(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen. 1 Corinthians chapter 8. It's quite a short one so you might get out early if you're lucky. Right, starting in verse 1. Now as touching things offered unto idols we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth and if any man think that he knoweth anything he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know but if any man love God the same is known of him. Okay so verse 1. Now as touching things offered unto idols we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth. So he's talking about meat here that's been sacrificed to false gods. The particular knowledge he's saying here about having that knowledge is is from verse 4. Verse 4 where it's saying that we know that an idol is nothing in the world and he's saying we here isn't he we know. Okay and he says here knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth. Now puffeth up means to get prideful, arrogant, lofty, other words for it. I think we could probably all relate to that at some points yeah. I think everyone can relate to that. I think probably especially in this world maybe more than before I don't know. I think you know pride is is not is not something that's looked down upon anymore maybe it's always been like that but it can be an ongoing battle for many people so you might feel are you getting it getting on top of that sometimes God humbles you a little bit doesn't he in life and then it starts to creep up again. Now this knowledge that you're saying we have because when you're looking at the book of Corinthians you're thinking really they really have knowledge these guys because you know they seem to be a pretty carnal church. Well knowledge starts with salvation doesn't it Proverbs 1 7 says the fear of the Lord is a beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction. So true knowledge starts starts with salvation that's a beginning. Now some people get the beginning of knowledge but they're still fools aren't they some people get the beginning of knowledge but you'd still describe them as a fool and there are many people like that and we want to make sure that's not us either. Now what happens sadly with a lot of people is they get a little bit of knowledge and they get puffed up from it and and people get a little bit of knowledge they get puffed up with a little knowledge they have and then they they won't learn more they won't learn more they find it hard to learn more because they've got puffed up and when you're in that prideful arrogant state it's really hard to learn isn't it it's really hard to learn from other people because in your mind you're just saying what what what could I learn what could I learn you know with my with my knowledge. Now the thing with this is I believe this could be and probably is regularly with other churches as well a big problem which are with a church like ours a big problem because of the state of the rest of the churches because of of the difference between us and and especially in such a wicked nation as well there there is a big temptation to get puffed up prideful arrogant you look at other churches you just think what are you doing for God what are you doing look at these Christians they're not they're not soul winning they're most of them don't read their Bibles most of them aren't doing anything what are you doing and the soul winning the soul winning is a big one isn't it because we're looking about and no one else got soul winning and we and it's there's a big temptation there to get prideful and puffed up and arrogant about the fact that we go out once a week twice a week you might even go three times a week and win win some souls for Christ and I think we could all be a victim of this this is a this is a risk for all of us we get puffed up about the doctrine couldn't we because we just see it so clearly don't we it's clear it's clear as day we're looking at look at it we're looking at the Bible praise God we've had some good teaching as well and maybe some people here would have got saved never listen to anything read through their Bible enough and come to the right and got spot on with every single doctrine I doubt it I think some of it you know God has called for preaching and the preaching has been great for us isn't it and it's not of your own intelligence it's not of that is it it's a word of God that's been preached to you and yeah we you know it's not that we've been brainwashed we know the truth it's clear as day but it's there's a there is a temptation get puffed up about that isn't there look at these up believe in a preacher of rapture you know how ridiculous you know after the tribulation of those days yeah and there's there's so many things and it's not just that is it there's many other doctrines and like I say we're we've been at some bad churches okay it's not just that you've been at our well we've been at some non it an IFB churches the IFB churches in this country are terrible it you know I I'm so pleased I can say this now you know I can preach this without worrying that I'm offending a church that I might still have to go to I'm a bit worried about well that part because they aren't they're horrendous they're that bad we've put up with such bad churches and and I understand why some people haven't I do understand that and it's been a battle it's been a battle for probably every single person here to try and keep going to a churches where where it's bad there's no spirit there you're wondering you know they still do they still even have a candlestick okay so they give out some tracks or something else you know that's about it that's their big soul-winning push and it's bad but that's not because we're so great is it it's not oh well we're just such great Christians we can see through these bad church it's because they're so bad they're so bad so it then lifts us us up doesn't it because then we're looking at that we're looking at the rest of the churches and it's easy when you're around those sorts we're in this country with just wickedness everywhere and a few bad churches and we think we are we are the bee's knees aren't we you know check us out we go soul-winning we know about the Jews you know well our women wear dresses we wear suits some of us but you know whatever else it is and but look it's a fine line is a fine line between calling out weak Christianity and getting puffed up and we should call it out shouldn't we we should call it out because if we don't call out who else is and you could just look at a while it's in America where it's a bit different a culture there no we're gonna call it out from this country and we're going to make it clear the difference in our church should be and what these few joke churches left because the only ones left that I would call the church for one to still have the gospel right and that's few and far between and sometimes you wonder do they really have it right you wonder what they really believe but there's a final but we should be we should be calling out okay we should be calling out but we've got to do that without then getting puffed up and that could be a bit of a like say a bit of a tightrope to walk on now something I've also noticed as well in life and this isn't about you know necessarily people here this is about just in life in general I've noticed that arrogance seems to be contagious anyone else notice that arrogance is contagious I've known groups of people groups of friends groups people in workplaces who I don't know if they've attracted each other or it's just it's rubbed off with each other but the more the more arrogant a couple are the more the friends seem to be the more their group just gets more and more puffed up and I was thinking about this I was thinking there's probably a bit of desensitization so the more you around arrogance and puffed up and prideful people the more it doesn't faze you as much like like any sin you know when you're around sin a lot you get desensitized to sin but I think there's a one-upmanship that goes on as well so if you don't know what I mean by that you know one person's just gets a little bit braggy about something so you just you could either just keep quiet and weak but you know we could all do this instead you maybe get a little bit braggy back and it's a little comment here about something you do or something you've got or you know whatever it is that these people are getting prideful about and it does definitely rub off now turn to Psalm 101 and I know I preached a little while back on