WEBVTT

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 You cannot be a Christian without being a theologian, because theology is a study of God,

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 and to be a Christian means you know God and you pursue greater knowledge of God.

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 So you cannot be a Christian without being a theologian.

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 But you can be a theologian without being a Christian.

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 What I mean by that is this.

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 One can know all there is to know about God and yet not know God.

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 One can wax eloquently about the love of God and yet not have a tincture of the love of God in himself.

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 Thomas Akempis, a 15th century German Christian, writes in the very first chapter of his devotional classic, The Imitation of Christ,

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 Quote,

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 Lofty words do not make a man just or holy, but a good life makes him dear to God.

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 I would rather feel contrition than be able to define it.

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 If you knew the whole Bible by heart and all the teachings of the philosophers, how would this help you without the grace and love of God?

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 Vanity of vanities and all is vanity except to love God and serve him alone.

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 Some of the Corinthians had fallen into this trap.

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 And they claimed great knowledge, but it was a deficient knowledge that did not produce love and good works.

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 So it was a knowledge that inflated their pride but deflated their love for one another.

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 So in this passage, Paul teaches them that love, not knowledge, is supposed to be the basis for Christian ethics, how we behave toward one another.

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 And reminds them that those who have been saved by the self-sacrifice of Christ should build one another up with self-effacing love, not self-inflating knowledge.

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 And that will be my three points. The first point will be self-inflating knowledge in first six verses, self-effacing love, verses 7 to 10, and self-sacrificing Christ in verses 11 to 13.

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 Paul begins in verse 1 with the phrase, now concerning, which is now the third time that Paul has used the phrase to indicate a new topic that he is addressing.

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 And this time the issue concerns food given to idols, food offered to idols.

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 So within the Roman Empire, various cultic festivals and family celebrations were regularly held in pagan temples.

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 And so usually when they have these celebrations and festivals, an animal would be sacrificed to the idols.

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 And then they would be divided up and served to the masses in the temple's dining halls.

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 For Gentile Christians in particular who had converted from their pagan background to Christianity,

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 there would have been enormous pressure, social pressure and family pressure to partake in these cultic festivals and family celebrations.

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 Especially, for example, if it happened to be a wedding of a relative happening in this pagan temple, right?

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 With the sacrifice taking place.

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 So the Corinthian believers had written to Paul about this matter, about eating food that was sacrificed to idols on such occasions.

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 And evidently they had insisted that they had the right to eat such meat at such festivals.

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 And their justification was this.

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 All of us possess knowledge.

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 That was their justification.

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 The word knowledge is a key word that occurs throughout 1 Corinthians.

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 It occurs nine times, four times in just this chapter.

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 And it's related to other key words that occur again and again in 1 Corinthians.

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 Words like speech, wisdom, right?

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 And Corinthians were, as we know from the previous seven chapters, they were people who boasted in their words of wisdom, lofty speech, and so-called knowledge.

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 And Paul contrasted his own approach to ministry from their perspective in chapter 2, verses 4 to 5 this way.

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 My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power,

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 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

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 The Corinthians believed that they had received special knowledge from God that set them apart from other believers and made them better than everybody else.

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 And because of that, they disdained even the apostle Paul himself and his teachings, thinking that they possessed superior knowledge than he did.

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 So this passage here is another instance of their misguided, prideful knowledge.

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 And Paul roundly rebukes them.

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 Read what he says.

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 This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

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 Paul's not saying here that knowledge is bad or that it is unimportant, right?

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 Notice the translators put quotation marks around the word knowledge to help us with that.

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 The knowledge that the Corinthians are boasting of is not true knowledge because it's not grounded in love.

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 And such knowledge does, all it does is inflate people with pride so that their heads swell up like a balloon, right?

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 And that's the image that Paul uses here.

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 It makes them puffed up, full of hot air, having big heads but no heart.

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 And such knowledge destroys people, Paul says in verse 11.

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 In contrast, love builds up.

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 Making them more vain and empty.

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 It loves, edifies people, builds them up, helping them to grow in a more substantive way.

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 Paul explains this further in verse 2.

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 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

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 Paul said earlier in chapter 3, verses 18 to 19.

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 Let no one deceive himself.

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 If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

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 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God, right?

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 So the Corinthian believers, they valued worldly wisdom over the message of Christ crucified,

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 over the good news of Jesus Christ.

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 And because of that, they were, even though they were convinced that they were wise, they were in fact fools.

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 In a similar way, those who imagine that they, you know, possess some kind of special knowledge that puts them a notch above everybody else,

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 they do not yet know as they ought to know.

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 Because true knowledge of God always begins with acquaintance with God, relationship with God.

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 And when we encounter God, it produces in us humility and submission, right?

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 I mean, if you read through the Bible, people who encounter God, meet him, they don't, you know, strut around with their chest sticking out and their heads up, held high.

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 They prostrate themselves on the ground and say, woe is me.

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 Because they're overwhelmed by the exceeding glory of God and their exceeding unworthiness to face him.

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 So all true knowledge of God begins with that kind of humility because that's where true knowledge is.

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 But Paul continues in verse 3.

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 In contrast to the Corinthian knowledge, self-inflating knowledge that exposed their ignorance of God.

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 But Paul continues in verse 3.

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 If anyone loves God, he is known by God.

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 Notice the two parallel, you know, contrasts between love and knowledge.

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 It says, you know, knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

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 And then he says those who think that they know something, they don't know as they ought to know.

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 But those who love, right, are truly known by God.

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 And notice how he doesn't say those who love God truly know God.

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 He doesn't say that.

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 Those who love are truly known by God, right?

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 You see how he turned it around there from the active verb to know to passive verb to being known by God.

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 That's similar to what he says later in chapter 13, verse 12 of this chapter.

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 When he says, for now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.

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 Now I know in part that I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

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 Right?

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 So there he is saying that presently the knowledge that we have of God is partial.

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 We only know him in part.

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 But he knows us even now fully.

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 We're known by him in a full way.

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 Similar thing is said again by Paul in Galatians 4.9.

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 It's, but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God.

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 Right?

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 This is a typical way in which Paul turns things around.

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 Because for Paul, God's knowledge of us precedes and enables our knowledge of him.

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 God's knowledge of us is a reference to his electing love.

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 Right?

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 That God chose us to make a covenant with us, to have a relationship with us.

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 So God says to prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1.5,

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 Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.

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 He's saying, I chose you for a special purpose.

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 Again, in Amos 3.2, he says,

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 You only have I known among all the families of the earth.

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 God's not saying there that, well, I know who you are, Israel,

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 but I really don't know anything about the other nations.

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 I mean, that would be an absurd thing to say, right, from an omniscient God.

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 He knows everyone.

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 That's not what he's saying.

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 He's saying that I know you, Israel, in a special way.

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 I have singled you out for a purpose.

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 You are my chosen people.

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 So to know when God knows us, when we're known by him,

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 that means he's chosen us.

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 It's his electing love.

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 It's because we were known by him that we now know him.

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 Think about it this way.

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 It's used in illustration from other parts of scripture.

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 Matthew 7.21-23, when Jesus teaches about the final judgment,

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 he says,

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 Why is being known by God so important?

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 Because when you seek to be admitted to the king's court,

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 it doesn't matter one bit how much you claim to know him.

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 What determines your standing in the king's court is not whether or not you know him,

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 but whether or not he knows you.

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 Will the king acknowledge you?

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 Will the king grant you an audience?

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 And our love for God is the evidence that we are known by God,

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 and therefore truly know him ourselves.

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 But the Corinthian believers had become more concerned with possessing knowledge about God

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 than being known by God and belonging to him.

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 They were using their so-called knowledge to engorge their own pride

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 and advance their own agenda

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 and elevate their own perceived spiritual standing in the eyes of others,

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 when true knowledge would have instead produced deeper humility and submission to God.

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 Theology, right, the study of God,

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 must lead to doxology, which is the worship of God.

