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Puzzled about Whether or Not to Have Sex?

1 Corinthians 7:1-6

November 12, 2023 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 7:1–6

1 Corinthians 7:1-6


1 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 


2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 


3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 


4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 


5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.


6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 

Puzzled about what it means to be careful?

April 21, 2024 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 8:9–13

1 Corinthians 8 1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.  2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.  3 But whoever loves God is known by God. 4 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.”  5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),  6 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. 7 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.  8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?  11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.  12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.  13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

Puzzled about the Affect of Your Actions?

April 21, 2024 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 8:7–9

1 Corinthians 8 1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.  2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.  3 But whoever loves God is known by God. 4 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.”  5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),  6 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. 7 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.  8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?  11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.  12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.  13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

Puzzled about Using God's Word?

April 14, 2024 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 8:4–6

1 Corinthians 8 1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.  2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.  3 But whoever loves God is known by God. 4 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.”  5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),  6 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. 7 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.  8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?  11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.  12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.  13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.