Gray Areas: Preaching Truth in the Marketplace

 

January 24, 2019                                  NOTES NOT EDITED
The Gray Area:  Truth in the Marketplace
1Corinthians 8:1-13

SIS--In a culture drowning in a sea of relativity, believers have the privilege to present the grace of God to a lost world based upon the eternal truth of the Word of God.

Let me begin our study today with one reminder:  It’s never wrong to do right and it is never right to do wrong.  There are issues that are clearly “black and white.”  We don’t need to seek further guidance in these areas, just greater obedience.  For example: “should a Christian give at least ten percent regularly to the church.  The answer is black and white. Yes! Or, should a Christian oppose abortion?  The answer is black and white.  Absolutely.  Abortion is murder.

Other issues appear “gray,” and not black and white.  Like, should a Christian play the Lottery? Should a Christian listen to non-Christian music--even if it is good, 70's rock and roll like Led Zepellin or Lynyrd Skynyrd?  Should Christians go to an R-rated movie--or any movie for that matter. Can a good Christian support the Democrat Party—or Republican Party?  These are just a sampling of ethical questions followers of Christ face.

Some people call these morally problematic issues, "gray areas."  Paul dealt with such a gray area in Corinth in the 1st century:  can a believer eat meat that had been used in a pagan sacrifice? 

The matter we want to address today is, how do we navigate through those issues that the Bible does not directly address? How do we, as Christians, engage the marketplace today where living in the “gray area” of relativity has become the norm. How do we supply biblical, rational, personally satisfying answers to the troubling issues of our day?

Today, we will examine how we push “gray areas” into the Light of gospel truth while seeking to move others closer to meaningful relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's read how Paul dealt with this matter and how we can deal with such "problem areas" today. Paul will show us, as he did the Corinthians, that we can come to a godly conclusion in this matter.  There are FOUR IMPORTANT ASPECTS we must consider.  First, the general PROBLEM of “gray areas” in life; second, we must consider the POWER of Love; third, we must consider the importance of the PERSON of Christ; and fourth, we must consider the PRIVILEGE of offering grace.  Mentally note these considerations as we read.

“About food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we exist for Him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him, and we exist through Him. However, not everyone has this knowledge. In fact, some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food offered to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat. But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, the one who has this knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? Then the weak person, the brother for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. Now when you sin like this against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother to fall.” (1 Cor 8:1–13)

BACKGROUND:  In Paul’s day, people believed evil spirits would try to invade humans by attaching themselves to the food offered in pagan ritual. The only way to remove these demons was to sacrifice the meat to a god.  Then the meat was eaten in pagan rituals and the excess sold in the market. So, meat offered to idols involved, the actual sacrifice, the religious meal in the temple, and the left-over meat sold in the market, which is where Paul engages the issue.

The actual sacrifice is clearly in the “black” area, as is participating in the religious meal in the pagan temple. No gray area in those regards.

In reality, there was no way to avoid this meat in the marketplace for the most part. This created a huge moral dilemma for Christians in the first century.

As we address the issue of “gray areas” first consider the

1.  The problem of Gray Areas, itself (vv 1-3)

A primary understanding in regard to “gray areas of ethics” is this:  While gray areas may exist within communities, they should never exist in the heart of individuals. We must resolve them.

1 About food offered to idols:  We know that “we all have knowledge.”  Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. 2 If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.  3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

What is a "gray area."  A gray area may be defined as "an area, situation, etc., lacking clearly defined characteristics."

Are there “gray areas” in theology?  Yes, and Paul tells us why this is.  We think we “know” more than we actually “know.”  In verse 1 Paul is being “sarcastic” in his response to the Corinthians. He is not praising their “so-called” knowledge, but actually pointing out it is not sufficient.  The Good News Bible catches this nuance.  “All of us have knowledge”, as they say” (verse 1).  This “so-called” knowledge arises out of a person’s prideful, sinful nature.  It is disconnected from a relationship with Jesus Christ, the true source of all knowledge and truth (Jn. 14:6).  Notice again verse 2:

The Corinthians had a false idea of what “true knowledge” meant.  They saw it a “having superior information.” Paul corrects them saying, you do not know as you ought to know” (2b). Paul defines true knowledge by saying, “But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him” (v3).   True knowledge does not arise out of gaining information, but undergoing a transformation.  True knowledge arises out of a relationship with God, that is being “known by Him”  “So-called knowledge” creates “gray areas” because it arises out of human intellect and opinion detached from faith, and how ever spectacular that intellect may be, falls short of the true knowledge that comes from actually knowing the,“Logos” (Jn. 1:1) or foundation of all knowledge, Christ.  The great Christian scholar, Anselm, referred to this relationship between faith and intellect as, “Faith seeking understanding.” Intellect unhinged from faith creates “gray areas” at best, and plunges man into ethical “blackness” at worse.  True knowledge must be founded in a relationship with God in Christ, “being known by God.” Paul is pointing out that “gray areas” in our knowledge arise out of a faulty relationship with God through His Word, not a lack of intellect or information.