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 Which theoretical knowledge that we have about God

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 has to lead to personal and relational knowledge of God.

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 Knowledge of God must lead to the love of God.

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 As Paul says later in 1 Corinthians 13,

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 If I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,

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 and if I have faith so as to remove mountains,

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 but have not love,

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 I am nothing.

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 Because if you do not love,

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 you do not know as you ought to know.

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 So Paul wants to bring the Corinthian so-called knowledge back to its proper mooring.

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 If anyone imagines that he knows something,

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 he does not yet know as he ought to know.

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 But if anyone loves God,

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 he is known by God.

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 Unfortunately, the Corinthian church

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 was not the only church that was guilty of what one Bible commentator calls

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 a tyranny of knowledge,

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 as we see here in this passage.

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 We've seen many of this throughout church history.

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 Sometimes the brightest students of the Bible

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 can be the most insufferable know-it-alls.

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 You guys probably know some of them.

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 I've been that myself in my life.

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 I saw an example of this self-inflating knowledge this past week.

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 A friend of mine wrote an article for the Gospel Coalition months ago,

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 and she recently discovered a scathing critique of her article on a Christian blog.

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 And I read through that critique because she posted it.

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 And the author of that critique was clearly well-versed in the Bible and theology.

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 In fact, he probably aligns very closely to exactly where I am theologically.

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 But as I read through that,

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 and even when he made a brighter point,

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 he was completely uncharitable and dismissive.

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 And whenever he could,

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 he assumed the worst of her intentions in her writing.

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 Let me ask you, right?

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 Have you ever used your superior theological knowledge

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 as a basis for looking down on others?

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 When you meet a fellow Christian,

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 do you always try to see how you measure up to each other

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 in terms of your spiritual history,

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 your Bible knowledge, and theology,

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 so you can establish yourself on the totem pole?

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 Do you ever engage in theological one-upmanship

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 in your conversation with other believers?

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 If your knowledge of God...

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 I struggle with this because I've been guilty of this so many times myself,

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 and it breaks my heart that this is what I've done.

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 If the knowledge of God doesn't make you more like God,

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 then you do not know God rightly.

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 Knowledge divorced from love, self-inflating knowledge,

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 is a telltale sign that you do not know God as you should.

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 And this is the case even when your knowledge is technically correct.

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 Having addressed the pride that was the root of the Corinthians' misguided behavior,

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 Paul returns once again to the issue in which their pride manifests itself

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 in verses 4 to 6.

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 Read with me, verses 4 to 6.

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 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols,

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 we know that an idol has no real existence,

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 and that there is no God but one.

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 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth,

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 as indeed there are many gods and many lords,

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 yet for us there is one God, the Father,

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 from whom are all things and for whom we exist,

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 and one Lord Jesus Christ,

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 through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

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 The knowledge that the Corinthians were claiming for themselves

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 was the foundational truth that there is no God but one,

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 and that by implication all the so-called gods and idols of their pagan culture

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 were in fact nothing.

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 They are not real.

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 They don't exist.

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 So Paul agrees wholeheartedly with the Corinthians' belief.

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 Their knowledge that they had about this was true.

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 There is no God but one, and Paul agrees with them.

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 He says,

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 We too know that an idol has no real existence,

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 and that there is no God but one.

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 This is objectively true.

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 But nevertheless,

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 Paul recognizes that there are many people in the world

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 for whom these idols are very much real in a subjective sense.

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 Do you follow what I'm saying?

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 So he says in verses 5 to 6,

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 That for them, indeed, there are many gods and lords,

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 yet for us there is one God, the Father,

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 from whom are all things and for whom we exist,

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 and one Lord Jesus Christ,

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 through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

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 Notice the deliberate contrast there between the many gods and many lords

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 that the Romans serve,

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 and the one God and one Lord,

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 one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ.

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 So Paul is categorically denying that there are any other gods and lords.

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 That is true.

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 And that's a powerful Trinitarian statement, actually.

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 This is one of the earliest books in the New Testament.

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 It was written around 55 A.D.

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 And so this is,

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 and it already alongside God the Father,

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 the one God,

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 Paul affirms Jesus Christ as the one Lord.

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 And Paul has no problem simultaneously affirming

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 that there is one God and one Lord,

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 and at the same time that there is no God but one.

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 Right?

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 So this is the doctrine of the Trinity.

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 That God is triune,

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 that he is three in one,

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 that there is one divine essence,

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 but three divine persons.

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 This wasn't a doctrine that was made up later

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 and added to Scripture.

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 And of course,

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 the Holy Spirit is not mentioned here

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 because Paul is using the parallelism

00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:46.960
 of the many gods and many lords

00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:48.759
 against one God and one Lord.

00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:50.559
 But he includes the Holy Spirit later

00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:51.860
 in the Trinitarian formulae

00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:53.500
 in 1 Corinthians 12, 4-6.

00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:56.039
 So though they are one God,

00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:57.799
 the Father is not the Son,

00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:00.480
 and the Son is not the Father.

00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:02.200
 They are distinct persons

00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:03.919
 with distinct operations.

00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:05.279
 So look at verse 6.

00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:06.059
 Paul notes here,

00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:07.899
 the Father is described as the one

00:17:07.899 --> 00:17:09.579
 from whom are all things

00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:11.740
 and for whom we exist.

00:17:12.159 --> 00:17:13.960
 The Father is both the origin

00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:16.539
 and the destination of all creation.

00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:19.599
 But note that Paul doesn't say this.

00:17:19.819 --> 00:17:20.539
 He doesn't say,

00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:22.079
 from whom are all things

00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:24.379
 and for whom are all things.

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:25.759
 That's not what Paul says.

00:17:26.099 --> 00:17:26.519
 He says,

00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:28.240
 from whom are all things

00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.679
 and for whom we exist.

00:17:31.339 --> 00:17:33.579
 He's making this personal for all of us.

00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:35.199
 not just abstractly,

00:17:35.259 --> 00:17:36.379
 oh, all creation is from him.

00:17:36.439 --> 00:17:37.659
 No, you are from him.

00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:40.059
 All of us are from him.

00:17:40.399 --> 00:17:41.299
 He is our origin

00:17:41.299 --> 00:17:42.919
 and he is our destination.

00:17:43.679 --> 00:17:44.599
 And this is a question,

00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:45.220
 these are questions

00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:45.819
 that everyone,

00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:47.659
 every human being wants to answer.

00:17:47.919 --> 00:17:48.639
 Who am I?

00:17:49.579 --> 00:17:51.059
 Where did I come from?

00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:53.379
 What is the meaning of life?

00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:55.119
 What is my purpose?

00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:57.919
 And apart from God,

00:17:58.019 --> 00:17:59.599
 you search for answers

00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:01.219
 to those questions in vain.

00:18:03.159 --> 00:18:04.500
 We have the answer.

00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:06.500
 The word of God tells us here

00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:08.799
 that we are from God the Father

00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:11.519
 and we exist for him.

00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:14.819
 Every Christian in this room

00:18:14.819 --> 00:18:15.439
 will tell you that

00:18:15.439 --> 00:18:17.039
 it's only when you renounce

00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:18.379
 your own sinful ways

00:18:18.379 --> 00:18:20.000
 and surrender yourself to God

00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.839
 that you truly come to know yourself

00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.199
 and find your true identity.

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:27.420
 It's only when you give your life to God

00:18:27.420 --> 00:18:28.480
 and live for him

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.740
 that you find true meaning

00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:32.360
 and fulfill your ultimate purpose in life.

00:18:32.980 --> 00:18:34.960
 If you're not yet a Christian,

00:18:35.100 --> 00:18:36.019
 I plead with you.

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:39.940
 Give your life to God today.

00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:43.080
 And the Son of God

00:18:43.080 --> 00:18:44.740
 is described in verse 6 this way,

00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:47.360
 as the one through whom are all things

00:18:47.360 --> 00:18:49.299
 and through whom we exist.

