» Developing Deep Convictions

October 18, 2015
Montia Setzler, Senior Pastor
Series: Game Changer
Developing Deep Convictions

1 Corinthians 8:1–13 (HCSB)

¹ About food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. ² If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. ³ But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. ⁴ About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— ⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we exist for Him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him, and we exist through Him. ⁷ However, not everyone has this knowledge. In fact, some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food offered to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat. ⁹ But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees you, the one who has this knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ Then the weak person, the brother for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. ¹² Now when you sin like this against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother to fall.

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” – Augustine

CONVICTION COMES MORE POWERFULLY OUT OF LOVE THAN KNOWLEDGE. vv 1-3

v 1 About food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.

It’s not so much about what we know, but how we love.

Ephesians 4:1–2 (HCSB)

¹Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love. . .

We may have a conviction allowing freedom in an area, but our conviction to love one another overrides our freedom.

CONVICTION, OPPOSITE AND JUST AS STRONG AS YOURS, CAN COME FROM A WEAKER BELIEVER. vv 4-7

The weaker brother’s conviction must be handled properly and with love.
The key is the violation of the conscience, therein lies the sin.

Romans 14:23 (HCSB)

²³ But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from a conviction, and everything that is not from a conviction is sin.

THE HABIT IS NOT THE ISSUE, IT’S OUR CONVICTION TO PREFER THE WEAKER BROTHER OR SISTER. vv 8-13

Romans 12:10 (KJV 1900)

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. . .

We may have freedom, but our freedom cannot overshadow the freedom of our brother or sister.

1 Corinthians 6:12 (HCSB)

“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be brought under the control of anything.

(See Romans 14:13–21(HCSB) )

Do everything possible to keep your brother from stumbling.

Questions we must consider along with our convictions:

Does my conviction and the freedom I have, build the body of Christ?
Do I love fellow believers more than my freedom in Christ?
Will the exercise of my freedom cause a weaker believer to stumble?

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