pride and I'm not gonna spend this whole sermon on pride but I think it is it's a big problem it's a big problem it's a problem that we want to avoid as well if you look at Psalm 101 and verse 5 and David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes who so privately slandereth his neighbor him will I cut off him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer and I've always found this verse really fascinating because first I think they go in hand in hand so when we're slandering our neighbor it usually comes from pride doesn't it because when we're criticizing others it comes from a prideful place thinking we're better than them and then we're criticizing them but he says he'll cut them off and then he says he that have an high look and a proud heart will not suffer now not gonna suddenly add a new church discipline in here that they're getting kicked out and I'm not saying anyone here is this but what what he is saying here is he doesn't want to be around people like that and I think because as well as prideful people there's so many problems that come from that when you when you and when you're around prideful people I could think back in the past of being around private it's painful it really is painful because they're constantly trying to prove that you're wrong constantly trying to correct you constantly trying to lift themselves up prove themselves in it's painful it really is and we don't want to be like that and David doesn't want to be around anyone like that he doesn't want to suffer him he doesn't want to be around them and we have a big there's a big risk there's a big risk with a church like this that we can all all of us could have the temptation of being like that and we don't want to be like that okay families that that can run with families I've seen that with families I've seen where where you get a bit of a prideful arrogant sort of streak in that family and it rubs off and they all seem to be the same again I think it's that being around it friends and churches and I'm not saying I've seen that at churches I've seen that in groups before other churches and maybe you know when there's a bit of a puffed up preacher pastor and some of them the inner circle just seem to have this arrogant air about them but the Corinthian churches is being constantly being told they're puffed up and arrogant it's such a carnal church and it's such a bizarre thing isn't it that a lot of the time the most prideful puffed up people are the most carnal people the ones with the most sin in their life open clear sin and then they just seem to have this arrogance and air about and I think it's to make up for that a lot of the time now the church the churches get like this don't they and I think they can I think and we really don't want that to happen here and again because I think the more you're around it the more you're around that pride that arrogance that puffed up that you know I'm better than you type attitude or constantly trying to prove it the more people start doing the same it get desensitized and then you just have this arrogant puffed up church where when people come in where and you know we haven't really been we haven't been blessed that much like praise God we you know we had sister Jody and her family been coming out of that was out of a salvation and wow she went out soul-wording today as well which is absolutely amazing and praise God for everyone that's been involved in that and encourage encouraging her but we haven't had much else have we along those lines so far and there's a few reasons obviously lockdown and COVID and stuff hasn't helped maybe the fact that this building you know isn't as obvious that it's a church it's section for a few reason that's that said to be the case some you know not just an open door to walk in and stuff like that but I think also I honestly believe that God hasn't God is not going to bring new believers here and and risk ruining their faith if we as a church aren't going to be in that right mentality to welcome them to love them to not put them off for anything else I'm going to talk about that in a second Proverbs 16 19 says better it is to be of a humble spirit with a lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud right so what's the solution what's the solution for all of us because some of us might be sitting here listening think yeah I could be a little bit like that maybe yeah I can see it probably everyone I'd hope everyone here is it you go yeah I can be like that because I think everyone can can't they this is a big big city it's a problem for for many people okay what charity charity knowledge puffeth up but charity edify but what is charity it's not the worldly love is it it's not the worldly love that we hear about it's not I'll just telling everyone everything they want to hear and you know just just flattery and and and never calling anything out or anything else like that it's it's a giving love isn't it so maybe maybe now you've got a couple of people ahead go well I got so winning huh full of cherry I got so winning okay but why do you go so winning why do you really assess it and there's probably a multitude of reasons I think with everyone there's a multitude of reasons is it to get people saved or can it sometimes be the ticker box maybe to lift yourself up maybe you only go so winning when people know about it and you can report it and again I'm not picking anyone here just things that that walk I mean we're all humans here we all we all sin and they they could be this nature in some people are you sounding a trumpet before you go so winning every time is that is that is that what we do I hope not but there could be that temptation isn't there and you hear people that are like that you know just saw so winning in case you wondered I just saw so winning yeah would you to get up to the week I went so winning you know okay and I'm not saying that maybe was a motivation they did but we don't want it to also be something that then afterwards you constantly having to tell everyone by the way you're not gonna get rewards for that either and it's good to encourage people don't get me wrong it's good to encourage people how about that person you had the opportunity to save in your own time are you definitely still doing that because that might be a heart problem if you're not why is it you're only doing it on the set time but then when you're with someone you're in a one-on-one whatever else doesn't even cross your mind you're not even think about trying to get people saved and again this is all stuff we need to assess about each other about ourselves sorry not each other assessing a few people here okay but what about when it was in your own time was it to tell others you know and again it's not you know like nothing wrong like you know I you know if you get someone saved in your own time it's great to be able to you know I saw it was amazing and nothing wrong with that you know I had a brother ring me the other day like oh it's great you know you just got someone saved you know through this way and it wasn't he did I need to now tell him to show off but some people that might be the mentality but here's something I was thinking about so I'll think about this okay your salvation's yeah versus church members okay what do I mean here so for example say say brother max here okay I'll keep pick your brother max just he's quite near me there okay so say brother max on average over his life gets two people saved a week okay maybe get more but let's say that's a that's a fair average day okay two a week is about 100 a year so he's getting 100 a year and maybe maybe he's got another what 30 odd years so maybe three thousand salvation's yeah and I'd hope he's got more than 30 years he's quite a young man but still okay so say he's got about three thousand salvation's in him that's pretty good isn't it wow that's you know he's doing a lot for God and he should look back and go got thousands of people saved and amen to that and that's great but say brother max is a problem in the church and say when new people come to the church they're put off they lie that max eat maybe he says he just says things that just rub him up the wrong way a bit mean to him maybe he's just not loving maybe he's really prideful and he's just constantly going on about his soul winning and if you're not so winning you're not a proper Christian and then those people just don't even want to come to church anymore and now those people that that's a family say it was just one