Welcome to our Week 3 discussion of 1 Corinthians, “Everybody’s Doing It.” This week we have focused on issues of conscience, sexual immorality, lawsuits, and the difference between God’s perfect and permissive will. These are areas that can often be the most divisive among believers, but if we want to achieve the unity that Christ desires for His church, we need to carefully study what Scripture says about these things and choose grace with each other.
In our motto for this study, In essentials – UNITY; In opinions (Non-essentials) – LIBERTY; In all things – LOVE, we will be diving head first into the opinions category. As Melissa says, “We all face decisions of conscience where we must decide God’s leading for us personally while realizing He may lead others differently. When we start to think we have all the answers, we need to remember that we really don’t know very much.” “What is right for us might be wrong for another believer.”
Before we get started, let’s answer this simple ice breaker question:
Ice Breaker: Tell us about one of your most quirky habits.
QUESTION 1: In 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, Paul reprimands those in the church who are quick to sue each other over “trivial matters,” or “ordinary things,” and “right in front of unbelievers.” They were cheating each other and being a bad witness to those outside the church. (In criminal matters, it may be necessary and is permissible to allow governing authorities to determine and administer justice.) In this “litigation happy” culture, what are some better ways for believers to resolve our differences?
QUESTION 2: In 1 Corinthians 6:12-13, Paul addresses the excuses the Corinthians were using to justify their immoral behavior. Since they had freedom in Christ, some felt they could do whatever they felt like doing. But Paul explains that Christ didn’t set us free so that we could indulge our flesh and then become enslaved to a sinful lifestyle. Rather, we have been set free to live for Christ, and we are to honor God with our bodies. (Also Galatians 5:13 and Romans 6:1-4).
We are all in the process of growing to become more Christ-like. Describe some changes God has made in your life since you have been born again.
QUESTION 3: In chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians, we see Paul addressing issues that are not necessarily commands for everyone, but are issues of wisdom for specific situations, such as for those who are married and those who are single.
Melissa explains on Day 3 the difference between God’s prescriptive will, which is God’s will for everyone everywhere, and His permissive will, which includes different instructions for different people. It is possible that when God gives someone a directive, such as to homeschool their children or downsize their homes, He isn’t necessarily leading everyone to do the same. On the other hand, we are all commanded to love our neighbors and to forgive each other.
Can you think of other examples of God’s prescriptive will and His permissive will?
QUESTION 4: In chapter 8, Paul talks about matters of conscience that are not specifically spelled out in Scripture, such as eating meat that had been offered to idols. Some felt free to eat it since they knew that idols were fictitious. However, there were others who could not eat the meat because of their past experience with idol worship, and it went against their consciences. This is an example of something being a sin for one group but not for another, based on conscience.
Paul instructed the Corinthians to be considerate of each other in issues of conscience, and to not allow our freedom in Christ to cause another person to stumble.
It is possible that something that is right for one person may be wrong for another. For example, someone who has overcome alcoholism may need to refrain from alcohol completely while someone else feels the freedom to drink a glass of wine on occasion. Or, one person who came from a rebellious past may need to stay away from all secular music that reminds him of his past while someone else may feel free to enjoy music of all genres. These are areas that would fall under the category of “non-essentials” or opinions.
How can we as believers disagree on such matters without being prideful or judgmental? How should we treat other believers with different opinions then ours?
“But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.” 1 Corinthians 8:9
QUESTION 5: How might an area of freedom for us become a stumbling block for someone else? How can we show consideration for someone with a weaker conscience?
Here was Paul’s take on this: “And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you sin against Christ. So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live – for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble (1 Cor. 8:13).” In other words, love is more important than freedom.
QUESTION 6: I have seen Christians divided over things like allowing their kids to read certain books or watch particular movies, whether women should work outside of the home or be stay-at-home moms, what we should eat or wear, or whether or not to dress up for Halloween. Can you think of some other examples of issues of conscience and how we can keep from allowing these things to divide us?
PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Clean the bathrooms or take out the garbage in your church without anyone knowing it was you.