00:18:49.299 --> 00:18:52.200
 If the Father is the origin and destination,

00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:54.119
 the Son is the medium,

00:18:54.539 --> 00:18:56.659
 the road to and from the Father.

00:18:57.659 --> 00:18:59.019
 And this too is personal.

00:18:59.139 --> 00:19:01.099
 Not only are all things through him,

00:19:01.139 --> 00:19:03.559
 it says we exist through him.

00:19:04.399 --> 00:19:05.519
 He is the word of God

00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:07.159
 through whom we came to exist.

00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:08.419
 And he's the mediator

00:19:08.419 --> 00:19:10.139
 through whom we receive salvation

00:19:10.139 --> 00:19:12.779
 and are united with God.

00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:17.160
 I've used this analogy before,

00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:20.240
 but if you think of receiving a gift from someone,

00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:21.960
 there's a giver

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:23.700
 and there is the deliverer

00:19:23.700 --> 00:19:25.259
 and there is the gift itself.

00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:28.799
 You can think of God the Father as the giver,

00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:31.160
 God the Son as the deliverer,

00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:33.059
 and God the Spirit as the gift.

00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:37.339
 In terms of creation,

00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:40.759
 God the Father speaks things into being.

00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:42.640
 He creates, he's the planner.

00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:45.519
 And God the Son is described in Scripture

00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:46.480
 as the word of God

00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:47.940
 that proceeds from the Father

00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:49.940
 to bring all creation into being,

00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:50.859
 to accomplish it.

00:19:51.299 --> 00:19:52.980
 And the Spirit is described in Scripture

00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:54.180
 as the breath of God

00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:55.500
 that brings life,

00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:57.079
 imbues all creation with life.

00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:00.279
 And in terms of salvation,

00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:01.460
 it's God the Father

00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:03.720
 who plans from before the foundation of the world

00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:05.140
 to save his people.

00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:06.660
 And it's God the Son

00:20:06.660 --> 00:20:07.759
 who is sent by the Father

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.720
 to accomplish that

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:10.940
 by living and dying on the cross

00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:12.600
 and rising again from the dead.

00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:14.299
 And it is a Spirit

00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:16.380
 who is then sent by the Father and the Son

00:20:16.380 --> 00:20:18.460
 to imbue spiritual life,

00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:19.500
 impart spiritual life

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.400
 to all his people.

00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:24.360
 If you want to,

00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:25.460
 and because of this,

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:27.680
 and because all things are through Jesus,

00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:29.180
 salvation is through Jesus,

00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:31.059
 because Jesus is the way,

00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:31.600
 the truth,

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:32.279
 and the life,

00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.720
 and no one comes to the Father

00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:34.799
 except through him.

00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:36.720
 If you want to get to know God

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.119
 and to be known by him,

00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:39.819
 if you want peace with God,

00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:41.859
 if you want eternal life,

00:20:42.379 --> 00:20:45.240
 only way is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:20:46.180 --> 00:20:48.059
 And if you have not yet come to know

00:20:48.059 --> 00:20:49.639
 this Jesus for salvation,

00:20:49.899 --> 00:20:51.619
 you have a great opportunity to do it today.

00:20:53.259 --> 00:20:54.919
 So if this was the knowledge

00:20:54.919 --> 00:20:56.480
 that the Corinthians claimed to have,

00:20:56.700 --> 00:20:57.579
 what's the problem?

00:20:58.779 --> 00:20:59.099
 Right?

00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:01.480
 Isn't this all great things

00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:02.180
 that they should believe?

00:21:02.399 --> 00:21:03.259
 Yeah, Corinthians believed

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:04.480
 that there is no God but one.

00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:06.120
 This is a great truth to believe.

00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:07.660
 So what's the problem, Paul?

00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:08.920
 Why are you rebuking them?

00:21:09.860 --> 00:21:11.240
 The doctrine is true.

00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:15.339
 The problem is not with what they believed

00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:17.160
 about the oneness and uniqueness of God.

00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:19.079
 The problem was in their application

00:21:19.079 --> 00:21:20.079
 of this truth.

00:21:21.700 --> 00:21:22.880
 The Corinthians were arguing

00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:24.960
 that because there's only one God

00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.059
 and the idols are no real gods at all,

00:21:27.339 --> 00:21:28.120
 that they should be free

00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:29.799
 to attend these cultic celebrations

00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:31.259
 and festivals and pagan temples

00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:32.380
 and eat all they want.

00:21:32.440 --> 00:21:33.200
 They're filled with the meat

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:34.759
 that was sacrificed to idols.

00:21:35.580 --> 00:21:36.420
 Their logic was this,

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.779
 why should we let this delicious

00:21:37.779 --> 00:21:39.400
 and expensive meat go to waste?

00:21:40.340 --> 00:21:40.680
 They're just,

00:21:40.840 --> 00:21:41.539
 they're nothing at all,

00:21:41.600 --> 00:21:42.000
 these idols.

00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:46.920
 They were correct in their knowledge,

00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:47.860
 but they were wrong

00:21:47.860 --> 00:21:48.680
 in their application

00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:49.480
 of their knowledge

00:21:49.480 --> 00:21:50.740
 in two important ways.

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:53.859
 first, as Paul argues later in chapter 10,

00:21:54.019 --> 00:21:56.420
 even though the idols are no gods at all,

00:21:56.819 --> 00:21:58.759
 food offered to them in sacrifice

00:21:58.759 --> 00:22:00.779
 is essentially being offered to demons.

00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:04.000
 Therefore, to participate in such feasts

00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.180
 is equivalent to participating with demons.

00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:08.900
 So the Corinthians were wrong to think,

00:22:09.120 --> 00:22:10.220
 their knowledge was deficient,

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:11.400
 they were wrong to think

00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:12.559
 that they could participate

00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.000
 in such feasts with immunity.

00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:16.819
 But that's not Paul's concern

00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.859
 in the present passage.

00:22:17.859 --> 00:22:19.059
 He'll deal with that in chapter 10.

00:22:19.479 --> 00:22:21.599
 Paul's concern with them is this,

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:22.639
 the second problem

00:22:22.639 --> 00:22:23.339
 with their application

00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:23.939
 of their knowledge,

00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:27.119
 that their application of knowledge

00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:28.639
 did not stem from love

00:22:28.639 --> 00:22:29.479
 and consideration

00:22:29.479 --> 00:22:31.039
 for their fellow Christian brothers

00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:31.659
 and sisters,

00:22:31.959 --> 00:22:32.639
 but instead,

00:22:32.879 --> 00:22:33.799
 they were acting out of

00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:35.199
 self-inflating knowledge,

00:22:35.919 --> 00:22:37.419
 not self-effacing love.

00:22:37.479 --> 00:22:38.299
 That was the problem.

00:22:38.979 --> 00:22:39.559
 They were behaving

00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:40.859
 with a sense of selfish entitlement.

00:22:41.719 --> 00:22:42.599
 Oh, I could do that.

00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:45.159
 Not selfless love.

00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:46.300
 And that brings us

00:22:46.300 --> 00:22:47.100
 to the second point,

00:22:47.380 --> 00:22:48.640
 self-effacing love.

00:22:49.360 --> 00:22:50.600
 In verses 7 to 13,

00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.840
 Paul explains why

00:22:51.840 --> 00:22:52.860
 their insistence

00:22:52.860 --> 00:22:53.700
 on participating

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:55.240
 in such pagan feasts

00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:56.420
 was selfish and unloving.

00:22:56.840 --> 00:22:58.100
 Because while their knowledge

00:22:58.100 --> 00:22:59.519
 that idols are no gods at all

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.440
 is correct,

00:23:00.580 --> 00:23:02.100
 Paul adds this in verse 7.

00:23:02.180 --> 00:23:02.700
 Read with me.

00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:04.220
 However,

00:23:04.900 --> 00:23:07.019
 not all possess this knowledge,

00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:08.580
 but some,

00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:09.920
 through former association

00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:10.500
 with idols,

00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:12.380
 eat food as really offered

00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:13.180
 to an idol,

00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:14.519
 and their conscience

00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:15.340
 being weak

00:23:15.340 --> 00:23:16.940
 is defiled.