family he affected and they were made his family let's go with a family of four yeah 2.4 true family of four okay that family of four could have all ended up being two a week soul winners couldn't they that family of four could have ended up with 12,000 salvation's if we do the same math set brother max yeah he's got 3,000 salvation's but he's on minus 9,000 because he's just ruined their testimony he's ruined their walk with God and I'm not saying that what one but well one person could actually one person could because when you're out of church you know people get put off they don't want to come to church they put off by people that could be a slippery slope there can't it and it can be a bad lie and it could that could carry on and I'm not saying it's as simple as that but it's not always as simple as one family is it so so what about if brother max is a reason that loads of people that God doesn't even want to bring people to the church because they're just gonna ruin them they're gonna ruin a week Christian they're gonna end up without brother max sorry brother max I know this isn't you but brother max is a reason that people ain't coming there's families ending up leaving there's squabbles in the church there are people that just come along and just sing no way these you know this guy he's just unreal he's just constantly trying to dig people out you know try and try and make him feel rubbish and everything else he's now responsible for thousands of thousand thousand people not saved and I'm not saying anyone here is like that but we've we we need to make sure we're the complete opposite if in doubt at all do you think I could be like that do you think I could be someone that could maybe put people off I'll be someone that could come across a bit prideful constantly boasting boasting about my soul winning to the point where people just see I don't even want to I don't want to get involved you know it then what's going to happen what's going to happen is you if you that is you you're going to be responsible for minor Salvations I don't sound like very good rewards okay now again I ain't saying that's anyone here but I think there's a risk of that but you can see where I'm coming from there okay turn to 1st Corinthians 13 1st Corinthians 13 in verse 2 and though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so I could remove mountains and have not charity I am nothing nothing that charity that giving that love for others is the all-important thing isn't it and we've just read earlier earlier in in 1st Corinthians a says knowledge puffeth up but charity edify Chad charity edify what does it mean to edify to instruct and improve the mind in knowledge generally and particularly in more and religious knowledge in faith and holiness so even though you feel that you're knowledgeable you feel that you're doing so much you feel that you've got all this strong faith and everything else without the charity really you're not are you you're not because you're not in practice because you're lacking that big key point and I think all of us all of us could probably we could probably really improve that you know everyone can it we can all improve in every area of our life but I think that can be a problem because I think that that we you know there's an old saying someone said to me that so winning can hide a multitude of sins and there is that temptation isn't there again especially in a place where no one does it think maybe 50 60 or whatever many years ago in in the States where most IFB churches of which there were a lot were going out and so winning you probably wouldn't have got so puffed up and prideful about it because that was a done thing that was fairly normal to go out knock doors and give the gospel and and yeah it might not be amongst all the false churches but I don't I think you would have probably be more likely to assess other parts of your life whereas we can easily just sit there and think but I'm getting people saved so who cares but it's okay so I fell on the okay so I'm a bit you know I'm bit mean-spirited and everything else but it could affect so many people it affects so much and it can affect a church so I think it's something that we really all of us need to really make sure we're really on that okay really on that that charity that love and get that in our hearts so that when the new people come through the door we've just got nothing but love for them nothing but love for a new brother or sister in Christ nothing but love for the person you've just got saved and making sure that that you all cost you want to bring you know follow up get him the church get him to get out of that that that wicked life in the world because yeah it's great to get the salvation but there's so much more that person could be doing isn't there and going on to save more people and and get that love for him and then we want to get that love that when they come in we just want to make them happy make them at home not try and lift ourselves up compared with them make sure that we're just welcoming and loving people he goes on in verse two and if any man think that he know if anything you know if nothing yet as he ought to know so you might say if you're sitting there telling yourself that you're pretty knowledgeable you know yeah okay so simple as that isn't it anyone who thinks and again we you know there are people that that there are people that have a more of a natural ability for retaining information for study for learning and it'd be easy for people that are like that to sit there and think I'm pretty knowledgeable probably of the top few in the church you know yeah I'll tell you what when he tells me to go to an obscure Bible verse I've noticed I'll get in there quickest the rest of it but what he's saying is that if if you were knowledgeable you'd realize how little you really know wouldn't you Proverbs 2 6 says for the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding there is a lot here to learn is it there really and the more you read it the more you learn the more you realize how little you really know a little you really know and you and and yeah if you think you know it you clearly don't you clearly don't because you you should know how much there is to know there's a lot here to learn first three says but if any man loved God the same is known of him okay so I think here that it's if we love God then we therefore know him yeah the same is known of him that's God being the same John 10 14 says I am the Good Shepherd and know my sheep and are known of mine so maybe it's charity or love towards God that edifies us as well yeah so it's not just the charity towards each other it's that love that chat that wanting to do things for God that will also edify us ultimately so the same being God is known by us I think when we really love him when we really love him when we really and that's a giving love that's not our world I've just you know a bit bit soft and everything towards God that's a that's a giving love when we want to live for God when we want to do things for him I think that's when we really we really get to know him properly and now you might be thinking well of course we love him of course I love God he saved me you know he saved us okay but think about everyone you got saved for example today or in the last month do they all really love God do they all all those people that get saved and then just go on with their life do they really love God it's not just a you're saved so you love God is it because there are many people that get saved and then sadly go back into that life and and yeah they probably appreciate the fact that Jesus died for him but is there really a love a giving love towards God no so it's not obviously as simple as just salvation and where's that line then obviously there's a scale isn't there and we're all somewhere on that scale but just because we go to church does it really mean that we really really love God so if any man love God the same is known of him John 14 15 says if you love me keep my commandments and that's the sign isn't it if we love him keep his commandments and again we're gonna fail we're all gonna fail we're gonna get it wrong sometimes but there should at least be that desire there should be that heart and that shows that we love God okay so verse 4 as concerning therefore the eating of those things are offered in sacrifice unto idols we know that an idol is nothing in the world and that and that there is none other God but one for though there be that a