Rules and rights

My best friend in high school couldn’t go to movies.

“I don’t know why exactly,” she told me once. “But our family just waits til the movie shows up on TV and then we watch it.”

Devin couldn’t play cards when he was growing up and so his favorite card game today is Rook, because it was not considered evil. He doesn’t know why, either.

I’ve heard about orthodox Jews paying someone to trip light switches on the Sabbath so that they don’t do any work that day. I know the Pharisees of ancient times had involved explanations so that people didn’t walk too far and break the Sabbath rest.

I’ve working my way through 1 Corinthians right now, where Paul responded to questions by a church plant in ancient Corinth. There was a stew of Jews, Greeks, Romans, pagans who had discovered Jesus and were trying to figure out how that all worked within a church.

They asked practical questions: Can we eat meat sacrificed to idols? Is it better to serve God as a single person? And, if so, should we leave our spouse?

They wanted rules. Couldn’t Paul just give them specifics for living?

Paul gave them principles. On the question of meat sacrificed to idols, he acknowledged that idols are nothing. Having recently left pagan practices behind, some in Corinth were uncomfortable eating sacrificial meat.

If it didn’t bother me, was it proper for me to indulge my freedom?

It was, Paul confirmed, but not if that freedom tore at another’s faith. My freedom was not the trump card in decisions; love was.

“Love builds up,” Paul told the church. The principle was simple: my choices must not hinder another’s spiritual life.

I might have to trim my freedom to keep another from falling. Paul didn’t give them a set of rules for purchasing or not purchasing meat in the marketplace. He gave them principles to use.

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 1 Cor 9:19

Confronting

The debate was spirited with many sensitive comments and insights based on biblical references.

We were discussing when and how to confront a fellow believer, based on Paul's comments in 1 Corinthians 5.

Many were concerned about how to confront when we are not so perfect ourselves. "What about where Jesus said to take the plank out of your own eye first?" asked a woman in the back row.

A former pastor recalled the harshness of confronting a man many years ago, only to see him leave the church angrily and join another body, unrepentant and unreformed.

Another had seen a church split over sexual immorality within its ranks.

The stories were vivid and raw. We all agreed it would be easier to ignore the sin.

But what to do with Paul's words: "Are you not to judge those inside?" (1 Cor 5:12)

Yet Paul's reason for judging those inside the church is clearly detailed a few verses earlier. His purpose for judging was not to maintain the purity of the church or to polish its appearance.

His purpose was simply this: "so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." (1 Cor 5:5)

Paul was concerned with the man's spirit. He was willing to confront or rebuke sharply if it would save a person presently on a path to destruction.

Some of the best judges have been brand-new believers who care so deeply about their buddies that they share the way of escape with them.

Do I care that deeply? I may choose the safe way to avoid the anger and unrepentant. But I think Paul suggested that our way is not safe but of deep concern for the welfare of others.

Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that
they will be sound in the faith...

Titus 1:13

Set Apart

You're invited to check out my blog study on 1 Corinthians. I've been developing the idea of believers being set apart from a pagan culture, following God's teachings rather than the expectations of the culture. Check it out here.