Psalms 8:1, 16:2, 31:1-4

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in 1 Corinthians 8. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind at verse 10:

1Corinthians 8:10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

1Corinthians 8:11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

I had not noticed before that Paul is addressing believers who sat at meat “in the idol’s temple” (v. 10). The Spirit, through Paul, is challenging believers to reexamine their liberty in Christ. This prompted me to reexamine my “Liberty” in Christ, but in another way.

In the Spirit’s exhortation to the conscience of believers, challenging them to consider the weaker brother in decisions they make in the use of their liberty, I saw witness by the Spirit of the surprising extent of that liberty. The believer is at liberty to sit in an idol’s temple and eat the food sacrificed to it with the knowledge that the idol is nothing, and so any sacrifice made to it is meaningless.

I thought of the strict condemnation against eating “foods sacrificed unto idols” from Jesus in Revelation:

Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Revelation 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Was Paul contradicting Jesus? No!

Paul, by the Spirit, explains: because not everyone has this knowledge, and so “with conscience of the idol … eat it as a thing offered unto an idol,” they defile their conscience. Therefore, we must not abuse our knowledge and set an example before them that encourages them to defile their conscience. We sin against our weaker brother, and so against Christ too, if they stumble over our selfish abuse of our liberty into their destruction (1 Corinthians 8:8-12). This is a “sin … against the brethren,” “for whom Christ died,” wounding their “weak conscience,” and thereby sin against Christ (1 Corinthians 8:12).

They sin by eating foods sacrificed unto idols with “conscience of the idol.” We sin by eating foods sacrificed to idols with knowledge that such sacrifices are foolishness and meaningless. How? We are exercising our liberty in our knowledge without sensitivity to the danger that our weaker brother will, by our example, be emboldened to violate his conscience, and so perish.

Along the still waters, I pondered the complete obliteration of Satan’s system of controlling the conscience, even of believers, and bringing us under the bondage of condemnation. It seemed remarkable to me that Satan has so far been destroyed, his power so completely removed, that we now know the god of this world, and all the gods under him, are no gods at all (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). They have no power: “We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one” (1 Corinthians 8:4b).

Nevertheless, Satan, “the accuser” (Revelation 12:10), plies our conscience with his relentless accusations: bringing us under condemnation by first tempting us into sin, and then condemning us for sin by accusations. Like a boxer, once he inflicts a wound, he strikes at it at every opportunity. Satan, likewise, exploits a wounded conscience with incessant attacks.

But our Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous, steps in to take the blows and heal the wounds (1 John 2:1-2).  (Advocate is used to translate the Greek word, parakletos, which is Jesus’ favorite name/title for the Holy Ghost. It is translated Comforter in John 14:16, 26; 15:26; and 16:7.)

In the valley, I remembered where He took the blows of my sin upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21), shedding the blood that covers mine (1 John 1:7; Romans 5:8-9; see 8-21). From His side was poured out the blood of sprinkling (Hebrews 12:24), opening the way into the holiest through the veil of His flesh (Hebrews 10:20), inviting us to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience” (Hebrews 10:22; see 4:16). As I worshipped, I heard His voice in my heart repeat the Standing Order No 1: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).*

At the table, I noticed a bowl of the Shepherd’s eyesalve and anointed my eyes (Revelation 3:18). Then I watched as my Shepherd anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy hastened to the table to attend me as I stood to follow Him into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

I’ll have to send a separate text with the link for today’s devotion. It’s our 53rd anniversary, and we’ll be taking the day off together. 🙂

[*The “Standing Orders” of a military base communicate the permanent instructions that remain in effect until changed or cancelled: (“A routine order that remains in effect until revoked.” U.S. Army, Army Publishing Directorate, Army Dictionary (ADP 1-02). See U.S. Department of Defense, DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, “A directive that remains in force until changed or canceled.”)]