00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:18.580
 Even though

00:23:18.580 --> 00:23:19.920
 all Christians

00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:21.299
 believe cognitively

00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:21.799
 in their mind

00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.340
 that the idols

00:23:22.340 --> 00:23:23.519
 are no gods at all,

00:23:23.840 --> 00:23:24.519
 there are some,

00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:25.299
 because of their

00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:26.240
 former association

00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:27.120
 with idols,

00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:28.480
 still do not share

00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:29.140
 this knowledge

00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:30.799
 in an experiential,

00:23:31.060 --> 00:23:32.080
 emotional way.

00:23:32.560 --> 00:23:32.980
 Do you guys see

00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:33.480
 what I'm saying?

00:23:34.019 --> 00:23:34.820
 It's similar to how

00:23:34.820 --> 00:23:36.240
 many people in our culture

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:37.120
 view superstitions.

00:23:37.660 --> 00:23:38.720
 Most people in the U.S.

00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:39.360
 do not believe

00:23:39.360 --> 00:23:40.180
 in superstitions.

00:23:40.460 --> 00:23:41.180
 They know that

00:23:41.180 --> 00:23:41.720
 superstitions,

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:42.940
 they're not real.

00:23:43.180 --> 00:23:44.180
 There's no substance

00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:44.600
 to them.

00:23:46.100 --> 00:23:46.580
 But,

00:23:46.820 --> 00:23:47.720
 even though they know

00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:48.539
 that objectively,

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:49.640
 many people

00:23:49.640 --> 00:23:50.840
 still believe

00:23:50.840 --> 00:23:51.600
 in superstitions

00:23:51.600 --> 00:23:52.519
 subjectively.

00:23:54.080 --> 00:23:54.600
 So,

00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:55.560
 they still avoid

00:23:55.560 --> 00:23:56.500
 walking under a ladder.

00:23:57.100 --> 00:23:57.900
 They try not to

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.640
 cross paths

00:23:58.640 --> 00:23:59.600
 with a black cat.

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.380
 They try not

00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:02.180
 to put an umbrella

00:24:02.180 --> 00:24:02.680
 indoors.

00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:04.860
 They try to be

00:24:04.860 --> 00:24:05.660
 extra cautious

00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:06.960
 on Friday the 13th.

00:24:07.180 --> 00:24:08.299
 You guys all know

00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:08.940
 people like that,

00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:09.140
 right?

00:24:09.140 --> 00:24:10.880
 So,

00:24:11.080 --> 00:24:11.300
 yeah,

00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:11.920
 they know

00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:13.280
 that these are not true.

00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:14.360
 They know the superstitions

00:24:14.360 --> 00:24:15.120
 are not true,

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:16.280
 but subjectively,

00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.320
 in their experience,

00:24:17.520 --> 00:24:19.000
 they can't live like that.

00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:20.160
 They believe it.

00:24:20.560 --> 00:24:21.400
 In the same way,

00:24:21.460 --> 00:24:22.259
 when you have worshipped

00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:23.580
 idols year after year

00:24:23.580 --> 00:24:25.040
 at those pagan festivals,

00:24:25.600 --> 00:24:26.920
 even if you know

00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:27.880
 that they're not real,

00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:30.360
 they sure feel real

00:24:30.360 --> 00:24:30.980
 when you're offering

00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:31.980
 a sacrifice to them,

00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:33.680
 and that could lead

00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.920
 them to idolatry.

00:24:37.799 --> 00:24:38.759
 And for them,

00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:39.380
 because of their

00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:40.160
 weak conscience,

00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:40.620
 it would lead

00:24:40.620 --> 00:24:41.839
 to their defilement.

00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:43.960
 So,

00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.440
 then in verse 8,

00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:46.339
 Paul offers a brief

00:24:46.339 --> 00:24:47.720
 concession to the Corinthians.

00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.140
 He says,

00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:49.220
 food will not

00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:50.140
 come to God.

00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:51.620
 We are no worse off

00:24:51.620 --> 00:24:52.420
 if we do not eat

00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:53.279
 and no better off

00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:53.980
 if we do.

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:54.680
 So,

00:24:54.759 --> 00:24:55.839
 he's conceding this

00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:56.480
 to the Corinthians.

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:56.980
 You're right.

00:24:57.079 --> 00:24:57.519
 Food doesn't

00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:58.120
 command us to God.

00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:58.920
 It's not going to make us

00:24:58.920 --> 00:24:59.980
 more acceptable to God

00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:01.480
 or less acceptable to God.

00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.500
 You're right about that.

00:25:02.860 --> 00:25:03.059
 But,

00:25:03.140 --> 00:25:04.259
 Paul returns to his

00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:05.539
 main objection in verse 9,

00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:06.860
 but take care

00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:08.500
 that this right of yours

00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:09.759
 does not somehow

00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:11.059
 become a stumbling block

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.660
 to the weak.

00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:14.480
 Even if you have

00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:15.339
 the right to eat

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:16.259
 such things,

00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:17.559
 you should not

00:25:17.559 --> 00:25:18.620
 follow through with it

00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:19.779
 and exercise your right

00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:20.440
 to do so

00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:21.519
 because our actions

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.960
 affect other people

00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:24.059
 and we need to be

00:25:24.059 --> 00:25:25.140
 considerate toward them.

00:25:25.900 --> 00:25:26.819
 Our right must not

00:25:26.819 --> 00:25:28.079
 become a stumbling block.

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.160
 What does Paul mean

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:31.059
 by a stumbling block?

00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:31.720
 This is commonly

00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:32.460
 misunderstood.

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.659
 Paul explains it

00:25:33.659 --> 00:25:34.359
 in verse 10.

00:25:35.179 --> 00:25:36.359
 For if anyone

00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:37.319
 sees you

00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:38.139
 who have knowledge

00:25:38.139 --> 00:25:39.619
 eating at an idol's

00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:40.179
 temple,

00:25:40.619 --> 00:25:42.139
 will he not be encouraged

00:25:42.139 --> 00:25:42.899
 if his conscience

00:25:42.899 --> 00:25:43.259
 is weak

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:44.379
 to eat food

00:25:44.379 --> 00:25:45.139
 offered to idols?

00:25:45.659 --> 00:25:46.039
 And so,

00:25:46.119 --> 00:25:47.119
 by your knowledge,

00:25:47.419 --> 00:25:48.440
 this weak person

00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:49.679
 is destroyed.

00:25:50.339 --> 00:25:50.579
 So,

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:51.480
 if a Christian

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:53.200
 asserts his right

00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.879
 and with a clear conscience

00:25:54.879 --> 00:25:56.440
 eats a sacrifice

00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:57.799
 made to an idol,

00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:58.779
 a Christian

00:25:58.779 --> 00:25:59.799
 with a weaker conscience

00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:01.119
 might see that

00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:01.700
 in the temple

00:26:01.700 --> 00:26:02.159
 and be like,

00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:02.399
 oh,

00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:03.259
 he's doing it.

00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:04.960
 Maybe I can do the same

00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:06.119
 but he himself

00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:06.819
 cannot do so

00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:07.839
 with a clear conscience.

00:26:08.919 --> 00:26:09.180
 And so,

00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:09.839
 in doing so,

00:26:09.859 --> 00:26:10.519
 he will be sinning

00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:11.200
 against the Lord.

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:12.559
 So,

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:14.139
 to be a stumbling block,

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:14.419
 then,

00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:15.440
 it doesn't just mean

00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:16.059
 to offend

00:26:16.059 --> 00:26:17.019
 someone's sensibilities.

00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:17.940
 It means to cause

00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:18.839
 that person to sin,

00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:20.319
 to lead that person

00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:20.879
 to sin.

