Things offered to idols study

[Fireinfolding]

Feel free to add to this, I just wanted to post this study here since I was looking at these again today, and its time to make dinner and this was all I had gathered together

Acts 21:5 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Pauls explanation of this (of eating the things offered in sacrifice to idols)

1Cr 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 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.

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 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; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Then here also ...

1Cr 10:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?

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

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God

And herein did Paul exercise himself toward both here

Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Acts is speaking of as touching the Gentiles

Acts 21:5 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Followed by Pauls explanation of eating the things offered in sacrifice to idols

1Cr 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols ...

Which Paul goes into with the Gentiles (who having been turning to the faith) and have repented from doing these things) and have grown stronger in the faith, who believe there is none other God but one. He is speaking to the stronger here, and as it pertains to the conscience (but of the other) even as it speaks of holding faith a good conscience (ourselves). But here it has to do with their liberty being judged of another. Not necessarily for meats themselves but that which is sacrificed unto idols (more specifically). They (now) being stronger arent walking charitbly toward the weaker brother (and in respects to his conscience). As more Gentiles are being converted (and still weak) given that up till that hour (as Paul speaks) thats what most Gentiles did. Therefore the Gentiles which did believe had been given instruction, and it was not to do this. Which mostly pertained to other Gentiles who were coming to Christ and whose conscience (unto that hour) did mind it as eating a thing offered unto an idol (which was "something") rather then nothing.

Just as he adressed the Jews... saying Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, (who abhorrest idols) and asked,( dost thou commit sacrilege? ).

So to the Gentiles is shown also. Even earlier the same thing, and not only of themselves but of the Holy Ghost and of the necessary things.

Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

Acts 15: 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Adding no more then that.

And in respects to that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God

So Paul corrects the Gentiles when they arent doing even this right, after some of them have gained their liberty (even clean conscience) through the renewing of their minds, some of them were not minding their weaker brother (or his conscience) in these things in particular and in so doing they were sinning against Christ.

They had their liberty now and to these Paul is speaking

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

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; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

To me, its minding the weak (in respects to what the Holy Ghost himself speaks to) when it comes to the necessary things. And more especially in this context (as unto that present hour). Because the Gentiles offered things sacrificed unto idols. As some of the Gentiles had gained their liberty in Christ and strength of conscience and had knowledge now there was none other God but one, and they made strong. However in this knowledge and in this liberty (they had gained) they werent looking to the things of the weaker (still coming in) or looking toward the interests of the weaker. And in so doing were not walking charitbly toward the weaker brothers conscience (by keeping them in mind). And in so doing (being so "strong") they themselves were actually sinning against Jesus Christ by wounding their weaker brothers conscience (who Christ died for too).

Time to make grub

 

[mog144]

Fallen from grace is our fallen nature until resurrected. When we are separated from God we are the idol because we have become as gods. When we eat meat, whether it be beef or any animal, we are sacrificing those animals to ourselves, the idol.

 

[Fireinfolding]

The law is shown in the verse prior here, so it isnt pointing out the law to the Gentiles

Acts 21:24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

See, in purple? Compare to the next verse, they werent telling the Gentiles any such thing

Acts 21:5 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Then compare to Acts 15:5 where the Gentiles are admonished the same thing as the above, in contrast again with the law

Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

This is where they speak of adding a yoke to the disciples and

They are writing contrary to that here...

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Keep following it through to the same (above)

Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

Acts 15: 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

So they are saying these things (concerning the Gentiles previously) in both places under their stance for the grace of God and in both places in contrast to the law.


Acts 21:5 mentions in it what Acts 15: 28-29 has previous said in respects to the Gentiles where both are consistent in their contrast to the law (and for the grace of God) even in respects to the necessary things written per the Holy Ghost.

 

[Fireinfolding]

In otherwords the pharisees which believed (before all the apostles) were saying that is it was needful to circumcise them and for them to keep the law. The apostles argued, not so, its by the grace of God they shall be saved, however (with all in agreement) the apostles all agreed saying But that we write unto them, Acts 15: 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Then again (following proper order) and in respects to the law (here too) in Acts 21:5 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

So in the above (again) shows they had written no such thing in respects to keeping the law save that which they had previously all agreed on from Acts 15:29. Even after the mention they believe the Gentiles are save by grace, that which was written followed that declaration. So the law is not the issue in this very thing they write twice about (in contrast to it). The instruction was per the Holy Ghost.

