty in Christ does not become a thing of pride. He says at the end of this, knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. Love edifies. Romans 13, 10, Love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Beloved, merely knowing the truth, merely knowing the truth, profits little until you use that knowledge wisely. Let me give you two examples.

We're talking about Christian liberty to eat meat. This guy has it. Here's an unwise use of knowledge. John, get a grip. This meat was offered to a false god. Get over it.

Enjoy it. That is a wrong use of knowledge. You're belittling.

You're pridefully looking down. Basically, you're saying spiritually, grow up, dude. What about a wise use of the knowledge or the liberty that you can eat meat offered to a figment of man's imagination and idol? John, I won't eat it if it offends you, but I would like to talk about this sometime.

Beloved, when you say, I would like to talk about this sometime, and you want to discuss it hopefully in a profitable way, you've still got to let the Holy Spirit do the leading in John's life. Drop down, if you would, in 1 Corinthians 8 to verse 7. He's told us in verse 1, we know that we all have knowledge, but down in verse 7, he says, However, there are not in everyone, there is not in everyone that knowledge. For some with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and their conscience being weak is defiled. Notice this part, with consciousness of the idol. The ESV translates that former association with the idol.

However, there is not in everyone that knowledge. For some with former association with the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol, and their conscience being weak is defiled. The words until now reveal that they're new believers. They used to practice idolatry until now. Verse 7 goes on, and it says that their conscience being weak is defiled.

I look to Charles Hodge again. He says, A weak conscience is one that either regards as wrong what is not in fact so, or one that is not clear and decided in its judgments. What is a weak conscience? It's one that either regards as wrong what is not in fact so. It's not wrong, or a weak conscience is one that is not clear and decided in its judgments. Romans 14, 23, that we'll look at a little bit later, states, Everything that does not come from faith is sin, and therefore, beloved, whatever a person does, thinking it's wrong or being unsure of whether it's wrong or not, it's sin to that person.

And so we who are older in the Lord, more mature in the Lord, we need to be very, very careful that we don't try to talk people into doing something that they're not certain in their conscience that they should do. The last thing under verse 7, the word defile means doing something which the unenlightened conscience does not allow. We defile them. Their conscience is defiled.

They've done something that their unenlightened conscience does not allow. Under this principle of edification, we want to ask you to turn back to 1 Corinthians 10. And this was probably the toughest section of the message for me to study through, and I pray that the Lord will enable me to explain this well for us. 1 Corinthians 10, I want to read 23 through 30, and we're only going to make a comment on a couple of the verses because the rest speak for themselves, but those particular verses were a challenge to me in looking through commentaries. But this text, 1 Corinthians 10, 23 through 30, is another example of the priority of not offending a weaker brother. Beginning with verse 23, All things are lawful for me.

There's that statement again. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience' sake, for the earth is the Lord's in all its fullness. If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, This was offered to idols, do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience' sake, for the earth is the Lord's in all its fullness. Verse 29, Conscience, I say, not your own, but that of the other.

For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? When we look at verses 23 all the way down to verse 28, it's simply saying you're free to eat the meat, buy the meat, eat the meat, unless a weaker brother voices concern that it was offered to idols. So if it's an activity, like I mentioned earlier, you're free to participate in because you have liberty to do so, have at it, unless another brother in Christ says you really think you ought to be doing that or addresses it in some other way that shows his concern. John MacArthur on verses 28 and 29a states this, Even if you are a guest at an unbeliever's house and don't want to offend him, it's better to offend the unbeliever and not eat for the sake of the weaker Christian who would be offended to eat, since love to other brothers is the strongest witness we have. That made me do quite a bit of thinking, and I think it will you, even if you're a guest at an unbeliever's house and don't want to offend him, it's better to offend the unbeliever and not eat for the sake of the weaker Christian who would be offended to eat.

Why? Since love to other believers is the strongest witness we have. If you pass up the meat, that's the main course. What are you going to say?

