The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-11-24
Abstinence for the
Sake of Others
Sunday School Lesson Tor NOv.z6. 100.
spseI.lIy Prsp.rsd lor - Psper.


verses. 3i-33
GOLDEN TExT-"Let him that think
eth he sianGeth take heed lest he fall =
l Cor 1914
TIME.-Pau wrote this FIRST letter 10 tho
corinthian church about A. d. ".
PLACE. -Cornth. one OF the most world
Is and luxurious cities Of the time.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
V. %. "All things are lawful" All
things pertaining 10 the support OF life.
such as eating and drinking, and TO its
enjoyment in social intercourse and
pleasure. The Christian is, or should
be. the one free man in Gods world
Not all are expedient." negative
way OF saying that some things that
are lawful may yet be harmful TO ones
self or 10 another. "Edify not" Lit
orally, do not build Up" The infer
ence Is plain: II some things are In
themselves lawful. yet are found TO
tear down rather than build up char
acter, the Christian must stop TO con-
slider what should be his attitude
toward those things.
V. "a. NO man" No person-man,
woman OF child Seek his own" Make
Il his own business to look after his own
interests But every man etc. Bet
ter in Revised Version. but each his
neighbors good" We should be unself-
lsh in thought, word and action.
V. 25. Whatsoever is sold in the sham
bles." A shamble is a slaughterhouse,
place where animals are slain for
food: the reference is to whatever meat
has been slain thus and is sold in the
public market. Such meat, the apostle
saws, the Christian may freely buy and
eat asking no question" He is not 10
fret himself or Others by questioning
how the animal was slain. what has be-
come Of other portions Of it, or anything
of the sort. If the meat appears have
been properly prepared so that it will
be wholesome that is all he needs TO
know. For conscience sake. iou
need have no conscientious scruples IN
the matter.
Y. 26 For the earth is the Lords,
and the fullness thereof" This sentence
was often used by the Jews as grace
before meals.
V. q. The first question, concerning
what food the Christian may buy in the
I r.
tied. the apostle now takes up the sec
ond. one needing more complicated
answer-"How can a Christian partake
If food az the table Of pagan friend
THAT believe not" A pagan. Bid you
10 a feast" Invite you to feast at his
house. Some had gone so far as 10
claim that Christians might feast in an
idol-temple. but Paul had expostulated
against this QO:l4-2N. showing 1t 10
be an actual participation in idolatry.
V. 2s But If any man say unto you,
etc. If anyone. heather host or guest.
or Christian guest There would be no
lew there. for Jews never ate with Gen.
tiles. If anyone raised the question.
then the matter was TO be looked at in
another light. This. in sacrifice III
Q portion Of the animal has been offered
, to a heather deity. Eat not for his
, sake" His questioning about ii showed
that be had feeling that one partaking
of this mea- vas rendering homage to
the idol to whom part of it had been
dedicated: hence for his sake the Chris
tian had best decline to eat Of the meat.
V. %. Conscience not thine
, own" Not because you have any con-
, scientious scruples Of your own about
, the meat AS the apostle has previous
" shown (S:4-6). an idol is nothing,
, and food or aught else can be neither
improved nor impaired by any relation
TO It. but Of the other" The con-
: science OF the other man. who raised tho
, question. To him you might do great
harm il YOU allowed him to judge, from
. your eating this meat. that idols and
. ldolatry were not so bad. after all.
4 why is my liberty judged?' the Word
Judged has here the sense of con-
demned. The question Is: Why has
another any right 20 condemn what
: my conscience approves? The an
swer must be: He has no such right;
/, Judging and condemning one another
n is most unchristian: but V. 81 will lead
A to the conclusion Of this thought "
!. 30 repeats the question in slightly diff
a rering form.
= V. 30. "By grace partaker: Better,
III partake with thankfulness:" The
Christian recognizes every good sift
as from his Heavenly Father. and at
! heart If not audibly. returns thanks to
II Him for food and drink and all other
d daily benefits.
d V. 81. ITO the glory of Cod" Con.
g slider. How do the eating and drinking
v appear in His sight. Is all to Hii
Il glory? II is a glorious as well as
K solemnizing thought that the great
z God is slorifed or dishonored by even
l. The trivial acts of His children.
V. 80. Give none offense" Do not
Sillfully act so as to offend the con
science Of any or cause him TO stumble
e In his Christian course. but rather sac
p rfice personal preferences in order L
a avoid hurting any.
u V. 80 Il please all men In all things:
Paul states his personal decision Of III
questions that have been considered
Chap. 9.2022
Practical Points.
y " % The Christian Is the one FREE