1 Corinthians Week 18

Day 1 

READ 

1 Corinthians 8:12-13 

¹² And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. ¹³ 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. 

A person is not to go against his or her conscience. The conscience could be wrong but until there is proper teaching the person should not go against it. The “weaker” believer in this situation was an untaught believer. When Paul mentioned not eating meat again, the context referred to meat offered to idols.  

REFLECT 

Would you feel as strongly as the apostle Paul if you thought your actions were causing a new, untaught believer to stumble in his Christian faith? 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about the importance of taking others into consideration as you live to please Jesus. Read what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:12-15 as he wrote about being a good witness to others.  

Day 2 

READ 

1 Corinthians 9:1-2 

¹ Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? ² Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle. 

Paul gave himself as an example of someone who had Christian liberty. He introduced the topic by establishing his authority as he wrote to the Corinthian church. Apparently some in the area doubted he was a true apostle. He had seen the resurrected Lord with his own eyes. What Paul had done for the believers there was proof of his apostleship.  

REFLECT 

Do you realize how blessed you are to have a copy of the apostle Paul’s writing in the Scriptures? 

RESPOND 

Paul was not qualified to be one of the 12 apostles after Judas betrayed Jesus. See the qualifications needed in Acts 1:21-22. Paul saw the risen Lord when he was converted as he traveled the road to Damascus (see Acts 9:1-9). 

Day 3 

READ 

1 Corinthians 9:3-6 

³ This is my answer to those who question my authority. ⁴ Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? ⁵ Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does? ⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves? 

Paul told about the rights he had if he chose to exercise them. Notice he referred to Peter’s wife in contrast to those who do not think he was married. Paul and Barnabas worked to support themselves, but he wanted it known it could have been their right to expect support from those whom they served. 

REFLECT 

Do you sometimes give up some right you have in order to be a good testimony to others? 

RESPOND 

For those who wonder if the apostle Peter was married, see also Matthew 8:14-15. Visit with a friend about being willing to give up a right you have if it would be a good testimony to some new but untaught believer. 

Day 4 

READ 

1 Corinthians 9:7-8 

⁷ What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? ⁸ Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 

Paul continued to talk about the right others had to benefit from something they were doing. He even appealed to the law in making his case about benefitting from the work one does. What do you imagine the people were thinking by the time they came this far in reading his letter? 

REFLECT 

Consider that those who teach the Bible should receive something for doing so. For some it is only done occasionally; for others it is a full-time ministry. 

RESPOND  

Visit with a fellow believer about the need to contribute material means to someone from whom you are being spiritually nourished. This would also apply to a church from which you receive spiritual nourishment.  

Day 5 

READ 

1 Corinthians 9:9-10 

⁹ For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? ¹⁰ Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest. 

Paul cited the Old Testament law to show the principle of a worker being worthy of financial support. The worker, or even an animal, was to share in the harvest. Those in full-time ministry, such as traveling evangelists, need to have their expenses met as well as an honorarium for their ministry. If they don’t receive such they will eventually not be able to travel and minister. 

REFLECT 

Consider how carefully your church group reimburses a special speaker brought to your church. Will what it gives help continue the person’s ministry or reduce it? 

RESPOND  

This was not the only time the apostle Paul cited the Old Testament instructions about the ox at harvest time (see 1 Timothy 5:17-18). Paul was making the point that one who spends his life sharing the gospel should be supported by those who are benefitting from it.