You're a vegetarian. If you pass up the meat in the presence of an unbeliever and a believer who really seriously questions it because it's been offered to idols, he's basically saying you are reinforcing your testimony in the eyes of both. And I do believe, while not all unbelievers would respect you, a good number would. This dude really believes what he professes. He really believes what he professes, even in the face of not wanting it.

As I've offered it to him. Now, verses 29b and 30. In these verses, Paul anticipates an argument from some believers who would eat the meat regardless of its impact on a weaker brother.

He's anticipating. And he basically says this, For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?

And here's the reason. The reason for refraining is that he does not want his Christian freedom condemned through another man's weaker conscience. He's not going to eat it because he does not want his testimony or his liberty in Christ condemned through another man's conscience. MacArthur puts it this way, and I think this is a profound, simple, in a sense, but profound statement.

Here it is, the gist. The legalism of a weaker brother should not make us legalistic, only gracious. I want you to think about that in the context of the illustration. You've gone to an unbeliever's house. He's offered meat. A weaker believer finds out that it's offered to idols, and you basically defer. You don't eat the meat for the sake of the weaker brother.

And MacArthur is putting it this way. He's saying the legalism, I'm not going to touch that stuff, the legalism of a weaker brother should not make us legalistic, only gracious. In other words, in different circumstances where another Christian does not take exception to the activity at hand, you can participate with thanks. In different circumstances where you don't have another Christian who takes exception to the activity, whatever it may be, you can participate with thanks.

Obviously, that's presuming that the activity is not an offense against the word of God or a violation of it. Questions to ask when it comes to the edification principle, too. Am I sensitive, apathetic, calloused, or prideful when interacting with others who do not have the liberty to participate in something that I think is permissible? I want to read that again because there may be more responses than that.

But am I sensitive, apathetic, I don't really care, calloused, or prideful when interacting with others who do not have the liberty to participate in something that I think is permissible? I initially took this out of my notes, and I end up putting this in there. There's been times when I thought something was right that I'd had to change my convictions over the years. I've changed my convictions over the years in two ways. In some ways, I've gotten, for lack of a better way of putting it, I've become more careful in some ways. In other ways, as I've been enlightened through the teaching of the word of God, for lack of a way of putting it, I've loosened up a little bit in some ways.

I don't necessarily like to use that term, but you know what I'm saying. I have to make certain that I'm sensitive when interacting with others who do not have the liberty to participate in something I think is permissible, because I'm not the final word. The second question, a critical one, could my involvement be used as an excuse for younger Christians to violate their conscience?

Perhaps they look up to me. Could my involvement in this activity be used as an excuse for younger Christians to violate their conscience? What if I, as a coach, instructed one of my players to do something dishonest and cheat? One of the little quips that I say to guys or girls on the field, we do not stoop to conquer, we do not cheat to win.

There you have it. All I've got to do is tell them to do something dishonest, harmful, whatever, and I've blown my testimony out of the water. We've looked at two, the enslavement principle, does this activity in any way control me? The edification principle, does my participation help or hurt the development and display of godliness in me? And now we're looking over the esteem principle.

What impact might my participation have on others? I want us to turn back to 1 Corinthians 8, if you would. 1 Corinthians 8, and we're going to read verses 9 through 13, but the way that I'm going to read them, I want to read them one at a time and give a little commentary after each one if I could. I think that that would be more effective in this text. 1 Corinthians 8, beginning with verse 9, we're talking about the esteem principle.

What impact might my participation have on others? Verse 9, but beware, lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. The new Christian or the untaught Christian will have a weak or undeveloped conscience. Friends, more mature believers need to be sensitive to that fact. When someone first gets saved, obviously they're novices in the word, and we've got to be sensitive to the fact that they will have a weak or an undeveloped, underdeveloped conscience. Verse 10, Paul writes, for if anyone sees you who have knowledge, eating in an idol's temple will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? The words you who have knowledge describe a believer who acknowledges that with his salvation came some liberty in Christ. Praise the Lord for that.

But notice what he's saying. If anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple. Now when we looked over the edification principle, we were talking about eating meat offered to idols in the house of an unbeliever. But in this text, Paul has shifted the focus to a different setting.

