The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-11-25

\ Us Il ulscNSSlDn OF questions OF llBut
and wrong IN regard to some doubtful
matters that troubled the consciences
of the young Jewish Christians, be-
sides an allied question concerning the
relation Of the Gentiles TO the Jewish
ritual ordained by God lin Acts IS and
Ia CALI
] There was the question of the
Sabbath arising from the fact that for
Jewish Christians there were two
sacred days, the Lords day, our Sun
doy-Sabbath, and the seventh day, the
Jewish Sabbath from the beginning.
shou,d Christians observe both or
only one; and il one. which one; and
how should they treat the other
. There was the question as to
whether Gentiles must become Jews,
and whether Jews could eat with their
Gentle brethren, and how they should
treat them socially. See Peters case
IN Gal 2:11-14
3. But the most generally perplexing
question for both Jewish and Gentle
Christians living in foreign cities
among the heather was that which
concerned the eating Of meat offered
TO idols.
As at the Jewish feasts the sacrifices
were partly burned upon the altar and
partly eaten by those who offered
them. and by the priests. in festival
worship to Jehovah, so i was with
the heather sacrifices. The meat was
eaten by the worshipers. or sold by the
poor IN open market Thus Christians
might unconsciously buy such meat in
the market. or eat itat the house Of a
friend.
The question would continually and
persistently arise-what ought the
Gentle converts to do under such cir
cumstances? Shall they eat meat
offered to idols and seem to some to
favor idolatry? Shall they refuse and
seem TO hinder the progress Of the
Gospel? Injury would follow which
ever course was taken. and 50 would
good
on the one hand, they should re-
fuse to partake of such meats, be-
cause % such meats were forbidden
By the decree Of the council at Jeru-
salem seven years before (Acts t5:29).
(2) Because The act was peculiarly Of
fensiye to their Jewish brethren. go
TO use the fish which had once been
offered to heather divinity, even in
ordinary circumstances, would be an
encouragement of the practice of sac
rlfce. much more to partake Of the
banQucts which took place in the pre-
cincts Of the temple itself, and on the
scene OF those licentious orgies with
which the heather worship was so
Cgton accompanied Dean Stanley.
Csee Cor S.9-l31
on the other hand. It was right TO
partake. Cd Because the decree at
| Jerusalem against It referred 10 cases
1 like the one mentioned in " 2S, and
TO times when there were many jew
ish Christians and few Gentle Chris
tians. II was local and temporary and
did not refer to such cases as those
~ Corinth. where there were many
Centiles in proportion TO Jews. t2l
There was NO essential wrong in eat
ing such meat IAN idol is nothing
is the world SO that mere fact that
lhe meat had been offered To an iGol
in no way changed its nature CD
The prohibition interfered with true
Christian liberty and such liberty is
0f the utmost Importance to an (4l
The prohibition would cause a great
rAculty in obtaining meats for food.
(5i Any unnecessary burdens ON dis.
ciples hindered others from becoming
Christians. (6) compelled the dis
ciples te keep away from almost all
social and ciyil assemblies and pre-
vented them from influencing their
heather neighbors toward the Gospel
ca Such emphasis on matters not
wrong in themselves would call atten-
ton away from real sins and crimes.
II Is always dangerous to lay as much
emphasis on incidental things as on
The great truths and principles.
II. The principles by which the ques
tions must be decided
First.-One must keep absolutely
clear from he faint Of idolatry, vs.
1921.
Second.-1t is duty to recognize
ones personal liberty, the glorious
liberty Of the children Of God" Rom.
S;21)
%. "All things are lawful for me.
Not sins. and wrongs. but The enjoy
ments and freedom OF living. eating.
drinking. rest, art, marrying, social
life. eating meat though offered TO
idols. Ii is our characters, our moral
condition. our love, not some formal
act OF eating OF fasting for which God
cares These last in themselves "will
not weigh a grain Of sand in either
scale."
Third But love the highest charac-
ter. true heroism bids us to yoluntar-
ily give up our rights for the sake Of
others We have liberty but we
should use that liberty at the com
mand of love. II does not iake away
orr liberty if we CHOOSE TO give ZIP
what we have rieht . de for the
sake Of helping Others W. haye lib