ENGAGE WITH SCRIPTURE

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FOR THE WEEK OF

Sunday, February 6, 2022

1 Corinthians 8

When love replaces the rules of legalism, we are freed up to focus on how people are doing more than on what they’re doing. Choosing to operate from a position of love goes against everything this world teaches. It requires us to take a back seat and put others first. It requires sacrifice of personal interests in order to build up the faith of others. As members of the church, a spiritual family, we are called to display love in the same manner Jesus did.

Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-6:
  1. When you make decisions, what usually comes to your mind first: being logical or being loving?
  2. What are some behaviors that Christians you know have questions or hesitations about?
  3. For Paul, what did idols represent? How did this influence the decision of some Christians in his audience to eat the meat being sacrificed to them?
  4. What could the “knowledgeable” group of people have done to help those who were not comfortable with eating food sacrificed to idols?
Read 1 Corinthians 8:7-13:
  1. How does verse 8 apply to the decisions we face regarding the gray areas of obedience to Christ?
  2. How can you ensure that you aren’t becoming a stumbling block to others?
  3. Who did Paul consider “weak brothers”? Was he using this term negatively?
  4. Do you know where your friends are strong and weak? If you don’t know, what does this reveal about the areas in which your relationships need to grow?
Taking it home:
  1. As a spiritual family, what can we do to make sure our decisions bring glory to God and spur other believers on?
  2. How do we demonstrate with our actions that we consider the spiritual health of others more important than exercising our rights?
Other Scriptures to Engage with this week:

2 Samuel 24 • Galatians 5:1-15 • Psalm 119:105-112 • Numbers 6:1-21 • 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 • Titus 1:1-2:1.