And I just want to make a general statement. Sometimes setting makes a difference. Sometimes something is okay to do in some settings and not best do in others. I don't think of an illustration off the top of my head, but I'm sure you can.

Setting does make a difference. I'm not going to drink a Coca Cola in a bar. For lack of a different illustration, I'm not going to drink a Coca Cola in a bar. I have one that comes to my mind. I was counseling some fellows years ago and I had some concern for them. They got into playing pool. Pool in and of itself, there's nothing wrong with that. But the problem was they were going to a pool hall to play pool. And when I went to them and shared my concern, I said, they serve alcohol there.

I don't know that that's the best place for you to be playing pool. And the answer respectfully was, well, they serve food there. And I said, they are a pool hall and bar who serves food.

They are not a restaurant who also serves alcohol and has a few pool tables. Now you might think, well, I'm sure that really convinced them. Well, Holy Spirit mustered because it did. They saw, yeah, that's true. Their main emphasis is not on the food that they offer. It's on the pool that you play, which is fine, and the booze that they offer.

So setting can make a difference is what we're saying. Verse 11. And because of your knowledge, shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died? Shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died? If you don't look up what that means in the Greek, you can think, is he talking about dying physically or is he talking about losing his salvation? No.

The answer is no on both. Perish means spiritual devastation rather than eternal destruction. Can we say that in a different way? The weaker Christian sees the better informed Christian as eating something offered to an idol, and he's harmed spiritually by what he believes is wrong. He's thinking, I cannot believe that so-and-so that I hold in high esteem is doing that because of your knowledge.

There's nothing wrong with this. I have liberty to do it. Because of your knowledge, shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died? We don't want to do anything to hurt or be a detriment to the spiritual welfare of a weaker Christian.

And then verse 12. When you thus sin against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. What a powerful statement.

What a sobering statement. It's not an exercise of their liberty. It's a sin against their brother, and therefore it's a sin against Christ.

One commentator put it this way. It's similar to something that's done to a child also being done to the parent. Because when you hurt the child, you hurt the parent. He's saying when you hurt one of these weaker brothers, you're hurting Christ. When you sin against one of these weaker brothers and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. But we also notice that the esteem principle requires regard as leaders. It requires regard as leaders. Paul's example as a leader.

Can you imagine this? If Paul had the attitude, if I have the liberty to eat meat offered to a lifeless idol, you've got an issue with me doing so, that's your problem. Now folks, I can't imagine Paul doing that, but I can imagine some Christians.

I have observed that. If I got the liberty to eat meat offered to a lifeless idol, you've got an issue with me doing so, that's your problem. On the contrary, Paul was exemplary in practicing what he preached. Notice verse 13 of the same chapter. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. And that is the attitude that we all must have. We will not do anything that clearly offends a weaker brother in Christ.

And you remember, Paul begins the next chapter, 1 Corinthians 11, with these words. Imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. When I defer to the conscience of a weaker brother, I am being Christlike.

That's the bottom line. Imitate me as I also imitate Christ. Whether you're in a formal position of leadership, pastor, whatever, or you're simply held in esteem by others, it behooves you to be very circumspect as an example. And play it safe.

Play it safe. Whether you have a formal position or you're just esteemed by others, be very circumspect and play it safe. I will say this before we get to the questions under the esteem principle. You need to be very careful not to let the esteem of others, they hold you in esteem. You need to be very careful that you don't let the esteem of others be a stumbling block of pride in your life. We talked about imitating Christ.

Try this one. Jesus said of himself, take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and lowly in heart, humble, and you will find rest for yourselves. Beloved, when we're talking about the esteem principle, what impact might my participation have on others, we need to make certain we're very, very careful. Two questions to ask when it comes to this. If you're in a position of influence, are you willing to deprive yourself of an activity that might cause someone who looks up to you to stumble?

Let me repeat that. If you're in a position of influence, are you willing to deprive yourself of an activity that might cause someone who looks up to you to stumble? And then secondly, this question, what biblical standards of conduct do you expect from leaders in your life? What biblical standards of conduct do you expect from the leaders in your life?

