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Cultural Christianity vs. Biblical Christianity

1 Corinthians 8. Cultural Christianity vs. Biblical Christianity. False Stereotypes about Christianity. “Too uptight for me…” “Too judgmental …” “Too many rituals …” “I’m not the religious type…” “I don’t have time for it…”. “Love Edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1)

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Cultural Christianity vs. Biblical Christianity

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  1. 1 Corinthians 8

    Cultural Christianity vs. Biblical Christianity

  2. False Stereotypes about Christianity “Too uptight for me…” “Too judgmental…” “Too many rituals…” “I’m not the religious type…” “I don’t have time for it…”
  3. “Love Edifies”(1 Corinthians 8:1) “Anyone who claims to know all the answersdoesn’t really know very much.” 1 Corinthians 8:2 “But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.”1 Corinthians 8:3 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free”Gal. 5:1 “When we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in [ritual]. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.”Galatians 5:6 Biblical Christianity in Two Words ἀγάπη oἰκοδομέω
  4. “Love Edifies”(1 Corinthians 8:1) Ch.1: not fightsand disunity! Ch.2: a new ability for understanding people Ch.3: the buildingand reward in life Ch.4: Your most valuable stewardship Ch.5: Loving through taking stands Ch.6-7: Love and SEX! Biblical Christianity in Two Words ἀγάπη oἰκοδομέω
  5. Everyone comes to Christ with bags packed! Jesus Christ transcends cultural superstitions. Love Meets “Cultural Baggage” There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life. 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (NLT) So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 1 Corinthians 8:4 (NLT)
  6. Everyone comes to Christ with bags packed! Jesus Christ transcends cultural superstitions. Some baggage is just dead wrong! It can be destructive! Love Meets “Cultural Baggage” …some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But we know that there is only one God… 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (NLT)
  7. Everyone comes to Christ with bags packed! Jesus Christ transcends cultural superstitions. Some baggage is just dead wrong! Still, we can’t clobber with our knowledge! Paul is notanti-knowledge… Truth is a vital part of biblical love Love Meets “Cultural Baggage” “Knowledge puffeth up”1 Corinthians 8:1 (KJV) Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.1 Corinthians 8:1 (NIV) And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment . Philippians 1:9 “we persuade men”2 Corinthians 5:11
  8. Everyone comes to Christ with bags packed! Jesus Christ transcends cultural superstitions. Some baggage is just dead wrong! Still, we can’t clobber with our knowledge! Some baggage is “weak faith” Superstitious GREEKS! “Meat offered to idols” was everywhere! Thought they were “worshipping” false gods to eat the meat… Love Meets “Cultural Baggage” However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 1 Corinthians 8:7 (NLT) It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. 1 Corinthians 8:8 (NLT)
  9. Everyone comes to Christ with bags packed! Jesus Christ transcends cultural superstitions. Some baggage is just dead wrong! Still, we can’t clobber with our knowledge! Some baggage is “weak faith” Let’s have some sensitivity to their issues! Your freedom might stumble their faith… They might just “go all the way”!!! But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 1 Corinthians 8:9-10 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 1 Corinthians 8:11-12 Love Meets “Cultural Baggage” So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble. 1 Corinthians 8:13 (NLT)
  10. We have an amazing amount of freedom! “It was for freedom that Christ set us free” Gal. 5:1 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” Titus 3:4-5 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. 1 Cor. 10:23 The “Love Edifies” Faith in Christ
  11. We have an amazing amount of freedom! We live by “The Royal Law” Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the Royal Law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” James 2:8 (NLT) Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 The “Love Edifies” Faith in Christ Problems with “Unrestricted Freedom” Christianity becomes misunderstood Right/wrong doesn't matter Lose freedom: overuse, slavery Grow calloused, alienated…
  12. We have an amazing amount of freedom! We live by “The Royal Law” Some things are clearly foolish and wrong… Worshipping Idols… Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 1 Cor. 6:18 (NLT) Moral Absolutes: “Not all things edify!” The “Love Edifies” Faith in Christ
  13. We have an amazing amount of freedom! We live by “The Royal Law” Some things are clearly foolish and wrong… Other things are wrong because it hurts someone… “But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.”1 Corinthians 8:9 (NLT) The “Love Edifies” Faith in Christ
  14. We have an amazing amount of freedom! We live by “The Royal Law” Some things are clearly foolish and wrong… Other things are wrong because it hurts someone… This drives legalists nuts! “Arbitrary Absolutes” – a fear-driven ethic. Adds cultural baggage to Christianity… The “Love Edifies” Faith in Christ
  15. Learn God’s Love for Ethical Guidance… “Love Edifies” Ethic: What’s the Point? Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
  16. Learn God’s Love for Ethical Guidance… Respect other people’s conscience “Love Edifies” Ethic: What’s the Point? 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 8:11
  17. Learn God’s Love for Ethical Guidance… Respect other people’s conscience Distinguish between cultural baggage and scripture Have the courage to critique cultural Christianity! “Love Edifies” Ethic: What’s the Point?
  18. Learn God’s Love for Ethical Guidance… Respect other people’s conscience Distinguish between cultural baggage and scripture Avoid making our own arbitrary absolutes! “Love Edifies” Ethic: What’s the Point?
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