sorry for though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be God's many and Lord's many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him all right so verse 4 there as concerning therefore each of things that are offered those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols we know that an idol is nothing in the world there is none other God but one okay turn to Acts 17 so Acts 17 and verse 16 he's now while Paul waited for them Athens his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry now obviously that's Athens but it wasn't a long it wasn't a long distance from Corinth I don't think the culture was probably a lot different so I could imagine that it's probably pretty similar in Corinth now apparently and again this isn't from the Word of God but the the belief is that there was Aphrodite, Poseidon, Demeter were worshipped along with the Roman gods whether or not that's true I'm not sure probably some element of truth to that so there's probably quite a lot of different gods okay so animal sacrifice and again apparently seem to be a big part of a lot of these religions you can see when you're reading this that clearly there was animals being sacrificed to these false gods so I think that's pretty clear now is that different today is it different today well so the religious worship or festival sacrifice is is definitely less common in the West now there was some sort of weird sect of the Mormons that were doing some sort of animal sacrifice very just weird anyway it still goes on in Islam in their Hajj pilgrimage Hinduism in the eastern states of India especially among others some sects of Taoism in East Asia but they now they are big places by the way and they're big place where the gospel has gone to at various times so you can imagine maybe a Christian reading this in certain areas like that this is going to be a feel a lot more real to them there may be so much to us in the West yeah but here I would say this applies more with halal and kosher food yeah okay and yes Allah and the god of Judaism are idols okay clearly that they're false gods their idols there is no you know Abrahamic religion all one God in different masses absolute nonsense and we've gone over that before but these are false gods there they're sacrificing meat unto idols okay Allah is nothing like the God of the Bible from what we know of you know if you learn anything about what that what they think about Allah and and the God of Judaism is definitely not the God of the Bible I mean they barely even believed are they that the first five books of the by which they claim you know the Torah like they follow follow it at all and it's a Babylonian Talmud and that is a completely different God and obviously without Jesus there is no God so halal halal food right just just quickly let's just so you understand if any of you don't understand what goes on halal food is basically food that the Muslim this sorry meat when a Muslim eats meat their rule is it has to be halal meat so let's see what halal meat is okay the food must come from a supplier that uses halal practices Dabiha is a prescribed I don't know if I pronounced that right prescribed method of slaughter for all meat sources excluding fish and other sea life per Islamic law this method of slaughtering animals consists of using a sharp knife to make an incision that cuts the front of the throat esophagus and jugular veins but not the spinal cord the head of an animal that is slaughtered using halal methods is aligned with the Qibla now the Qibla is a direction towards a Kaaba in the sacred mosque in Mecca in addition to the direction permitted animals should be slaughtered upon utterance of the Islamic prayer bismillah so it's not just a way that they're slaughtered this is definitely a sacrifice to an idol yeah the slaughter must be performed by an adult Muslim animals slaughtered by non-muslims is not halal blood must be drained from the veins carry on which is causes of dead animals such as animals who died in the world cannot be eaten additionally an animal that has been strangled beaten to death killed by a fall gourd to death savage by a beast prey unless finished off by human or sacrifice on the stone altar cannot be eaten okay that's halal meat that's kind of the simplest form of that clearly you can see that it's clearly being sacrificed and I saw it's just killed a certain way are we just do things like are we just say one quick prayer to God no that is sacrificed an idol okay what about kosher kosher food right the Shakita procedure which must be performed by show cat is described in a relevant text only as severing the wind pipe and food pipe trachea and esophagus nothing is mentioned about veins or arteries over in practices a very long sharp knife is used in cattle the soft tissues in the neck a slice through without the knife touching the spinal cord in the course of which four major blood vessels two of which transport oxygenated blood to the brain the carotid arteries the other two transporting blood back to the heart jugular veins are severed the vagus nerve is also cut in this operation with fowl the same procedures follow but a smaller knife is used a special knife is used that is very long and no undue pressure may be applied to the knife which must be very sharp the procedure may be performed with the animal either lying on its back or standing they've got special names as Shakita Munakat and Shakita Mewmedet in the case of fowl with the exception large foul like turkey the bird is held in a non dominant hand in such a way that the head is pulled back in a neck exposed while the cut made with the dominant hand and now I kind of stopped there because it goes on and on with this just bizarre you've got to do this this way and that that way and just this weird satanic ritualistic stuff which as we know if you look at Judaism it's just full of that sort of stuff you know you can only get out of bed with that foot first and all this sort of stuff okay now those are the two main idol sacrifices that we get over here and there's been a little bit of opposition you might have heard about this a little bit of opposition from you know these kind of animal activist types you get very upset about that and we don't really want to get pulled into that because I don't think if you look at all the slaughtering of animals in the Old Testament I don't think God's really too fussed about about that and how they're killed so it's easy to try and jump on board with that to criticize it but let's just criticize them for what it is and that is sacrificing meat unto idols okay okay back so back to 1st Corinthians 8 verse 5 for though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be gods many and Lord's many okay so whenever you see God with a small G it's referring to false gods probably everyone here knows that now there are many false gods aren't there so there's estimated 10,000 religions worldwide Hinduism alone has 33 million gods 33 million gods now I don't think there's much debate about that I saw someone try and argue it but really it was just because they all apparently come back to one of a few gods but they make like rat gods and you know you name it just gods of everything I mean it's wicked is it absolutely wicked but can you imagine living there as a saved Christian that'd be pretty tough wouldn't it around all of that although it's pretty tough here for many reasons well but okay so here it says there there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth so as there be gods many and Lord's many so Lord's I think of people that are worshipped now is the thing there are many there are many people that are worshipped in life aren't there we see that a lot but there are many versions of the Lord Jesus it seems as well aren't there many versions we see in the world and then they're not the Lord Jesus are there you know there's a Lord Jesus obviously we you know we see a lot the effeminate Lord Jesus a kind of hey whatever Lord Jesus but there's other versions as well there's a work salvation Lord Jesus isn't there there's a Lord Jesus that didn't get resurrected there's a Lord Jesus that didn't actually die on the cross apparently as well there's many versions of the Lord Jesus and all these false religions and there are many Lords in the world many different men they've lifted up as gods look at verse 6 but to us there is but one God the father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him okay so here he's referring isn't he to verse 