Follow up. Do you expect the same from yourself? Do you expect the same from yourself? We looked at the enslavement principle, the edification principle, the esteem principle. Now we want to consider the endearment principle, the endearment principle. Turn to Romans 14. We'll be coming back in a moment or two to 1 Corinthians 10, but turn to Romans 14. And I promise you, I tried to minimize the number of verses that I would use as much as possible, but to get what Paul is teaching, it's impossible to leave some of these things out.

We've trimmed it as much as I felt I could. The endearment principle. Does my decision to participate or to refrain demonstrate love for others?

And I want to, again, do what we did earlier, and you can see it on your slide. We'll go through each verse. Starting with verse 14, Paul writes, I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there's nothing unclean of itself, but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. What we need to do is take seriously the scruples of a weaker brother. And Paul goes right into Romans 15, don't turn there, but he goes right into Romans 15, the first two verses, saying that very thing. He says, we then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. Verse 15, yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love.

Do not destroy with food the one for whom Christ died. The word grieved means causing pain or distress. The word destroy is not talking about causing the guy to lose his salvation. It is, again, referring to a serious devastation of a person's growth. It just, he takes a hit.

He takes a hit because he's seen you do this. If your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Verses 16 and 17, therefore, in light of this, do not let your good be spoken of or spoken of as evil. Verse 17, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy and the Holy Spirit. Commentators say that Paul is admonishing us to guard our testimony, especially in non-essential and external observances.

What is he meaning by that? Are you really willing to offend a younger Christian over any activity? I mean, is any activity that important that you're willing to openly offend a weaker Christian and participate in that?

Paul's answer is absolutely not. He's admonishing us to guard our testimony. Then verse 18, he says, for he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Wow. So by consciously determining that I'm not going to eat meat offered to idols or do this activity, whatever it would be, consciously choosing to do that on behalf of a weaker brother in Christ, I am serving Christ. And notice what Paul says. It's not only acceptable to God, but it's approved by men. Refraining from an activity that offends a weaker brother honors Christ and grows our testimony.

Verses 19 through 20, we'll read as a group. Therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it's evil for the man who eats with offense. In other words, you're eating and while you're eating, you're offending another.

It's neither good. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Paul is saying we should be pursuing peace and edification. And when he says eating with offense, that means abusing God-given liberties at the expense of other believers. And it is very sobering, folks, to note that God says that doing this is evil.

Verses 22 and 23. Do you have faith? In other words, do you have the faith that it's OK for you to eat that meat?

Do you have faith? Have it yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself on what he approves, but he who doubts is condemned if he eats because he does not eat from faith, for whatever is not from faith is sin. MacArthur states this. Paul urges the strong to enjoy their liberty of conscience before God while refraining from publicly exercising it if an activity offends others.

Let me read that again because he puts a qualifier there. Paul urges the strong to enjoy their liberty of conscience before God. I don't feel guilty. I don't feel like I'm sinning against God when I'm eating this meat because it's meat offered to an idea that some guy cooked up and it's represented in stone.

I don't have a problem doing that whatsoever. So you have faith. Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself on what he approves, but he who doubts is condemned if he eats because he does not eat from faith, whatever is not from faith is sin.

And notice what he says again. You enjoy your liberty of conscience before the Lord, but refrain from publicly doing so if that activity offends others. And then toward the end he once again warns weaker Christians against doing something that violates their conscience.

Two questions that we can ask when it comes to the endearment principle. Do I place the spiritual welfare of people ahead of my desire to participate in this activity? Do I place the spiritual welfare of people ahead of my desire to participate in this activity? And secondly, does my love for God make me actively pursue the welfare of his children? Does my love for God make me actively pursue the welfare of his children? That's an important question because if what you do is based on your love for God, you don't pick and choose how you act depending on who the other person is. I don't particularly like that other Christian. I'm not really sure if they are even saved. You know, you start being pragmatic and that is not God-honoring. Does my love for God make me actively pursue the welfare of his children?

The last two are short but they are probably the most powerful. We read them at the start. The evangelization principle. The evangelization principle.

