1 Corinthians 10
August Memory Verse: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
Read: 1 Corinthians 10
1 Cor. 10:23 – All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
Paul first uses this quote “All things are lawful” back in Chapter 6. Here in Chapter 10, Paul brings this quote up again to teach that just because something is not specifically prohibited in scripture, have you considered that it might not be helping you? Does the action pass the test of building you up? Watching and following sports is an activity that can help someone relax and build community. But if you’re neglecting other responsibilities because of it, at some point it is no longer building you up. The same can be said of any number of morally neutral activities when taken to excess. In the next sentence, I think it’s pretty clear that Paul raises the bar even further by asking us to not only consider if it builds us up personally, but will it build up our neighbor? Paul sets a high standard with this statement and then doubles down on this high standard near the end of the chapter in verse 31 (the current Jumpstart memory verse)– “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
There are a ton of applications to the principle that Paul is teaching here, not only in the way you act around people, but also what you choose to post on social media. You may have the “right”, legally and even morally, to do something, but have you at least considered how it might negatively affect someone around you? I very often read of or see people act in a way that is clearly disturbing to other people, and the only defense I hear is that “it is my right to do this or that”. Paul is telling us that your “right” to do something is not a valid reason alone to do it. Does it build you up? Does it build up your neighbor, or at the very least, not hurt him? Does it bring glory to God by building you up or someone else?
By: Chuck Vellios
Read: 1 Corinthians 10
1 Cor. 10:23 – All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
Paul first uses this quote “All things are lawful” back in Chapter 6. Here in Chapter 10, Paul brings this quote up again to teach that just because something is not specifically prohibited in scripture, have you considered that it might not be helping you? Does the action pass the test of building you up? Watching and following sports is an activity that can help someone relax and build community. But if you’re neglecting other responsibilities because of it, at some point it is no longer building you up. The same can be said of any number of morally neutral activities when taken to excess. In the next sentence, I think it’s pretty clear that Paul raises the bar even further by asking us to not only consider if it builds us up personally, but will it build up our neighbor? Paul sets a high standard with this statement and then doubles down on this high standard near the end of the chapter in verse 31 (the current Jumpstart memory verse)– “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
There are a ton of applications to the principle that Paul is teaching here, not only in the way you act around people, but also what you choose to post on social media. You may have the “right”, legally and even morally, to do something, but have you at least considered how it might negatively affect someone around you? I very often read of or see people act in a way that is clearly disturbing to other people, and the only defense I hear is that “it is my right to do this or that”. Paul is telling us that your “right” to do something is not a valid reason alone to do it. Does it build you up? Does it build up your neighbor, or at the very least, not hurt him? Does it bring glory to God by building you up or someone else?
By: Chuck Vellios
2 Comments
Good job Chuck, this was a great lesson
This is great! I must remember to ask if something I am doing is helpful or building up. If the answer is yes, it can be helpful in saying no to temptation and no to idolatry