IF YOU PLACE A STONE IN A TEMPLE OR IN YOUR HOUSE AND DECORATE IT LIKE GOLD, DOES IT BECOME GOLD? (Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.) “‘People of Israel, did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for 40 years in the desert? You lifted up the place where Molech was worshiped. You lifted up the star of your god Rephan. You made statues of them to worship. So I will send you away from your country.’ (Amos 5:25–27) God sent them to Babylon and even farther. “Long ago our people had with them in the desert the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant were kept. Moses had made the holy tent as God had commanded him. It was made like the pattern he had seen. Our people received the tent from God. They brought it with them when they took the land of Canaan. God drove out the nations that were in their way. At that time Joshua was Israel’s leader. “The tent remained in the land until David’s time. David was blessed by God. So David asked if he could build a house for the God of Jacob. Instead, it was Solomon who built it for him. “But the Most High God does not live in houses made by human hands. As God says through the prophet, “‘Heaven is my throne. The earth is under my control. What kind of house will you build for me?says the Lord. Where will my resting place be? Didn’t my hand make all these things?’ (Isaiah 66:1,2) “You people! You won’t obey! You are stubborn! You won’t listen! You are just like your people of long ago! You always oppose the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your people didn’t try to hurt? They even killed those who told about the coming of the Blameless One. And now you have handed him over to his enemies. You have murdered him. The law you received was brought by angels. But you haven’t obeyed it.” (Act.7) We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God. So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the 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 all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. (1 Cor.8)
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 05:00:39 +0000
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