I & II Corinthians

I'm in I and II Corinthians today, and I enjoyed reading so much.  The Word of God is like spiritual nourishment and those who neglect that become spiritually deprived, and weakened.  Here are some thoughts: 1) LIBERTY-LICENSE-LIABILITY - In I Corinthians 8:9-13, we have a teaching about meats offered to idols.  In reality, it is a teaching about liberty.  Liberty seems to be a great word today.  Why keep "rules" of conduct the church has had for all these years when you have "liberty"?  The rules don't cause God to love us more (vs. 8) "But meat commendeth us not to God:  for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse."  So what is the deal?  Well notice what the Scriptures say: A. LIBERTY- 1 Corinthians 8:9  "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak."  Liberty is to be carefully expressed because it has the capacity of tripping up others. B. LICENSE- 1 Corinthians 8:10  "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;"  Our liberty used for our own devices without any consideration of it's affect on others can cause them to adopt an attitude of having a license to sin.  When they sin against their conscious... it is sin!  Not the act, but the attitude of doing something with doubt.  Romans 14:23  "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."  I'm often seen a Christian adopt a lifestyle of Liberty, only to watch it turn into a License for sin.  C. LIABILITY-1 Corinthians 8:11-12  "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?  12  But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ."  Now the Liberty that turned into a License, has become a Liability!  When our Liberty trips up others so that perish from the body (church), it has become a sin against the brethren, and a sin against Christ!  That is Bible!  When we wound their weak conscience we sin against Christ.  This means that our liberty put it into their weak conscience that nothing is wrong that we can do, then they get tripped up and ruined in their walk with Christ.  Paul called for "separation" from the world, not embracing it!  I have so much more to share, but this little thought will have to do for today.  May God bless!   Pastor Mike Mutchler