Partaker by Grace 1 Corinthians 10:30

Paul the apostle asked the church members in Corinth, “why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?”, and in chapter ten and verse thirty of First Corinthians, Paul asked the Corinthian church members, “if I be a partaker by grace, why am I evil spoken of” where we read:

For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

The verse begins, “For if I by grace be a partaker,...”. Paul began with the word, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, indeed, seeing then, verily and therefore” “if I by grace” or “whether Paul by that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness, goodwill, loving-kindness and unmerited favor” “be a partaker” which means “to pertain, take part or use”. Paul put himself in the place of having “partaken” by “grace” the “liberty” which he had in Christ.

The verse continues, “...why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?” Paul added the word, “why” which means “for what reason and account” “am I” which refers to “Paul himself” “evil spoken of” or “railed at, reviled, calumniate and blasphemed” “for that for which” which means “on behalf of, for the sake of, over, beyond and more than the things that”“I give thanks” or “Paul had gratitude, was grateful and thankful for”. Paul wondered why anyone would “speak evil” of him for his “liberty” because he gave “thanks” to God for that in which he partook.

When we consider these words from Paul, we see his question as to “why” anyone would question him for a meal for which he gave “thanks”. His idea was that the meal was nothing spiritual in an of itself, but simply a meal. God provided everything that Paul would eat, and he acknowledged that it came from Him, therefore, no one should interrogate him for it. Jesus Christ came to save people from their “sins”, and whether a person feels a “freedom” to eat or not eat certain foods should not be something we “speak evil” against in another believer in Him. Let us examine our lives and determine whether we have “spoken evil” against a liberty which another believer in Christ enjoys, and if so, may we turn to the Lord and repent of our “evil” ways.

Next time Paul tells the Corinthians, “do all to the glory of God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.