00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:23.780
 And when Paul says

00:26:23.780 --> 00:26:24.680
 that the Christian

00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:25.820
 with a weak conscience

00:26:25.820 --> 00:26:27.040
 will be encouraged

00:26:27.040 --> 00:26:28.020
 to eat food

00:26:28.020 --> 00:26:28.660
 offered to idols,

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:30.000
 the word translated

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:30.560
 encouraged

00:26:30.560 --> 00:26:31.320
 is actually

00:26:31.320 --> 00:26:32.180
 the exact same

00:26:32.180 --> 00:26:32.580
 Greek word

00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:33.020
 that was used

00:26:33.020 --> 00:26:34.020
 earlier in verse 1

00:26:34.020 --> 00:26:35.400
 to mean build up.

00:26:36.020 --> 00:26:36.220
 So,

00:26:36.280 --> 00:26:36.860
 Paul's saying,

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.200
 literally,

00:26:37.520 --> 00:26:38.880
 they will be built up

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.780
 to eat food

00:26:39.780 --> 00:26:40.640
 offered to idols.

00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:40.820
 So,

00:26:40.820 --> 00:26:42.020
 he's using that word

00:26:42.020 --> 00:26:43.120
 in an ironic way

00:26:43.120 --> 00:26:44.120
 because he said

00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:45.560
 that knowledge puffs up

00:26:45.560 --> 00:26:46.720
 but love builds up.

00:26:47.100 --> 00:26:47.660
 But Corinthians,

00:26:47.860 --> 00:26:48.320
 in contrast,

00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:49.080
 think that they're

00:26:49.080 --> 00:26:50.260
 building up one another

00:26:50.259 --> 00:26:51.299
 by imparting

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.400
 this so-called knowledge

00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:53.000
 to each other.

00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:53.920
 They think that

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:54.400
 they're building

00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:55.099
 each other up

00:26:55.099 --> 00:26:56.579
 and they're saying,

00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:56.779
 oh,

00:26:56.839 --> 00:26:57.160
 brother,

00:26:57.259 --> 00:26:57.839
 it's no sin

00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:58.720
 to eat this meat.

00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:00.119
 Let me show you.

00:27:00.200 --> 00:27:01.220
 Watch me eat this meat.

00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:01.480
 Come,

00:27:01.579 --> 00:27:02.359
 eat it with me.

00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:03.420
 Let me show you

00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:04.859
 how to live in freedom.

00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:07.299
 That's what they're doing.

00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:07.920
 They think that

00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:08.440
 they're building

00:27:08.440 --> 00:27:09.519
 the other brother up

00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:10.640
 but Paul says,

00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:12.319
 you're building them up

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:13.660
 to be destroyed

00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:17.240
 because they might be led

00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:18.480
 to idolatry

00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:19.299
 and apostasy.

00:27:19.299 --> 00:27:20.200
 They thought

00:27:20.200 --> 00:27:21.019
 they were building them up.

00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.319
 They thought

00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:22.419
 they were being constructive

00:27:22.419 --> 00:27:23.079
 but they were just

00:27:23.079 --> 00:27:24.079
 being destructive

00:27:24.079 --> 00:27:25.720
 and how selfish

00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:26.960
 and self-centered

00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:28.180
 is this,

00:27:28.259 --> 00:27:28.720
 what they're doing.

00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:29.899
 Because Paul says

00:27:29.899 --> 00:27:30.599
 in verse 12

00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:31.680
 that by doing this,

00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:32.180
 what they're doing

00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:32.859
 is sinning

00:27:32.859 --> 00:27:33.720
 against their brothers

00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:34.879
 and wounding

00:27:34.879 --> 00:27:35.759
 their conscience

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:37.159
 when it is weak.

00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:39.759
 It's the strong

00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:40.980
 that should accommodate

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:42.399
 themselves to the weak

00:27:42.399 --> 00:27:43.940
 not the other way around.

00:27:45.619 --> 00:27:46.659
 Instead of bearing

00:27:46.659 --> 00:27:47.980
 your weaker brother

00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:49.180
 and covering up

00:27:49.180 --> 00:27:49.660
 his weakness

00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:50.299
 in love,

00:27:50.519 --> 00:27:51.740
 you are wounding him

00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:53.220
 while he is weak

00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:54.759
 as a predator would do.

00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:57.420
 How selfish is that?

00:28:00.819 --> 00:28:01.819
 This seems to be

00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:02.660
 a recurring problem

00:28:02.660 --> 00:28:03.339
 for the Corinthians

00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:04.440
 because remember

00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:05.079
 that one of the

00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:05.819
 Corinthians slogans

00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:06.880
 is all things

00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:07.900
 are lawful for me.

00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:09.900
 Paul quotes

00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:10.880
 that slogan twice

00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:11.819
 in chapter 6-12

00:28:11.819 --> 00:28:12.920
 and chapter 10-23

00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:14.500
 and in both instances

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.960
 he sharply qualifies

00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:16.460
 their slogan

00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:17.079
 by saying that

00:28:17.079 --> 00:28:17.920
 while all things

00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:18.700
 are lawful,

00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:19.740
 not all things

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:20.519
 are helpful.

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:21.880
 And Paul's addressing

00:28:21.880 --> 00:28:22.900
 the same idea here.

00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:24.079
 Yes, it might be

00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:25.160
 lawful for you

00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:26.259
 to do that.

00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:27.160
 It turns out

00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:27.700
 that it's not even

00:28:27.700 --> 00:28:28.660
 lawful as we find out

00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:29.220
 in chapter 10

00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:29.720
 because they're

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.620
 participating with demons.

00:28:31.059 --> 00:28:31.860
 But Paul's saying

00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:32.840
 let me grant you that

00:28:32.840 --> 00:28:33.279
 for the sake

00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:33.960
 of my argument.

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:34.840
 Okay, let's say

00:28:34.840 --> 00:28:35.740
 that it's lawful.

00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:36.980
 Even if it's lawful

00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:37.400
 for you,

00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:38.100
 is it helpful

00:28:38.100 --> 00:28:38.940
 for you to do that?

00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.039
 Does it build up

00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.559
 your other brothers

00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:41.160
 and sisters

00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:42.240
 for you to eat there?

00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:46.720
 You might have

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.519
 the right to do it

00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:48.120
 but that doesn't mean

00:28:48.120 --> 00:28:49.019
 that you should

00:28:49.019 --> 00:28:49.940
 do it.

00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:50.900
 And so this is

00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:51.460
 the principle,

00:28:51.660 --> 00:28:52.420
 the two-fold principle.

00:28:52.900 --> 00:28:53.539
 If you're not

00:28:53.539 --> 00:28:54.400
 fully convinced

00:28:54.400 --> 00:28:55.220
 that what you're doing

00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:55.920
 is lawful

00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:57.620
 and you do it anyway,

00:28:58.180 --> 00:28:58.740
 your action

00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.500
 does not stem

00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:00.220
 from faith

00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:00.660
 and therefore

00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:01.380
 it is sinful.

00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:02.599
 That's what

00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:03.339
 the weaker brothers

00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:03.779
 were doing.

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:06.380
 But even if you

00:29:06.380 --> 00:29:07.240
 are fully convinced

00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:07.859
 that what you're doing

00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:08.460
 is lawful,

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:09.839
 if what you're doing

00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:10.660
 is not helpful

00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:11.599
 for building up others

00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:12.539
 and you do it anyway,

00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:14.459
 then because your action

00:29:14.459 --> 00:29:15.199
 does not stem

00:29:15.199 --> 00:29:16.639
 from love for others,

00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:17.779
 it is sinful.

00:29:21.179 --> 00:29:22.240
 For the Christian,

00:29:23.219 --> 00:29:23.699
 love,

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:25.279
 not our individual freedom,

00:29:25.879 --> 00:29:26.899
 is the higher code.

