“Freedom Without Love”
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
- Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 and 10:14-11:1. Summarize what you understand Paul to be teaching concerning believers’ interpersonal relationships and idol feasts. What different issues do these passages address regarding believers, their relationships and idol feasts?
- Read 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 and 10:18-22. What is Paul’s theological understanding of idols? What do you think about this?
- Read Deuteronomy 6:4 (keep in mind that it is a key statement of Old Testament monotheism). Read carefully 1 Corinthians 10:6. What is Paul trying to accomplish theologically speaking by this statement? (As you answer this keep in mind that Paul is taking the Gospel and the identity of Jesus to new places and new people and to his own Jewish people along the way) As you consider this think about N.T. Wright’s observation that this is “one of the greatest pioneering moments in the entire history of christology.” Do you agree? Or is he overstating the importance of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:6?
- Do we overvalue our individual freedom as believers? What are the dangers of doing so? Have you ever personally seen the exercise of someone’s freedom cause another person to stumble? What happened?
- What is the difference between being an offence to someone and being a stumbling block to someone? What are some practical areas of application today where the improper exercise of our freedom can produce a stumbling block? Are there any applications in our present context for people coming out of Mormonism?
- Formulate your own question from this text to share with the group.
- Pray for each other to exercise Christian freedom appropriately. Pray for the issue of idolatry, specifically as it grips our own context via the deification of man.
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To Marry or Not to Marry? That Is the Question
1 Corinthians 7:25-40
1. Discuss these questions: Is it better to be single or married? What factors into your decision?
2. Vs. 29-31 mentions five areas where our perspective on life ought to take on new life as we live with eternity in view. How should each take on a new shape:
- Marriage
- Mourning
- Rejoicing
- Purchasing
- Possessions
3. Talk about the section of the message that dealt with the deification of the family. Do you agree or disagree? As you think about this look up the following texts and discuss them: (think about what they are saying in terms of the family and the kingdom of God)
- Matthew 10:34-39
- Mark 3:31-35
- Luke 9:57-62
4. Why is marrying a believer so important? For those of you with children, how will you guide them toward owning this as an essential component in finding a mate?
5. How would you summarize Paul’s perspective on marriage as you reflect on all of chapter 7.
6. Formulate your own question from this text to share with the group.
7. Pray for the marriages represented by the group. Pray for anyone that you know who is making a decision about marriage or in a relationship moving toward marriage. Pray for wisdom in how best to pour into the life of our family and into the life of the church.
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