Paul is addressing believers who already “knew” that Christians believed there was no True God but Yahweh.  Look at verse 4:

“About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.””

Often, our lives slip into “gray areas” and we need to be reminded where the True Light of Truth can be found.  This brings us to Paul’s second consideration in regard to pushing gray areas into the white light of truth

2. The Centrality of the PERSON of Jesus Christ.

  Verses 5-6 tell us:  “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we exist for Him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him, and we exist through Him.”

Circle that word, “yet,” (KJV, “but”).  This is the grammatical equivalent of slamming on the breaks of a car.  It is a sharp interruption in the syntax of the sentence (NIGTC).  It is like putting what follows in bold letters, underlining it, and highlighting it in bright yellow.

Paul is saying to us today, “yes, people have all kinds of views and all kinds of arguments for what they believe in, BUT the only thing that matters is, Jesus Christ.”  In essence Paul is stating, “There is not gray area in regard to Christ.  His Perfect Light eliminates any question of what is right or wrong, good or bad.  Our goal in speaking with people in the marketplace, whether at the grocery store or social media, it to “get them to Christ!”  IT DOES ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD TO WIN AN ARGUMENT BUT LOSE A SOUL.  Truth matters, but it matters for a reason.

People speak today as if “Truth” is established by who has the best argument.  Or, still yet, others believe that there is no “real, absolute truth” and everything is “gray.”  Paul holds up a big STOP SIGN and says, “Not so!”  In Christ there is no “darkness” (no gray) at all.  1John1:5 explains it this way,

“Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.”

A person can know everything there is to know about the Bible and any other subject under heaven, BUT still fall short of true knowledge which is based upon a relationship with God through Christ.  Paul goes on to discuss further the importance of the Person of Christ as a “model” for marketplace engagement.  We follow not only the words of Christ, but the example of Christ’s life.

Notice the absolute nature of the language used in describing Jesus Christ:   one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we exist for Him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him, and we exist through Him.”

Note the parallel made between God and Jesus.  Jesus is God.  His Truth is God’s Truth because He is God.  This is Paul’s way of establishing the ABSOLUTE, FINAL, AND COMPLETE truth found in the Word of God.  John establishes the relationship between Jesus and the Word of God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jn1:1

The written Word of God is authenticated by the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ. They are TRUE, and ABSOLUTELY true.  Any attempt to dispel the “gray” of a situation apart from searching the written Word of God by way of a relationship with the Living Word of God will always lead to error and darkness.  “Gray areas” develop when human opinions masquerade as God’s pronouncements. 

When faced with ethical “gray areas” our appeal must be to Jesus Christ as revealed in the Word of God.  The PERSON of Christ is a preeminent consideration in all ethical matters.

Now with a solid understanding of what causes and cures the “gray areas” of life, lets’ go back and pick up another very important consideration for how a Christian should engage others in the marketplace of ideas.  Consider

3.  The POWER of Love.

“¹About food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.”

Knowledge puffs up—love builds up.  There are many divisive issues—important issues—we are faced with today.  Some, are literally life and death issues, like the prospect of “death panels” if our government pushes us into socialized medicine.  We already see the seeds of these “death panels” in regard to the life-saving Covid vaccines. When healthcare becomes scarce, health services must be rationed.  Someone else decides who will live and who will die.

In Hitler’s Germany there was actually a mathematical formula that determined who was “essential” to society, and who was not.  You can imagine where the Jewish people landed in regard to that equation.  History shows us clearly, and sadly, how important discussions of right and wrong are in society.

So, what we need to understand is that this study of how to push “gray areas” into the Light of God’s Truth is extremely important—even to the extent of being matters of life and death.

Our text tells us, “in order to understand and to navigate the divisive and even explosive discussions in the marketplace, we must have something more than “superior knowledge.”  We need a “superior love!”  Some people are thrilled to have a “superior” knowledge of the Bible, and are not bashful about letting others know; but, knowledge lead to pride, Paul says, and we know that “pride goes before a fall” (Prov. 16:18).

Knowledge is important, but love is more important. Years ago, somebody wise (I don’t even remember who) told me, “Nobody cares what you KNOW until they KNOW that you CARE!”

In forty-three years of ministry I’ve never seen someone “argued” into a relationship with Jesus Christ!  I am not saying that knowledge is not important, but only repeating what Paul is saying, “knowledge is not MOST important.”