00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:29.019
 So Paul says

00:29:29.019 --> 00:29:29.919
 in verse 13,

00:29:30.159 --> 00:29:30.980
 it's so inspirational,

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:31.779
 therefore,

00:29:32.379 --> 00:29:33.619
 if food makes

00:29:33.619 --> 00:29:34.759
 my brother stumble,

00:29:35.419 --> 00:29:37.079
 I will never eat meat

00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:39.099
 lest I make

00:29:39.099 --> 00:29:40.099
 my brother stumble.

00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:41.919
 Paul himself

00:29:41.919 --> 00:29:42.339
 was willing

00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:43.079
 to forego

00:29:43.079 --> 00:29:44.879
 meat altogether

00:29:44.879 --> 00:29:45.839
 out of his love

00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:46.539
 for other Christian

00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:47.839
 brothers and sisters.

00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:50.399
 He was ready to,

00:29:50.699 --> 00:29:51.299
 willing to,

00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:52.699
 curtail his own rights

00:29:52.699 --> 00:29:54.959
 out of his love,

00:29:55.159 --> 00:29:56.059
 self-effacing love

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:56.500
 for others.

00:29:56.679 --> 00:29:57.779
 This idea is probably

00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:58.839
 offensive to a lot of you,

00:29:59.000 --> 00:29:59.199
 right?

00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:01.459
 You might say to yourself,

00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:02.819
 why should I change

00:30:02.819 --> 00:30:04.299
 how I live

00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:05.379
 based on what

00:30:05.379 --> 00:30:06.500
 other people think?

00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:10.039
 Why should I give up

00:30:10.039 --> 00:30:10.759
 my freedoms

00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:11.559
 for them?

00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:14.380
 Why should other people

00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:15.339
 have any say

00:30:15.339 --> 00:30:17.279
 in how I think

00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:18.000
 and behave?

00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.579
 You do you,

00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:20.319
 I'll do me.

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:21.660
 Right?

00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:23.400
 That is the prevailing

00:30:23.400 --> 00:30:24.480
 narrative

00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:25.420
 attitude

00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:26.440
 of our culture.

00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:29.380
 We supremely value

00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:30.519
 our individual freedom

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.180
 and believe that

00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:32.339
 everyone should have

00:30:32.339 --> 00:30:33.240
 the right to believe

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.099
 what they want

00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:34.700
 and behave

00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:35.559
 the way they want.

00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:37.419
 But as the renowned

00:30:37.419 --> 00:30:38.559
 Canadian philosopher

00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:39.419
 Charles Taylor

00:30:39.419 --> 00:30:40.480
 insightfully observes,

00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:41.740
 while our culture

00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:42.539
 has uncritically

00:30:42.539 --> 00:30:43.500
 adopted the truism

00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:44.099
 that, quote,

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:45.819
 nobody should have

00:30:45.819 --> 00:30:46.919
 the right to tell others

00:30:46.919 --> 00:30:47.519
 what to think

00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:48.099
 or how to behave,

00:30:49.019 --> 00:30:49.619
 it is clear

00:30:49.619 --> 00:30:50.119
 that to have

00:30:50.119 --> 00:30:50.960
 any kind

00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:52.019
 of livable society,

00:30:52.419 --> 00:30:53.480
 some choices

00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:54.879
 have to be restricted,

00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:56.339
 some authorities

00:30:56.339 --> 00:30:57.879
 have to be respected,

00:30:58.220 --> 00:30:59.559
 and some individual

00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:00.480
 responsibility

00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:02.559
 has to be assumed.

00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:05.500
 unrestricted

00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:06.399
 individual freedom,

00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:06.919
 the idea

00:31:06.919 --> 00:31:07.960
 that each person

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.899
 should be completely

00:31:08.899 --> 00:31:09.779
 self-determining

00:31:09.779 --> 00:31:10.759
 is an illusion.

00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:12.799
 No one who thinks

00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:14.179
 and lives that way

00:31:14.179 --> 00:31:14.819
 will be able

00:31:14.819 --> 00:31:15.759
 to stay married

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.319
 for long.

00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:19.619
 No person

00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:20.200
 who lives

00:31:20.200 --> 00:31:20.779
 and thinks

00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:21.379
 that way

00:31:21.379 --> 00:31:21.819
 will be able

00:31:21.819 --> 00:31:22.379
 to function

00:31:22.379 --> 00:31:23.220
 as a normal

00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:24.339
 member of society.

00:31:25.000 --> 00:31:25.599
 That kind of

00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:27.000
 radically libertarian

00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:27.700
 attitude toward human

00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:27.980
 freedom

00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:29.559
 destroys relationships.

00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:31.899
 it erodes community.

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.279
 And the church

00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:35.859
 is an intimately

00:31:35.859 --> 00:31:36.460
 related

00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:37.639
 and intricately

00:31:37.639 --> 00:31:38.980
 interdependent

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:39.740
 community.

00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:41.119
 It is described

00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:41.899
 as the family

00:31:41.899 --> 00:31:42.240
 of God.

00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:42.819
 That's why Paul

00:31:42.819 --> 00:31:43.659
 calls these people

00:31:43.659 --> 00:31:44.099
 brothers.

00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:47.319
 And if the family

00:31:47.319 --> 00:31:48.279
 is to thrive,

00:31:49.639 --> 00:31:50.539
 some individual

00:31:50.539 --> 00:31:51.940
 rights must be

00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:52.700
 restricted.

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.539
 If the family

00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:55.559
 is to be built up,

00:31:55.639 --> 00:31:56.279
 some individual

00:31:56.279 --> 00:31:57.599
 rights have to

00:31:57.599 --> 00:31:58.220
 be given up.

00:31:58.220 --> 00:32:00.799
 But Paul

00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:01.519
 doesn't demand

00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:01.880
 this.

00:32:01.980 --> 00:32:02.360
 He doesn't

00:32:02.360 --> 00:32:03.380
 enforce this.

00:32:03.640 --> 00:32:04.360
 He encourages

00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:05.299
 each believer

00:32:05.299 --> 00:32:05.920
 to do so

00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:06.480
 voluntarily.

00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:11.600
 For the members

00:32:11.600 --> 00:32:12.039
 of the church,

00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:13.259
 self-effacing love,

00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:14.380
 not self-inflating

00:32:14.380 --> 00:32:14.860
 knowledge,

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:15.980
 is the rule.

00:32:16.180 --> 00:32:16.819
 It's not enough

00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:18.000
 to be oriented

00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:18.720
 inwardly toward

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.059
 yourself.

00:32:19.180 --> 00:32:19.779
 We have to be

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:20.839
 oriented outwardly

00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:21.460
 toward others.

00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:22.960
 And Christian love

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.700
 demands that we

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:25.420
 forego our rights

00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:26.319
 for the sake

00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:27.279
 of others.

00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:28.859
 not insist

00:32:28.859 --> 00:32:29.460
 on our rights

00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:30.399
 at the expense

00:32:30.399 --> 00:32:30.940
 of others.

00:32:33.059 --> 00:32:33.619
 And here's

00:32:33.619 --> 00:32:34.039
 the reason

00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:34.579
 why this

00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.519
 ethic makes

00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:36.619
 so much sense

00:32:36.619 --> 00:32:37.500
 from a Christian

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.059
 perspective.

00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:38.940
 That brings us

00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:39.720
 to my final point,

00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:41.079
 self-sacrificing

00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:41.460
 Christ.

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.420
 Paul says

00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:43.200
 in verse 11,

00:32:43.579 --> 00:32:44.519
 And so by your

00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:44.980
 knowledge,

00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:45.980
 this weak person

00:32:45.980 --> 00:32:46.799
 is destroyed.

00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:48.460
 And who is

00:32:48.460 --> 00:32:49.700
 this weak person?

00:32:49.859 --> 00:32:50.420
 Paul continues,

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.539
 The brother

00:32:51.539 --> 00:32:53.039
 for whom

00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:54.079
 Christ

00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.099
 died.

00:32:55.099 --> 00:32:57.740
 this is not

00:32:57.740 --> 00:32:58.539
 some stranger

00:32:58.539 --> 00:32:59.079
 we're talking

00:32:59.079 --> 00:32:59.599
 about here.