5 here about gods and Lords yeah so then he uses using the same same wording here now Paul is showing that there's both one God and one Lord who are both separate he's showing that with the of whom of all things and by whom but we also see with with comparison throughout the Bible that along with the Holy Spirit they make one God right so along with the Holy Spirit they make one God if you don't know Hebrews chapter 1 because we see that same terminology there about by him in Hebrews chapter 1 and from verse 1 Hebrews 1 1 God who at sundry times in divers manners spake in pastime unto the fathers by the prophets have in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the world's who being the brightness of his glory and express image of his person upholding all things by the word of his power what he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high being made so much better than the angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they for unto which of the angel said he at any time thou art my son this day have I begotten thee and again I'll be to him a father and he shall be to me a son and again when he bring bringeth in the first begotten into the world he said and let all the angels of God worship him and of the angels he said whom who maketh his angel spirits and his ministers a flame of fire but unto the Sun he saith thy throne Oh God is forever and ever a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom and and there he's referring to Psalm 45 with the Oh God and the reason I read that is just because you can read that you can read from 1st Corinthians there and in chapter 8 and I'm sure there you know I haven't looked into too much I'm sure there'll be false false religions try to then take away and so it's only one God God the Father but the Bible's clear is it 1st John 5 7 for there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word the Holy Ghost and these three are one John 1 1 to 3 in the beginning was the word the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without was not anything made that was made again by him okay by Jesus Christ John 10 30 says I am my father a one and that's not this modalissa the same they're the same person how on earth is Jesus constantly communing with God the Father so obviously loads of false religions like to jump in a verse to try and take it out of context and try and take it away from all the other truths of the Bible but there there are I believe Paul there is just showing showing that analogy of what he's talking about that God and that Lord but they are one God now to us we understand this yeah to us this is fine now it goes on in verse 7 how be it there is not in every man that knowledge for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol and their conscience being weak is the Father so we understand there's one God we understand that they're nothing don't we we understand that our idol is nothing that they they have nothing on God okay so these people there are people aren't there they say they know that an idol is nothing but there are new Christians and babes in Christ that don't understand that aren't there when you get people saved on the door are you are you then going into like a full explanation of idols and the devil and and you're not are you for good reason because it's salvation we're trying to get we're hitting salvation we're getting them saved and you want to build them up with time and for them to understand that stuff so how is their conscience defiled said verse 7 their conscience being weak is defiled okay so say they're recently saved yeah they've repented they've repented they've changed their mind they've turned for whatever their false religion their false belief was to faith in Jesus Christ but are they aware that these false gods are nothing are they aware that they're nothing what power do they think they have what what sort of do they know all the that to get saved night maybe they're aware that they're devils maybe they're aware they're devils we read this earlier 1st Corinthians 10 and 19 to 20 where it says what say I then that the idol is anything or that which is often in sacrificed wise is anything but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to devils and not to God but I would not that you should have fellowship with devils okay so we know that I think anyone here is unaware that the false gods are also idols and devils therefore yeah okay but but maybe they're not aware of where we are in chapter 8 and verse 4 where it says an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God big G but one yeah there's lots of these false gods and small gods but there's one God but when you're newly saved do you really understand that fully do you really understand that fully so maybe they they feel that they're somehow worshiping these gods then and like I said mate you could maybe look at this well how do we apply that to ourselves temples eating meat sacrifice the devils well say he says but meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we are we the better neither if we not are we the worse so it makes no difference though to those that understand yeah so it makes no difference to those that understand but let's see so he carries on here let's see see where this goes he said in verse 9 but take he lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak for if any man see see thee which has knowledge sit at me in the idols temple shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ Christ died but when you sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience you sin against Christ wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend and so like so that that could be hard for us to relate to but you could imagine though a new Christian maybe watching a more mature Christian in this setting or maybe in a country where this is going on a lot eating in the idols temple then going back thinking well that's all right going back to a place where there was so much sin and idol worship we saw earlier today that Christians can still fall into versions and forms of idol worship even though they're saved they go back and fall into some of those old sins they were in there and then they're falling back to their old ways and like I said even worshiping the odd again like we saw this morning now maybe they're thinking well this guy's there maybe this idols ordained of God maybe they're confused they don't really understand they don't all have the understand that would look that some of us here have at this point and like I say we all none of us really have a true knowledge but he's talking to the carnal Corinthian Church saying that that we including them have this knowledge at least but not everyone does do they okay so I was thinking about well okay how could we relate to this yeah and say for example I don't know say say brother I'm gonna pick someone who just to make sure I don't offend anyone here so let's say brother Hoonah cuz he's new let's go with food he gets offended well you know he hasn't been here for a month or two anyway right so say brother Hoonah and for good reason I'm sure okay say brother Hoonah had a real problem with gluttony okay say brother Hoonah was just a real glutton yeah okay we all knew he was a real glutton yeah and and his thing was cakes say brother Hoonah's thing was cakes he just when he sees a cake that's it yeah he just can't get enough and he'll just keep eating him and he'll just turn in a full gluttony it's a real problem for him in his life okay should we then if we really knew that yeah and we knew yeah brother who and we understand obviously brother Hoonah is coming from a long long distance he's travelled about was it four hours brother to get here and we know that brother Hoonah's coming next week should we then have a bring a cake day here brother Hoonah's going let's just see don't matter let's just have a bring a cake day and and then just constantly eat them in his face and we just stuff our face with cakes and oh brother Hoonah this one's so good that one's so good that's gonna be a problem for him isn't it would that be and we're back to kind of the theme of this chapter that'd be a loving thing to do it would have that wouldn't be a loving thing to do but there would be a temptation wouldn't there to just be like well that's brother Hoonah's problem he's got deal with that yeah brother Hoonah's got to deal with his gluttony yeah and and he needs to sort himself out because we can't all be not eating cakes just for him and we