When we engage people in the marketplace, what’s in our heart is eternally more powerful than what is in our head!

Let’s come around now to a practical application of the Biblical teaching on “resolving gray areas in the marketplace.”  Consider,

4.  The PRIVILEGE of presenting Grace.

Verse 7 Paul states, “not everyone has THIS knowledge.” Understanding Paul’s teaching in regard to “how we resolve gray areas of life,” verse 7 is key.  It begs the questions, “who” are the “everyones,” and what knowledge does “this” knowledge refer to?

In verse 1 Paul says, “we all [everyone] has knowledge.” This cannot be a knowledge of Christ leading to salvation, because clearly not everyone is saved.  I would translate verse 1 as, “everyone has an opinion.” We all possess “information.”  In verse 1 there is no article, such as “the, or this” before knowledge. It is just, general knowledge. Some scholars refer to it as “head knowledge.”

In verse 7 the Word of God puts a specific identifier before knowledge referring to it as “this knowledge” which grammatically points back to what the text just discussed:  the PERSON of Jesus Christ.  Paul is saying, “Everyone does not have a relationship with Christ, even if they have some general knowledge about Him.”

Some scholars believe that this “everyone” refers to “weak Christians.” This interpretation creates a problem in explaining how a person can be a “Christian” and not know that there is no God but Christ! This interpretation is further complicated by the fact that vs 7 also says, “they habitually practice idolatry.” The words in the CSB translated, “so used to,” or the NASB, “being accustomed,” refer to a habit, or on-going practice.  It is hard to see how any “true” believer could “habitually” participate in a pagan ritual.  It is probably wise to just assume such a habitually pagan person is not a Christian.

This is where the idea of grace comes in.  Regardless of whether Paul is referring to “extremely confused believers,” or actual “non-believers” we have the PRIVILEGE of presenting the grace of God with them bringing them further into the Light of Truth.  As I’ve said before, “our goal of engaging in the marketplace is not to win arguments, but win souls.” We have the privilege of sharing the same gift of grace we have received with others.

Grace means, the unmerited favor of God.  It refers to the “free gift of salvation” provided by the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.  We who have received grace have the privilege of presenting it to others. 

Everything in what Paul says in verses 8-12 should be seen as contrasting our “right to express our knowledge with the privilege of showing God’s grace.”  Keep that in mind as we read these verses:

“8 Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat. 9 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has this knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11 Then the weak person, the brother for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. 12 Now when you sin like this against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ.”

Paul clearly tells us: “the issue is not the food people put in their mouths” but the content of “what is in their hearts.” We must not get bogged down in “straining gnats and swallowing camels” (as Jesus said, Mt. 23:24).  When engaging with others in the marketplace the goal is not get them to experience our superior knowledge, to experience the “grace of God that leads to salvation.” 

The problem of living in a “gray area” is vividly described in two terms used in verse 9 and verse 11.  In verse 9, the word translated, “stumbling block” refers to a major hindrance, usually in reference to a fall.  Asserting our knowledge without presenting God’s grace, “hinders” the person’s relationship with Christ.  The second word used in verse 11, is “destroyed, ruined.” It is as bad as it sounds.  It means destroyed, from the word, appolumi, which is related to the name given the Devil in Rev. 9:11, Apollyon, or The Destroyer. 

Follow Paul’s line of thinking in regard to showing our knowledge instead of presenting God’s grace.  It is a hindrance, it is destructive and to further show how bad this is Paul calls it, in verse 12, “sinning against Christ.”  The work of Christ was not to correct man’s worldly thinking but to change one’s eternal trajectory! 

Gray areas of life obscure what is essential, what is eternal.  Gray areas are a type of “theological limbo” where what is incidental, “eating food that had been offered to idols,” obscures what is essential, “establishing and maintaining a walk in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.”

As we summarize what Paul has taught in regard to “gray areas” of life, let us understand clearly that the entire purpose of a believer’s life is to present the saving grace of God in Christ to those we encounter in the marketplace.

Let me conclude by showing that Paul completely elucidates, brings into the light of truth, the gray area.  Look at verse 13:

“Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother to fall.”

After considering what causes the problem of gray areas, and considering the centrality and importance of the person and work of Christ, and considering the power and preeminence of love, and finally considering the privilege of presenting the saving grace to others, he declares:  “I just give up any activity that would be a possible hindrance to others coming to know Christ.” (v13, paraphrased)

So, when people say to me, “I have a right to drink wine [OR INSERT ANY ACTIVITY],” my reply is simply, “Yes, and I have the privilege to present the grace of God to others by removing that activity that could become a hindrance.”

Engage people in the marketplace by pushing gray areas into the Light of the Truth in a spirit of grace and love.