00:32:59.939 --> 00:33:00.379
 It's your

00:33:00.379 --> 00:33:01.199
 Christian brother,

00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:01.599
 it's your

00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:02.839
 Christian sister,

00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:03.679
 shouldn't you

00:33:03.679 --> 00:33:04.799
 gladly give up

00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:05.419
 your rights

00:33:05.419 --> 00:33:06.319
 for his or her

00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:06.679
 sake?

00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:08.559
 And if he is

00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:09.179
 a Christian brother,

00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:09.899
 that means he is

00:33:09.899 --> 00:33:10.699
 someone for whom

00:33:10.699 --> 00:33:11.980
 Christ died.

00:33:12.959 --> 00:33:14.139
 The one Lord

00:33:14.139 --> 00:33:15.059
 Jesus Christ,

00:33:15.339 --> 00:33:15.980
 the one through

00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:16.740
 whom all things

00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:17.259
 were created,

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:18.299
 that Lord Jesus

00:33:18.299 --> 00:33:19.439
 Christ died for him.

00:33:19.740 --> 00:33:20.899
 He died for her.

00:33:20.900 --> 00:33:23.660
 Christ died on the

00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.920
 cross for sins

00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:25.560
 so that they might

00:33:25.560 --> 00:33:26.380
 be forgiven and

00:33:26.380 --> 00:33:26.720
 live.

00:33:27.060 --> 00:33:28.360
 And when your God

00:33:28.360 --> 00:33:30.019
 and when your Lord

00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:31.720
 did this for him,

00:33:32.900 --> 00:33:33.360
 you,

00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:34.880
 a mere servant,

00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:38.320
 you would selfishly

00:33:38.320 --> 00:33:39.360
 and pettily

00:33:39.360 --> 00:33:41.220
 insist on your

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:42.380
 trivial rights

00:33:42.380 --> 00:33:44.360
 to destroy him.

00:33:45.360 --> 00:33:46.500
 The height

00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:48.060
 of arrogance.

00:33:48.059 --> 00:33:51.039
 The height

00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:51.960
 of ignorance

00:33:51.960 --> 00:33:54.279
 and selfishness.

00:33:57.099 --> 00:33:58.059
 When you do this,

00:33:58.139 --> 00:33:58.679
 Paul continues

00:33:58.679 --> 00:33:59.339
 in verse 12,

00:33:59.720 --> 00:34:00.339
 not only are you

00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:00.919
 sinning against

00:34:00.919 --> 00:34:01.460
 your brothers,

00:34:01.599 --> 00:34:03.159
 you sin against

00:34:03.159 --> 00:34:04.059
 Christ.

00:34:04.859 --> 00:34:05.720
 Why is this so?

00:34:05.779 --> 00:34:06.379
 Because your

00:34:06.379 --> 00:34:06.859
 Christian brothers

00:34:06.859 --> 00:34:07.279
 and sisters

00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:08.420
 belong to Christ

00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:09.539
 because they are

00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:10.179
 members of the

00:34:10.179 --> 00:34:10.739
 family of God

00:34:10.739 --> 00:34:11.380
 because by virtue

00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:11.960
 of their union

00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:12.500
 with Christ

00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:13.259
 by the Spirit

00:34:13.259 --> 00:34:14.219
 through faith,

00:34:14.299 --> 00:34:15.039
 they are parts

00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:16.119
 of the body

00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:16.639
 of Christ.

00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:17.500
 So by sinning

00:34:17.500 --> 00:34:18.639
 against them,

00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:19.519
 the parts of

00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:19.940
 the body,

00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:20.659
 you are sinning

00:34:20.659 --> 00:34:21.579
 against Christ

00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:22.260
 himself.

00:34:23.780 --> 00:34:24.860
 And look at

00:34:24.860 --> 00:34:25.820
 how closely

00:34:25.820 --> 00:34:26.980
 Christ identifies

00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:27.800
 with his people.

00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:29.480
 Jesus says

00:34:29.480 --> 00:34:30.559
 in Mark 9,

00:34:30.679 --> 00:34:31.159
 42,

00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:33.000
 whoever causes

00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:33.960
 one of these

00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:34.719
 little ones

00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:35.480
 who believe

00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:36.099
 in me

00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:37.480
 to stumble,

00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:38.659
 it's the exact

00:34:38.659 --> 00:34:39.300
 same word,

00:34:41.340 --> 00:34:41.880
 it would be

00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:42.800
 better for him

00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:44.320
 if with a heavy

00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:45.360
 millstone hung

00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:46.400
 around his neck,

00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:47.260
 he had been

00:34:47.260 --> 00:34:48.539
 cast into the

00:34:48.539 --> 00:34:48.780
 sea.

00:34:51.780 --> 00:34:52.820
 What a fearful

00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:53.280
 prospect.

00:34:54.260 --> 00:34:54.760
 We should

00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:55.840
 tremble at the

00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:56.860
 prospect of

00:34:56.860 --> 00:34:57.920
 leading any one

00:34:57.920 --> 00:34:58.559
 of our Christian

00:34:58.559 --> 00:34:59.400
 brothers or sisters

00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:00.079
 into sin.

00:35:00.760 --> 00:35:01.700
 Do you see

00:35:01.700 --> 00:35:02.780
 how loved a

00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:03.980
 Christian is

00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:05.200
 by the Lord

00:35:05.200 --> 00:35:05.880
 Jesus Christ?

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:08.380
 Take a moment

00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:08.840
 to examine

00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:09.280
 yourself.

00:35:10.840 --> 00:35:11.460
 Is there

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.420
 anything that you

00:35:12.420 --> 00:35:13.180
 are doing in your

00:35:13.180 --> 00:35:14.099
 life that might

00:35:14.099 --> 00:35:14.920
 lead others to

00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:15.139
 sin?

00:35:16.940 --> 00:35:17.579
 Are you

00:35:17.579 --> 00:35:18.240
 wounding another

00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:19.220
 brother or sister's

00:35:19.220 --> 00:35:20.639
 conscience in any

00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:20.940
 way?

00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:21.659
 Are you leading

00:35:21.659 --> 00:35:22.980
 a weaker Christian

00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:24.340
 sister into sexual

00:35:24.340 --> 00:35:25.740
 immorality and

00:35:25.740 --> 00:35:27.559
 fornication by the

00:35:27.559 --> 00:35:28.159
 way you show

00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:29.320
 physical affection to

00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:30.059
 your boyfriend or

00:35:30.059 --> 00:35:30.340
 girlfriend?

00:35:32.720 --> 00:35:34.059
 Are you leading a

00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:34.760
 weaker Christian

00:35:34.760 --> 00:35:35.860
 brother who was

00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:36.860
 formerly addicted to

00:35:36.860 --> 00:35:38.480
 alcohol back into

00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:39.380
 drunkenness by

00:35:39.380 --> 00:35:40.579
 drinking beer in

00:35:40.579 --> 00:35:41.039
 front of him?

00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:44.900
 Are you leading a

00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:45.480
 Christian?

00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:46.180
 Are you leading a

00:35:46.180 --> 00:35:47.019
 weaker Christian who

00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:47.619
 was formerly

00:35:47.619 --> 00:35:49.159
 involved with

00:35:49.159 --> 00:35:50.320
 Hinduism back into

00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:52.039
 idolatry by going

00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:52.980
 into a Hindu temple

00:35:52.980 --> 00:35:53.900
 to do some yoga?

00:35:58.079 --> 00:35:59.280
 Are you leading a

00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:00.200
 weaker Christian into

00:36:00.200 --> 00:36:02.720
 sin by watching TV

00:36:02.720 --> 00:36:03.619
 shows and listening

00:36:03.619 --> 00:36:05.820
 to music laced with

00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:06.760
 profanities and

00:36:06.760 --> 00:36:08.039
 vulgarities which

00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:09.139
 they themselves cannot

00:36:09.139 --> 00:36:10.180
 watch with a clear

00:36:10.180 --> 00:36:10.680
 conscience?