you could see that couldn't you I could see that mentality I could see myself thinking that just brother Hoonah sort yourself out shall not eat cake all day okay or maybe let's let's pick someone else so maybe she's nearby maybe sister Sarah here was obsessed with money okay say she was just obsessed with money and and sister Sarah that's all she's ever talking about how she's gonna get riches how she's gonna get money maybe she's had a real problem where she's just been so focused on it she hadn't been able to come to church because she's just at home gambling or playing you know or finding ways to make loads of money dreaming up pyramid schemes or something else yeah okay would it be fair then to get her to do the money count each week it would have would it or maybe okay maybe that's silly maybe to constantly talking to sister Sarah about our finances and our money-making and how well how do you think we should do that would be a wouldn't be kind would it wouldn't be loving surely because you might think well she's got some knowledge you know she's obviously obsessed about it for a while no because that's going to be a problem it's going to be a stumbling block for her that's going to be an issue isn't it and again it would be easy to just go well it's well it's her problem it's her problem she needs to do that she needs to deal with her sin so verse 11 he says and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died so our knowledge we know that talking about money isn't isn't necessarily sinful if I'm just talking about it and I'm not obsessing over it it's not a problem for me oh I know that bringing cakes into the church and having a cake day that's not sinful it's not a sinful thing to you know to enjoy a nice nice homemade cake it might be if it was like full of junk and poison but I digress but but it would be wouldn't it for brother Hoonah and that would be a problem so through my knowledge that it's not a problem the weak brother shall perish for whom Christ died now what's it mean here to perish okay the perishing here obviously isn't hell okay here it's talking about the weak brother it's a brother in Christ yeah we know what a brother is okay turn to Matthew Matthew chapter 9 Matthew chapter 9 and verse 17 and here it says neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish but they put new one into new bottles and both are preserved right those bottles clearly aren't going to hell are they okay those bottles aren't going to hell they're not just being wiped off the face of the earth either they're basically damaging and being destroyed yeah and now in the same way in the same way with that if you have a look quickly just just go over to Luke and chapter 13 if you think you well okay well that's talking about bottles okay well let's see talking about talking about people here Luke chapter 13 and verse 33 this is Jesus talk he says nevertheless I must walk today and tomorrow and a day following for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem now we know that Jesus Christ went to hell but how many other prophets did none that I'm aware of so obviously perishing isn't always talking about perishing that spiritual death in hell as well now maybe is it this brother could die a physical death or it might be that it's just basically going to destroy his life which is how I read that because it's saying in through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died okay so then then so so like I said so through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish so I believe it's a destroying of his Christian life so then look at verse 12 but when you sin so against the brethren and wound against the brethren and wound their weak conscience you sin against Christ so if we're causing our brothers or sisters to sin we're there for sinning yeah okay if we're the reason we're we're causing that and I say especially through knowledge there's probably many ways we can call someone to sin without meaning it but but knowing and knowing this and knowing that we can be responsible we're it's a problem isn't it we we're then sinning against Christ okay so okay here's a different example now so definitely way we can apply that and I think that that those couple of examples you could probably think of many similar ones but we should be aware of we should be aware of people and so you start to understand maybe people stumbling blocks and problems you know issues that they might deal with that we should as a loving Church be aware of okay verse 12 so think about verse 12 here's an example and many people do this and the world does this a lot okay they like to encourage others to partake in sin with them to make them feel better okay and many people do this like I said the unsaved do this we've seen this a lot you know that and this could be saved the drinker likes to drink with someone else don't they don't they because it makes it feel like less of an addict doing things like that alone you feel just that little bit a little bit lower that a little bit more of an addict now say as a Christian so there's a saved Christian it might I hope it's not that but there's other things maybe you want to watch some trash movie the flesh is just calling you to watch some junk movie and it is sinful come on let's be on there's rare to find a movie that isn't sinful that isn't got either some form of soft porn like gratuitous violence all sorts of liberal agendas I mean they're wicked aren't they I don't think you can really sit down and watch a Hollywood movie or probably from pretty much most film studios and sit there and not feel sinful and not feel sinful I'd be interested anyone says oh actually I found something and you are it's sinful but what about you you're then encouraging your spouse your friend whoever else to watch with you to make yourself feel that little bit better people do don't they I love people to partake with them because it makes them feel better about the sin and and you know it could be it could be low-level sin as well what we call low-level maybe not quite so serious in our eyes and you can imagine the sort of the sort of things well you're not one of those uptight Christians are you oh yeah oh don't watch don't watch movies at all but you know one of those ones well no it's only because you're trying to justify your own sin isn't it trying to justify your own sin make yourself feel better about your sin so they flock together a lot of the time people do and and little sin is much more comfortable when you're around other people that do it then you can justify it then you can then you can just act like everyone else is the problem and and but that's the problem because you're encouraging you're encouraging people in your church you're encouraging your brothers your sisters your family whatever it is to sin to get to do these little sins or bigger sins with you to make you feel better but whatever your your goal is you're basically as it says here you're you're you're you're wounding their weak conscience and you're sinning against Christ okay that's something we'll again we all need to be really aware of because you know the churches it just is Sunday when we're all on on you know we've all got our our church you know church personas and everything else and we should all we should all live it shouldn't be different should it but I'm sure I'm sure we people meet up people do stuff see each other in the week and we should be really aware of that yeah don't be trying to bring people down to your level to make yourself feel better and this isn't because I'm thinking someone's doing that but again there's a risk isn't there I see that in the world I see people doing that I'd be amazed if people didn't do that sometimes so something we need to be aware of so Proverbs 14 9 says fools make a mock at sin but among the righteous there is favor and don't be a fool don't be someone that just tries to laugh at why they sins or are this particular what you're the type that thinks it's not a problem no and again I you know I don't want to just keep rehashing what I was preaching this morning yes look I know we're all sinners yes we're all sinful people yes you know there's none that sin if not I understand that but we should be trying to best we should not be encouraging other people to okay so that should be something we're well and if you're around people and if that is happening and I hope it's not but if that is happening then you need to be calling people out on that or you need to be distancing