Do my decisions reflect concern for the eternal good of others? Turn back to 1 Corinthians 10. 1 Corinthians 10 and we'll end here. 1 Corinthians 10 and I want you to look at 32 and 33. Once again we read that Paul wrote, Give no offense, give no offense, neither to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of many.

Why? That they may be saved. When it comes to our decision to participate in something potentially offensive, our primary concern must be the evangelization of the lost, Jews and Greeks, and the edification of Christians, the Church of God.

Notice what he says. You're not going to do anything that offends Jews, Greeks, or the Church of God. Questions to ask when it comes to the evangelization principle. Does this activity in any way hurt my effectiveness as a witness? Does this activity in any way hurt my effectiveness as a witness?

Second question. Does my participation show that Christians can do this without compromising their testimony? And again, forgive this, but I go back to coaching. Does my participation show that Christians can do this without compromising their testimony?

Yeah, you can do that. And you know, if you've got the right perspective on this, you're getting a double-dip dose. You pursue excellence on a soccer field or a basketball court, whatever, you pursue excellence. And if you are good enough, in the will of God, you may win a championship. But did you win in the most important area, and that is the area of sportsmanship or testimony. Sportsmanship for the Christian is godliness applied to the games of life. Sportsmanship for the Christian is godliness applied to the games of life.

Does my participation show that Christians can do this without compromising their testimony? I'll simply mention the name Tim Tebow. I had a little blurb that I was going to read about him, but it would have taken too long. Tim Tebow, I'm sure he doesn't dot his I and cross his T, as we would in every instance.

But I'll tell you one thing about it. He is hated for his testimony. He is hated for his testimony by some. He is adored by others for his testimony.

Because he doesn't use terms like the man upstairs, or he doesn't use a general term, and I say this reverently, God, he mentions the Lord Jesus Christ. His participation shows Christians can pursue excellence, Heisman Trophy, without compromising their testimony. The last thing that we look at, and the shortest but most important, does my participation in this glorify God? Verse 31, therefore whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. The eating and drinking, especially the eating part, is in the context of eating that which is offered to idols, but Paul broadens it out, and he says whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Paul's conclusion when it comes to doing anything that might pose a problem, is that we're to do all for the glory of God. If you wrongfully offend others, if you wrongfully offend others by what you do, you are not glorifying God. And beloved, the thing is, Paul connects the glory of God, glorifying God, with not offending other people.

And I think we need to think that through. Questions asked when it comes to the exaltation principle. Number one, does my participation give others a good opinion of God? In other words, does it point to his glory? Does it point to the essence of who God is and his perfection? And secondly, does my participation show that Christians can do this thing without compromising spiritual integrity?

They can glorify God participating in this without compromising spiritual integrity. When we look at this again, the first four, the enslavement principle, does this activity in any way control me? The edification or build up principle, does my participation help or hurt the development display of Godliness in me? The esteem principle, what impact might my participation have upon others who hold me in esteem or others who I esteem?

The endearment principle, does my decision to participate or refrain demonstrate love for others? And the last two, the evangelization principle, do my decisions reflect concern for the eternal good of others? And finally, the exaltation principle, does my participation in this glorify God? And you're saying, well, Pastor Dorothe, there is no way that I'm going to remember all of that.

All you've got to remember, folks, I think we need these thoughts, enslavement principle, edification, esteem, endearment, evangelization, exaltation, I think those are good to make us think through where we stand in each of these things. But the bottom line, all I need to remember is this, is this for the glory of God and the eternal good of men. 1 Corinthians 10, 31 through 11, verse 1. And I will close reading those and we will pray. In light of everything I've said before, therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Give no offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church of God. Just as I also please all men and all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. Let's pray. Father, we do ask that you'd help us to be sensitive to the spiritual well-being of others, not only the lost who need to get saved, but young Christians who need to be edified and grown. Help us to realize that we need to be an example before them. We need to make decisions when it comes to participation in various things that may be questionable, that may cause offense, that we need to be very prayerful and careful in making those decisions. Father, we end our prayer with this request. May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Amen.