Category: Devotions

William MacDonald paraphrased well, “Why should I selfishly display my freedom to eat the meat and in so doing be condemned by the other man’s conscience? Why should I expose my freedom to the condemnation of his conscience? Why should I let my good be evil spoken of?…Is a piece of meat so important that I should cause such an offence to a fellow believer in the Lord Jesus Christ?” Indeed, let not then your good be evil spoken of. Romans 14:16 (KJV)

The Apostle Paul instructs the believer who attends a dinner at the invitation of unbelievers to eat the food that is set before him without hesitation after giving thanks for the food. However, if the host explicitly tells the believer that the food set before them has been offered to idols. In such a situation, it will not be a good testimony to the unbelieving host if the believer would take the food offered to the idols. It would tantamount to participating in the worship of the idols to which the food was offered.

The Apostle Paul instructed the believers buy the meat from the market without any rebuke on their conscience to surmise if the meat has previously been offered to idols. The word “shambles” means “a meat market” or “food market”. There should not be any question to any unfaithfulness on their part when they buy the meat and partake it after cooking them.

The man of God seeks not his own benefit but the welfare of his neighbour. He seeks not to enrich himself but that of others. His life is poured out for the good that may be imparted to others.This was Jesus’ life. The love of Christ is manifested in servanthood. May God give us a servant’s heart.

The Apostle Paul tells us that there are some things a Christian does that is not morally wrong, but may not be profitable in the sense that it does not build up others’ faith. In this verse, he urges the Christian to consider the impact of his action on the spiritual life of others around him. If it does not build others in the faith but potentially may be a stumbling to them, he says it is “not expedient” or “not profitable” to engage in it.

In this generation where entertainment and pleasure-seeking are so much a part of lifestyle can the people of God hold fast to follow the Lord in the ways of holiness? Inadvertently, believers come under great pressure to conform to the world. How can the believer remain faithful to his Lord and not incur God’s wrath by any friendship with the world?

The Apostle Paul seeks the believer who have confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour to give his wholehearted devotion. Why should the believer who is saved from the filth of his idoltrous past go back to partake the filth of sin in demon-worship? Its unbecoming of the believer and most rebellious of him. It puts him in danger of God’s wrath.

When the believers go to the temple and be a part of the temple feast, is he not partaking of the worship? He may not think anything of the idol but the fact that this sacrifice is brought to devils. Be aware of the spiritual implication of such actions. Demonic power culminates in Satan worship. Satan is the evil one, the prince of this world.

We know that Satan possess great powers to torment mankind. Job suffered under the onslaught of Satan. God protected him. Mary Magdalene was possessed with seven devils before she was glorious saved by Jesus. The demons departed out of her, never to bother her again when she received Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in her heart. She was the first to be at the tomb of Jesus on resurrection day. She was the first to see the resurrected Christ. She loved her Lord. Jesus comforted her.

Indeed, the people of God, having been delivered from their idolatrous past, be willing to keep themselves pure from the pollution of idols. To abstain from all appearance of evil. May the people of God today be identified with Him through baptism and on a regular basis partake the Lord’s Supper in fellowship with the Lord. Amen.

Believers are a joined as one body in Christ through faith in the one act on the cross where Jesus’ broken bodily offered as sacrifice for our sake to save us from our sins.

Through that one offer of Christ on the cross, we by faith receive forgiveness of sins. The Lord’s Supper was instituted by our Lord Jesus before He went to the cross to help His people remember His death till He comes again. That they may not forget that there was no greater love than this, no greater sacrifice than this, no greater suffering than this.