00:36:10.679 --> 00:36:18.099
 even if you can do

00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:19.239
 all of those things

00:36:19.239 --> 00:36:19.719
 with a clear

00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:21.119
 conscience are you

00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:21.879
 just thinking about

00:36:21.879 --> 00:36:22.859
 yourself or are you

00:36:22.859 --> 00:36:23.500
 thinking about your

00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:24.359
 brothers and sisters?

00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:28.579
 My examples might

00:36:28.579 --> 00:36:29.319
 cause considerable

00:36:29.319 --> 00:36:30.359
 discomfort to some of

00:36:30.359 --> 00:36:31.559
 you but let me ask

00:36:31.559 --> 00:36:32.739
 you if you're thinking

00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:33.819
 to yourself well why

00:36:33.819 --> 00:36:34.699
 should I care for them

00:36:34.699 --> 00:36:36.099
 is your attitude that

00:36:36.099 --> 00:36:37.039
 of the attitude of

00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:37.379
 Christ?

00:36:37.380 --> 00:36:40.280
 Christ is the

00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:41.519
 sinless one yet he

00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:42.800
 died for our sins

00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:44.460
 he had a perfect

00:36:44.460 --> 00:36:45.660
 relationship with God

00:36:45.660 --> 00:36:47.039
 the Father yet he

00:36:47.039 --> 00:36:48.280
 was forsaken by him

00:36:48.280 --> 00:36:49.160
 so we can be

00:36:49.160 --> 00:36:50.320
 reconciled to him

00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:52.119
 restored to communion

00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:52.640
 with him

00:36:52.640 --> 00:36:55.840
 we were his rebels

00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:57.260
 eneemies

00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:59.860
 yet Christ took the

00:36:59.860 --> 00:37:00.700
 punishment that we

00:37:00.700 --> 00:37:01.160
 deserved

00:37:01.160 --> 00:37:04.000
 and you can't give

00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:06.039
 that up for the sake

00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:06.800
 of your brothers and

00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:07.179
 sisters

00:37:07.179 --> 00:37:12.480
 see how Paul responds

00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:13.860
 therefore if food

00:37:13.860 --> 00:37:14.480
 makes my brother

00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:15.579
 stumble I will never

00:37:15.579 --> 00:37:16.920
 eat meat lest I make

00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:17.599
 my brother stumble

00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:18.480
 let that be your

00:37:18.480 --> 00:37:19.320
 resolution today

00:37:19.320 --> 00:37:20.980
 let that be your

00:37:20.980 --> 00:37:21.779
 attitude today

00:37:21.779 --> 00:37:23.639
 far be it from me

00:37:23.639 --> 00:37:24.679
 that I should make

00:37:24.679 --> 00:37:26.320
 a brother or sister

00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:27.360
 stumble on account

00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:28.659
 of my indulgence

00:37:28.659 --> 00:37:32.079
 and if you are not

00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:32.920
 yet a Christian

00:37:32.920 --> 00:37:33.920
 I hope from this

00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:35.039
 passage you see the

00:37:35.039 --> 00:37:36.840
 gravity of sin and

00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:38.139
 the intensity of God's

00:37:38.139 --> 00:37:38.900
 love for his people

00:37:38.900 --> 00:37:40.940
 first the life of sin

00:37:40.940 --> 00:37:42.039
 is a pathway to

00:37:42.039 --> 00:37:43.279
 eternal destruction

00:37:43.279 --> 00:37:45.619
 you must stop being

00:37:45.619 --> 00:37:46.579
 your own God

00:37:46.579 --> 00:37:48.320
 you must stop living

00:37:48.320 --> 00:37:49.940
 for yourself and turn

00:37:49.940 --> 00:37:51.199
 to the one God the

00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:52.539
 Father from whom are

00:37:52.539 --> 00:37:53.420
 all things and for

00:37:53.420 --> 00:37:54.940
 whom we exist

00:37:54.940 --> 00:37:56.900
 you must stop being

00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:58.440
 your own Lord and you

00:37:58.440 --> 00:37:59.300
 have to turn to the

00:37:59.300 --> 00:38:00.980
 one Lord Jesus Christ

00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:01.960
 through whom are all

00:38:01.960 --> 00:38:03.159
 things and through whom

00:38:03.159 --> 00:38:06.819
 you exist secondly note

00:38:06.819 --> 00:38:08.099
 the intensity of God's

00:38:08.099 --> 00:38:10.000
 love for you he loved

00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:11.440
 us enough to die for

00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:13.699
 us Jesus Christ the

00:38:13.699 --> 00:38:14.819
 Lord of life died the

00:38:14.819 --> 00:38:15.960
 death that we deserved

00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:17.119
 on the cross so we

00:38:17.119 --> 00:38:18.259
 might live the life that

00:38:18.259 --> 00:38:19.339
 only he deserved to

00:38:19.339 --> 00:38:21.879
 live Christ has earned

00:38:21.879 --> 00:38:23.739
 our righteousness he

00:38:23.739 --> 00:38:25.239
 has won our victory and

00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:26.259
 he has flung open the

00:38:26.259 --> 00:38:27.559
 gates of heaven for you

00:38:27.559 --> 00:38:32.179
 only if you would repent

00:38:32.179 --> 00:38:32.960
 of your sins

00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:36.779
 and believe in Jesus

00:38:36.779 --> 00:38:37.739
 Christ for salvation

00:38:37.739 --> 00:38:39.779
 don't wait until next

00:38:39.779 --> 00:38:41.759
 week or next year

00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:43.079
 we're creatures who do

00:38:43.079 --> 00:38:43.820
 not even know what

00:38:43.820 --> 00:38:45.039
 tomorrow holds for us

00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:51.119
 you can be known by the

00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:51.980
 almighty creator

00:38:51.980 --> 00:38:54.519
 you can know him

00:38:54.519 --> 00:38:55.139
 personally

00:38:55.139 --> 00:38:56.840
 intimately

00:38:56.840 --> 00:38:59.539
 you can know him and

00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:00.740
 have a relationship with

00:39:00.740 --> 00:39:01.380
 him today

00:39:01.380 --> 00:39:03.139
 stop spurning his love

00:39:03.139 --> 00:39:05.519
 receive his love today

00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:07.000
 let's pray together

00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:23.880
 God we know that this

00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:27.739
 this truth this principle

00:39:27.739 --> 00:39:33.260
 that you enjoin on us it

00:39:33.260 --> 00:39:34.280
 makes no sense to the

00:39:34.280 --> 00:39:36.579
 world it makes no sense

00:39:36.579 --> 00:39:37.380
 when we live with

00:39:37.380 --> 00:39:39.139
 worldly attitudes it

00:39:39.139 --> 00:39:40.500
 only makes sense in so

00:39:40.500 --> 00:39:42.519
 far as we take on the

00:39:42.519 --> 00:39:45.739
 attitude of Christ who

00:39:45.739 --> 00:39:46.659
 though being in very

00:39:46.659 --> 00:39:47.719
 nature God did not

00:39:47.719 --> 00:39:48.639
 consider himself

00:39:48.639 --> 00:39:51.559
 considered equality with

00:39:51.559 --> 00:39:52.440
 God something to be

00:39:52.440 --> 00:39:55.219
 grasped but humbled

00:39:55.219 --> 00:39:55.759
 himself

00:39:55.759 --> 00:40:02.099
 so Lord help us to love

00:40:02.099 --> 00:40:05.599
 as you love us with

00:40:05.599 --> 00:40:06.719
 self-effacing love

00:40:06.719 --> 00:40:08.839
 help us to build one

00:40:08.839 --> 00:40:09.659
 another up for your

00:40:09.659 --> 00:40:09.960
 glory

00:40:09.960 --> 00:40:12.839
 in Jesus name we pray

00:40:12.839 --> 00:40:13.880
 amen

00:40:13.880 --> 00:40:14.180
 зачем