yourself okay because it's only going to go one way we'll end up with just a sinful Church and a lot of time the pride will go up and everything else as well to make up for that and we don't want that okay verse in verse 13 Paul shows us the correct attitude doesn't he so in verse 13 he says wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend that is amazing isn't it I don't know about you guys but I'm a meat eater yeah I love my meat I was talking to brother Alex about me well we talk about me quite a lot actually and cooking me and you know different ways he's giving me a few tips the other day and I love my meat and and Paul is saying here that he's basically willing to be a vegetarian for life for his brother in Christ how I you know that that's a bar that's the race bar that I hope I can somehow one day get to I don't want to be a vegetarian but in fact listen quickly turn it turn of Romans 14 to but to have that that will that spirit towards brothers and sisters in Christ Romans 14 to says for one believer that he made all things another who is weak eateth herbs so you're gonna end up as one of those weak little wimpy vegetarians yeah you know those guys that you know just all skin and bones they can't put any mussels ain't getting no protein yeah but he's willing to end up like that he's willing to be like that for a brother in Christ and that what a great what a great attitude that is and and for me like that's the verse of this whole that's a verse of this whole chapter where for if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh well while the world standards lest I make my brother to offend and and think about that attitude that attitude is an attitude where we're all you know we should all be looking at each other shouldn't we looking at each other hoping and praying for their success for their success in their Christian life for their success in their walk that's why that's you know I know some you know some sermons probably I preach ain't popular and I'm not saying I'm great I fell it in this area I could fail a lot as well and just having that just love and love for everyone is something we should all be aspiring to be but that's what it's for that's why we're encouraged to preach hard on sin to preach on these things to preach uncomfortable subjects to make people uncomfortable because it's a love for the brethren isn't it it's a love for because we know how how bad sin will affect you eventually and we should all be looking at each other and we should all just be wanting success for everyone here wanting to help each other not to sin whatever the cost Paul's willing to be a vegetarian for life for that okay hopefully there's no one here that has a problem with me but that's that's that's the attitude we should have not enjoying their downfall not enjoying their downfall and again I you know I don't think there's anyone here like that but but that happens at churches people start to get you know they get annoyed with someone they get a dislike for someone and then they're kind of wanting to catch them out they're wanting them to go downhill they're wanting a they're wanting their destruction they're wanting their downfall and that's not how our Christian should be even someone who like I said he's literally just got saved a walk through that door you should have a love for them as a brother and sister in Christ like you have for your own family members if you love your family members as some of them could be hard work aren't they but you you should you should be looking at that person coming through the door and just have a love for them we should have a will for them to succeed whatever the cost whatever that takes and that's something we should we should all we should all be looking at okay have a look at 1st John 4 so 1st John and chapter 4 and verse 20 if a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he have seen how can he love God whom he have not seen and this commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also that's one of those commandments if you love me keep my commandments yeah to love our brother and that's not just like I said that's not just a closed circle at the church yeah there might be quite a lot of love amongst people here some know each other better than others some spent a lot of time with each other been so winning with each other and many other things and there's probably quite a quite a bit of love between people here I hope so but like I said that's with new believers as well and that's a new believer that's weird that's a new believer that walks in with with all sort you know funny clothing or whatever else and you know it's got all sorts of things that maybe we we probably wouldn't behave like or dress like or act like or talk like but we should all we should all be striving to have that love for him shouldn't we have that love from a want to improve on what a build him up and I believe that if if if we really want God to build this church with a mixture of people because I think a healthy church would have a mixture of people wouldn't it have a mixture of type mixture of levels of Christian it be have new believers to people that are seasoned and and and there should be a large mix we have to make sure that we that we're as loving as possible that that when people come in we're going to be loving we're going to be kind we're going to be gracious and and and to each other as well because they'll notice that they'll come in if they notice little stripes little issues little backbiting bickering evil looks and thoughts people see that stuff don't they and then you get what what's the excuse I don't go to church they're all such hypocrites they're all such it because they put you they've already put you on a pedestal already because you're at church because you're out soul winning they've already put you up there sadly you're gonna have to try and stay up there you know but that's not sad really because the thing is it's if you can if you can you know aspire to live our God wants you to it's so you'd be so blessed won't you according to the Word of God blessed is a man that walketh not in the counsel of the young God nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sit within the seat of the scornful and and that's where we want to be we want to be blessed we want to be living our God wants us to live we want to be trying to follow his commandment and like I said the second someone say there are brother and sister in Christ and we should we want that on the door as well no you want to get someone saying okay right they're saved okay job done off you go oh I didn't even get their address didn't get a phone number didn't get anything so they're a brother and sister in Christ you just left them in this wicked world on that door and like I said it can be hard because a lot of the time it's like you're chasing these people up and obviously sending quite a few emails is a lot of time you won't even get a response will you and maybe you're sending stuff maybe you want to knock around the house and it's hard they're promising they're coming to church how many will sound definitely coming next week I had a few a couple of weeks ago definitely coming we're there I'm coming I know where it is I'm there you know the bale of hay is blowing down the middle of the church like where are they and and we know so many things get in the way don't they and and the devil doesn't want them here but we want it we don't want to harass them but we want to show we love them show we care and when you've got them saved let's let's just take that time it's not like rush off get you know yeah we want to get people saved yeah we you know we want to move you we want to get the numbers up because we want to pull them out the fire but but if you can spend that bit of time and get that person to the point where they'll at least start at least communing with you maybe even if they don't come to church there's a chance you're gonna get them to the point where they're gonna go out and save people and ultimately that's gonna be a lot more than you rushing off after a quick two minute okay well done high five see you later and so yeah so I want to encourage people anyway just remember please guys the follow-up remember take that time with them we are gonna we are gonna have basically have follow-up packs we're just in the middle of sorting out which we then want to send off to everyone as well which would be a nice touch but until we do that until we got all that finalized please