| Black & White and Gray All Over: Part 1 Posted: 21 Jul 2009 05:31 PM PDT
The Original Gray Area: Of Men, Meat, and Idols If you think this whole phenomenon of internal church bickering and disputing over controversial issues is a relatively recent occurrence, think again. Back in the Apostle Paul’s day (A.D. 57), churches and Christians were quarreling over something even more intensely dividing: meat. I know what you’re thinking: “Oh, you mean like arguing over what barbecue sauce is better: KC Masterpiece or Sweet Baby Ray’s?”
No, it was more like debating whether or not a Christian could eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols, earthly representations of gods other than the one, true Jehovah God. For some, this practice was completely acceptable, particularly when you consider that the meat markets of the day tended to sell “idol meat” at a far cheaper price than meat that had come straight from the slaughter house (let’s admit it, everyone wants a bargain). For others, meddling with anything that had been sacrificed to a false god was an unfathomable sin (not to mention potentially unhealthy and dangerous). But look at what Paul had to say about the issue: “Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies…Therefore, concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in this world, and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. However, not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak…Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13: NASU, emphases added) Paul knew exactly what this issue was at its core: a gray area. So for starters, he exposes idols for what they truly are: fabrications of man (noting that some people may not have knowledge of this). And then he goes on to outline why this particular topic is gray, not black & white: the mere activity of eating anything has nothing to do with being more virtuous or, on the same token, more criminal or sinful as a Christian (vs. 8). Although we are certainly charged to respect our physical bodies because they are temples of the Holy Spirit and meant for His glory (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), it matters little what we eat for physical nourishment or where it comes from (only a danger in the sin of gluttony). Finally, Paul takes careful measures to caution the Corinthian church on over-exercising their liberties and freedoms in Christ, lest they cause a fellow believer to stumble (vs. 9). In fact, he takes it a step further and goes so far as to say, “…if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again…” (vs. 13). When it comes to gray matters, Paul gets it. For him, it isn’t about the endless debates on why an issue may or may not be right or wrong. It’s all about bringing glory to God and respecting and honoring his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. What if Christians and churches today were to apply this same mindset to modern gray areas? What if, instead of allowing debates and quarrels to rip entire congregations to shreds or create factions within church bodies, we exercised love above all (verse 1)? Issues within the church are not only black and white, some are gray. But perhaps, in bearing with our newspaper riddle metaphor, the color red is of more importance than we realize. Perhaps it is the red, redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, spilt upon the hill of Calvary for the sins of the world, which we need view controversial issues through. Perhaps the church globally, with all of its differences, disagreements, and discord, should truly be black, white, gray and, under the Savior’s blood, red all over.
–Josh Givens, The Underground staff writer |
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