So, why is it that I contend there are no prohibitions on us? 1ntend there are no prohibitions on us? 1st
Corinthians chapter 8 provides a clue to Jehovah's intention with the
new covenant. The church of Corinth asked Paul about food offered to
idols. The question bore enough importance that Paul answered
the church.
"In your letter you asked me about food offered to idols.
All of us know something about this subject. But knowledge makes
us proud of ourselves, while love makes us helpful to others."
(1 Corinthians 8:1 CEV)
"In fact, people who think they know so much don't know
anything at all." (1 Corinthians 8:2 CEV)
In his sarcastic manner, Paul let the Corinthians know that worrying
about such things was to disregard the Law of Love. They cared
more about having rules to live by than just living their lives in love.
In short, they cared more for legalism than love. The word for
the Corinthians is haughty. Paul chose to answer their arrogant
question. They could not be affected by the food, whether they choose
to eat it or not; it mattered naught to God.
"But food doesn't bring us any closer to God. We are
no worse off if we don't eat, and we are no better off if we
do." (1 Corinthians 8:8 CEV)
In the intervening verses Paul describes why. All things are
made by God, and by him we are also made. If we grow to understand that
everything is of Jehovah, then we too can get past the superstition
the Corinthians faced. Perhaps you have some "bad" habit; smoking
comes to mind or gambling or masturbation. We are faced with social
stigma's that these things are "bad". Keeping in mind the idea
of the food for the idols, we can transplant the concept to anything
that is forbidden or looked at askance by current mores. Nothing
is wrong with anything, because everything is created by God.
Take a look Paul's letter to Titus.
"Everything is pure for someone whose heart is pure. But
nothing is pure for an unbeliever with a dirty mind. That person's
mind and conscience are destroyed." (Titus 1:15 CEV)
If our heart is pure, then everything is pure for us. What
makes our hearts pure? Only the impure can see God's creation as evil.
Paul's letter to the Romans might clarify this point.
"I am conscious of this, and am certain in the Lord Jesus,
that nothing is unclean in itself; but for the man in whose
opinion it is unclean, for him it is unclean." (Romans 14:14
BBE)
So long as what we do is within the two rules of Love, we are not
doing anything wrong. It's physically impossible. With all this
Liberty comes responsibility. We are admonished not to weaken
the already weakened by flaunting our freedom. Some of these Corinthians
grew up with the idea that the idols were living spirits and therefore
were now "bad" to associate with. Paul tells them to try and not
upset the conscience of these poor souls.
"Don't cause problems for someone with a weak conscience,
just because you have the right to eat anything." (1 Corinthians
8:9 CEV)
What does this mean? If a friend thinks that celebrating Christmas
is a violation of God's principles, then avoid letting your friend see
you celebrate the holiday. It's not up to you to avoid Christmas, just
keep the rule of "out of sight, out of mind"
Keeping considerate of other's is the gist of
Rule
#2. That does not mean we are forbidden from anything.
We simply must avoid becoming inconsiderate. Therefore, I contend
that all the prohibitions brought about by the Mosaic Law are gone and
un-replaced.
Matthew Gerrior, 11/22/2005