just make sure that you're calling you're emailing they're a brother and sister in Christ have that love for them get get some details follow them up spend that time on the door encouraging them how what rewards they can earn how they can avoid chastisement in life and everything else I like to pass the Thompson gave an example that I think I remember I think it's one of the evangelists for one of his churches basically gives us have you heard this way gives the example of the two Christians some of you might have used this before where you've gone basically after you get him saved I've been using this I forgot the other day but most times I'll be doing did it today with with two people that one of them had to rush but basically you go right look I've got person here and usually I say your neighbor so I just say you know I got your neighbor saved you've got neighbor here and you got and you got yourself okay say your neighbor they've just got saved now they've gone out they've started reading their Bible they started praying to God they get baptized they come to church regularly they start there eventually they're living for God etc and then say you the other person says Christian be does nothing does absolutely nothing for God I'm probably completely like butchering the best the proper example of this but this is my kind of version yeah just goes back to the world life okay okay I both going to heaven clearly yeah okay which one's going to receive which one's going to have a happier life surely this one who's going to receive more blessings in life surely surely this one and now they'll answer it for you don't have to answer it and who's going to get more rewards in heaven this one and just to give them that example just to show them and I'll be using it and so far none of our walk through the door but but you'd hope that at some point you hope they're going to go away that least maybe maybe they're starting to read their Bibles maybe it's like listen it and it has really for me I've seen it it really struck a chord of them they seem to really get that but taking that time to explain to them what difference it can make in their life because it's not the salvation yes great isn't it and we're not one of these churches well if you don't disciple them what was the point no ridiculous yeah they're not going to hell for eternity and they're going to heaven for eternity amazing and what an amazing thing that we were able to do by going out preach the gospel but but what a difference you can make to that life they have here and to enter the knock-on effect all many other people's lives if we can just take that time show that love from trying to encourage him here so something we want to try and do they're not all going to come the majority won't come but for those ones that do what difference it can make to them okay okay I think just just on that yeah we want to be welcoming kind loving we need to not forget as well there's a difference between being an encouragement to good works and a hindrance as well so I think it would be just keeping your mind as that as well that as much you want to encourage and there's a line with that isn't there where people then start to see you as harassing or see you as kind of as as almost trying to force them and we've got to get that right there's gentle encouragement but there's also a number for example for example say say new Christian comes to church comes comes for the boarding and then they're making their excuses and going okay we don't want to put undue pressure on them to stay even if it's not for soul-winning just to come to the evening service where then there's a line where it'll be I don't want to go to that church again because I'm just gonna keep getting harassed to stay for the whole day and isn't it better that there in the morning they come every week in the morning isn't that better than them not coming at all and I don't really know I think you could probably gauge where that line is I think if you're in the spirit you probably would get that right wouldn't you but there is a risk isn't there that we can be too much well I want to get this person so winning I want to get him doing this then you like you come in this week you come in this week so winning and then it's I don't even want to come to this church I want to come there because they're trying to get me out knocking on doors and there's nothing obviously we want to get him knocking on doors but there's a there's a time for everyone isn't there and some people it's longer than others and some people some people might be locking on doors within I mean that lady Jody amen she's she's hardly beat she's been here like a handful of times and she's gone out so winning great but for someone else it might be a year but it might be that they grow in other areas it might be that they're reading their Bible more it might be that they're they're praying or it might be that they're working on other parts and they're doing some great stuff and eventually they will be knocking on doors the Holy Spirit will convict them we will convict them by by gentle encouragement by being an example but if don't be harassing people and on them because you're going to put people off you're going to turn people away and then they're not going to want to be here and the most important thing first is that they're here okay we don't want them out of church because ah someone's pressuring me and I just every time I come people are just harassing harassing harassing stop coming to church and we don't want that so we need to get that right and it might be coming from a good place sometimes I think it isn't with you know it can be where people it's to lift themselves up or it's to try and look like they're the one that I could be the one that gets them out so winning or whatever else but that ain't it you know that's how that's not how we should be be be feeling we should just be loving want to encourage people yeah we want to show him but people see your soul with him okay you inviting them ain't gonna make no difference you know yeah was you know make it clear that if they want to come talk to me yeah someone can ask every now and again oh dear if you ever fancy doing it like look you're not gonna get harassed if you ever fancy trying you ever fancy coming out and just learning how to it's actually not as bad as you think it might be that for me is a lot more edifying and a lot more loving than just constantly you know new person okay you're gonna come so winning this okay next week come so okay I'm gonna be on you next week yo make it into a joke and they just saw goodness what is this place okay so things like that we need to be aware of we need to we need to get that right but ultimately yeah we want everyone so winning don't we we want everyone so winning and and for me then that's the charity that edify yeah that's edifying when we get that right when it's a love for people it's a love for wanting them to improve for finding that right way to encourage people and a love like Paul showed there where he's gonna do anything it takes for his brother and sister not to sin yeah okay do anything it takes and that's how we want to be with each other and I think that chapter is great it's a short chapter isn't it but but what an ending for that as well what an example that we should all of us all of us could learn so much from and some it might come more naturally than others that that that you know giving that love for other people and for those of us it doesn't you know that's something we should be working on we should be praying on we should be trying our utmost like we talked about before it's that not willfully just our whatever I'm not really that sort of person let someone else do without no we should all be loving all all learn from each other all learn from that let's let's pray only father I thank you thank you for your word thank you for the example you you set in your word for great Christians like the Apostle Paul and and obviously really through Jesus Christ and the lengths Jesus Christ went for for all of us for all of us sinners and what he did for us and what he was willing to do for us and and the lengths that we should be trying to go through go to for others help us to just be more loving help us to to be more accommodating and help us to grow this church help us to welcome people when they come help us not to make our brothers and sisters to offend and just help us to to just be more like you want us to be in Jesus name we pray amen