NEHEMIAH 11:1-12:26
1 CORINTHIANS 10:14-33
PSALM 34:11-22
PROVERBS 21:14-16
1Corinthians 10:18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
I think that most believers would say that they know that they should not participate in a worship service for a false God. If partaking in something that you know is not from God then you must understand that it is from the enemy. I think that you can be present at a worship service for a false god and not participate especially if our reason for being there is to understand an unbeliever to better reach them for Christ. As Paul had said in yesterday's reading "20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." But this is not something that every Christian should or can do. It takes a deep level of faith and a clear surrender and reliance on Christ and not every believer is gifted in that area. Also, every believer is at a different place in their walk.
Idolatry is rampant in the world. I am not just talking about the worship of other gods and other religions. There are so many things that people make into idols in their lives. Things, people, habits, addictions and more. We need to be careful as we navigate this life because we cannot avoid all the idolatry out there. These idols are often the things that the new believers cling to that keep their focus and they struggle with keeping Jesus first. When we are around people and the things that are distracting a believer, we need to be careful to not encouraging their idolatry. Even though participation in something that may be an idol for someone else does not have any influence on our relationship with Jesus it can encourage the distraction in others. We must seek direction from the Lord to know how to be in this idolatrous world and not contribute to the enemy's work.
1Corinthians 10:24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
Instead, we need to contribute to the Lord's work. Just as Jesus sacrificed Himself for our good we need to be willing to do the same. For example, you know a young believer who has just come to Christ and loves football. So much so that they have season tickets so for every home game they don't go to church. This Sunday he invited you to go to the game with him to see the "game of the season". You also enjoy football and would love to go to the game. How do you put the good of the new believer above your own good.
1Corinthians 10:27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
If you didn't know about his weakness when it comes to football you could go to the game and be thankful to God for the opportunity to go. You know that missing one church service does not diminish your focus on God. You would be evaluating yourself and what is for your good. But being that you know that this is an idol in this young believer's life and it would be on his conscience to believe that it is okay to put football before Jesus when he sees you're doing the same thing he is doing. The thing that is best for them might be to turn down the invite letting him know that you won't go because you want to be in church with your family. And perhaps use this opportunity that God has given to you to point out to them that they should do the same.
1Corinthians 10:32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
In all things ask yourself is this for the good of others? Would this cause my brother or sister to stumble? Is this for the good of the Kingdom of God? That is how we can best navigate this idolatrous world that we are living in.
Idolatry is very rampant in today’s world! I am so sorry that within the last year I wasn’t fully surrendering my life to Him, and little by little slipped into sin until it was just as you wrote an addiction or a habit. The price of sin here on Earth is costing me my job, hurt within my family, devastation to so many in the area. But thank God that I have repented and turned back to him so that my eternity isn’t costly!