Sunday, July 15, 2012

All To The Glory Of God

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Cor 10:31

        The things you are doing or not doing: are they "for the glory of God"? In the previous verses ( 1Cor 10) Paul has just finished explaining that whether you eat certain meats or don't is a matter of personal conscience. He did not say, " eating meat is always wrong" or " eating meat is the right thing to do for everyone". No, he leaves it between the individual person and God. Why? Can not all actions be considered either good or bad? Is not every right and wrong a universal code for all believers and humanity to follow? I believe Paul clearly answers these questions, and this answer not only changed his own actions, but the way he viewed other peoples actions. 
     In the above verse Paul clearly leaves the choice of whether to do something or not up to the individual, but under one very important condition. Whatever you do, it must be glorifying to God. When an observer witnesses you doing something do they think to themselves " wow, what that person is doing or not doing makes me want to know his God"? Or do they say " that person has so many CONVICTIONS, to know their God I would have to do that ? ".
     I believe that sometimes what we do can push us away from those we should be trying to reach. When we look or act in such a very different way than those around us, the first thing they are thinking is "weirdo", "crazy", "Jesus freak". This can't be right. Now, I'm not saying we should do or not do something based on what others may think of us. Again, we are talking about "the grey things" (TGT). These issues are not black and white in scripture. They are the eating or drinking. To often I believe we ruin our witness for Christ by being too different than those around us.
     Jesus message and that of his disciples (of who we are) was one of hope. Constantly throughout the scriptures Jesus said " The Kingdom of heaven is at hand". That was HIS mission, to bring everyone into the simple relationship with God.  In everything he did and said he glorified God. Does it bring glory to God when we make others feel that if they are not doing EXACTLY what we do they are sinning? I don't think so. I think that today, to many Christians are stuck fighting about TGT instead of spreading the good news about the kingdom of God. As a final note consider this, when others look at us, do they see a citizen of heaven or do they see a wall of grey things standing between them and you. Between them and God ?


Feel free to comment, as in all things I want to challenge myself in my beliefs. If you feel contrary please help me to see the error in my ways.


God Bless

7 comments:

  1. Blessings, Matt, as we all try to evaluate our motives in everything that we do. Thanks for your courage in initiating a forum for just that. I love you:)

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  2. Ok, I will admit I disagree to an extent. There are of course diches on both sides and the important thing is that we listen to what God tells US to do and not be telling others what God wants there standerds to be, BUT you said " to often I believe we ruin our witness for Christ by being too different than those around us. " *cough* the Bible tells us numerous times to "come out from among them", "do not be conformed to this world", "be ye separate" ect...that dosnt sound like, be like the world so you don't scare them off. I know people can have a holier than though attitude, but anyone can have that...the fact is God tells us to be different from the world so that people can not only see a difference in how we act, but by how He is affecting all areas of our life.

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  3. I agree with you. I admit that sentence you quoted was probably not the best wording I could have chosen. What I meant to say was this: When we turn grey issues or personal convictions into a black and white issue, when we make our personal convictions seem to others like they have to be the same to follow God, THAT is when we push them away. I totally agree that we should not stray from what God has led each of us to do. It's like you said,"There are of course ditches on both sides ". I am sorry for the confusion in my wording. To sum up the article I will quote again " When others look at us, do they see a citizen of heaven or do they see a wall of grey things standing between them and you. Between them and God ?"

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  4. People could look at someone who looks "different" from them and not agree with what they look like or what they're doing, but maybe it gets them thinking about things. If somebody looks like the world, then someone who is in need of help may look at the "worldly" looking person and think "no, he/she looks like me, I don't need to go to someone that looks like me". If someone really needs help, who will they turn to? If the world accepts us, then does God accept us? Remember, Jesus wasn't accepted by some people. Why didn't He just leave people alone and blend in? Why did people want to kill Him? Because he was different!

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  5. The main thing to remember is that there are ABSOLUTE rights and ABSOLUTE wrongs. In any case where those moral parameters are in play, one must always choose the right. (Realistically, we are not always going to because we are sinful humanity, but that is the target we strive to reach.) How do we know where the Absolutes lay? By reading the Bible. We follow exactly what the Bible says or we are in the wrong. Some trouble can come when we enter into The Grey Things. Things that are not stated in the Bible can be defined as Grey Areas, which are open to personal conviction. The important fact one must remember when speaking about these areas though is that one must be sure they are in fact a Grey Area. For instance, Does the Bible say "Don't do drugs"? No, it doesn't. What it does say is to put all your members in subjection to God(1 Cor. 9:27). This leads one to the obvious conclusion that because you can not subject yourself to God when "High", a Christian should not be "High".
    I do agree with you in the idea that we shouldn't make these grey Areas central Christian doctrine. If it isn't Biblical then we shouldn't make it Doctrine. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. Those things which we are sure are Grey areas are open to Godly personal conviction.
    As to the ideas that Thim and Rae purported, they are not Mutually exclusive from your point. We are to follow the Bible and be imitators of Christ (things which are one and the same). We are a distinct and Holy people chosen by God, but on the same token Jesus himself tells us to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel. We have become all things to all men, as Paul tells us. This does not mean in any way that we compromise on our beliefs. It would be sinful to promote variation in Biblical doctrine, but in simplest terms we shouldn't have baseless beliefs mire our evangelism.
    All in all, the central idea that I am trying to push here is that we should not use Grey Areas as a way to justify sin. Watching a movie, in itself, is not bad at all. It can be sin if it is an illicit movie, and we are using The Grey Areas as an excuse to watch it. Would you be secure with Jesus doing this thing with you? Seeing your inner thoughts while you do something?(Colossians 3:17) Our motivation and spiritual maturity is key in analyzing these subjects.

    Well, that's it for my first post on a new blog. This looks like it could be extremely enlightening, Bond! Can't wait for more. ;) :D

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  6. Hmm, intrusting thoughts Gryphon, there were a few things that cought my eye...you said that we are "chosen by God"..dose that mean you are a Cal...wait! I didn't say that! Not going down that rode. Haha
    The other thing, I guess I'm not sold on is that the Bible is the end of the line. I believe we need to know the writer, God told people to do things in the Bible to do things that went against all they had been tought, God can't be pout in a box. Are relationship with God should get to a point that we can still hear His will even if it is against what we have always seen in the Bible.
    Bare with me I can't pout a sermon up, but I hope this is a little food for thought, as it has been for me, I am NOT trying to start world war
    3, and I am not saying I have all the answers.

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  7. I agree Thimble. Just a quick example that came to mind is the difference between Judaism and Christianity. Were the Jew's doing something wrong by following God's OT laws and commandments? I don't think so. But then came Jesus. He showed them that the point of it all had not been "following rules" but from the beginning of time all God wanted was a relationship with us, His creation.

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