 

[Noxot]

the thing with idols and eating to them has to do with learning and growing spiritually. if you are a follower of paul or apollos then you are already eating an idol. just like when christians eat the literal teaching of the bible, unless they have a teacher they will already start to fall from grace of the Holy Spirit. there are not enough spiritual teachers and so most of the church is held captive to some degree in false doctrines. but the children need good people over them, people who love them and do not want to rule over them like the world thinks authority consist of. men have a tendency to become masters or slaves, the freedom of the Spirit of liberty in Christ Jesus is an enemy to very many people. anything that is not done in God-love is done in self-love, but we are called to bare one anothers burdens and paul gave list of rules but it truly takes the Spirit of God to do perfectly the will of God, because peoples spirits and souls are real and active, they are not laws written down on paper. things are much more complex than 1 + 1 = 2

Col 2:13-16 (YLT)
And you--being dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh--He made alive together with him, having forgiven you all the trespasses, having blotted out the handwriting in the ordinances that is against us, that was contrary to us, and he hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross; having stripped the principalities and the authorities, he made a shew of them openly--having triumphed over them in it. Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths....

we also must truly be crucified with Christ or there will be no stripping evil spirits of their ruler-ship of us. there are various kinds of evil spirits, not only those in the earth but those in the heaven. the law and the prophets hangs on the cross. the ordinances are Christians or peoples perceptions of the law, when they are not bled out, they become idols or strangled foods with blood in them still, it is unclean food, if you do not eat it the proper way. unclean food comes from the inside of you. unless you are eating it as God commands, it will be unclean. some food is very clean and is able to feed easier than other foods. but even those, get turned often into the golden calf, a clean animal and yet it still was an idol. you must be born from above. but most of us are not hanging on the cross enough and so the bible becomes our enemy. once again this all happens to various degrees.

the bible is full of utter contradictions, because there is an enslavement process in this world due to the exceeding ignorance of the reality of the spiritual. the carnal mind will without fail trap people in slavery. and so God who is full of mercy, put various good angels over those men, waiting for them to fully mature in Christ. there is a battle going on, it is both good authorities and principalities fighting evil ones. the good ones constantly push towards the fullness of Christ but the evil ones enslave and want to enslave others. paul and the entire bible can enslave a man worse than he was before he was saved.

Luke 11:22-26 (YLT)
but when the stronger than he, having come upon him , may overcome him, his whole-armour he doth take away in which he had trusted, and his spoils he distributeth; he who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me doth scatter. `When the unclean spirit may go forth from the man it walketh through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding, it saith, I will turn back to my house whence I came forth; and having come, it findeth it swept and adorned; then doth it go, and take to it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having entered, they dwell there, and the last of that man becometh worst than the first.'

the little babies in Christ go in bondage due to the lack of spiritual people over them. this happens in various degrees though and truly luke 11:22-26 is what happens when things get really bad, when there is no real spiritual growth inside of man, when he is choked by the world, when he does not seek after God rightly. it seems almost impossible when first becoming a christian to not fall into some form of false doctrine.

Matt 22:35-40 (YLT)
and one of them, a lawyer, did question, tempting him, and saying, `Teacher, which is the great command in the Law?' And Jesus said to him, `Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thine understanding-- this is a first and great command; and the second is like to it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; on these--the two commands--all the law and the prophets do hang.'

nothing that you think is in the bible that does not hang on those 2 commands, is truly of God. there is a vail and it is the old man and how greatly he will pervert the words of God! but the process that God made for us, was one of of testing and refining. we go through the wilderness. the process of dying is not instant, it happens over time as the spiritual man grows and starts to crush the head of the serpent through Christ Jesus.

people have a bad view of God, most are slaves and fear God but God desires sons. some of us need that fear for a time, but we must all grow up to the fullness of Christ. if there is not freedom, then there is slavery. God does not change, only peoples perceptions of Him change. there are many good spiritual people much more qualified to teach the babies, but the wicked take the kingdom by force and the little babies are deceived by wolves all to often. this a horrible reality we live in, but not all is lost for those who cling to God, who truly keep those 2 commandments.

but about the babies or weaker members stumbling over the stronger... the stronger has to give his life away, seeking out those things that will help the weaker. we can not live for ourselves, we have to have fellowship and help the weaker grow, we can't gather up riches for ourselves and spend them on luxury and much spiritual pleasure when we have our little brothers and sister having a lack of food and clothing. it is like being kings and ruling but not with all your brothers, who are also royalty. earthly, for the most part spiritually dead leaders of the churches in the world have a really big authority problem, that tends to quench the Spirit. all christians are supposed to be playing a vital part in the spiritual growth of one another. whatever the gifts they have are, it is for the benefit of others. angels desire is that the lower ones come up to where they are, Gods desire is that the angels come up to where he is. fellowship... God wants a real relationship. the highest ranking angels want crowns, the good saints want crowns, brothers and sisters fully mature in Christ, this is the reward of heaven, salvation of our fellows, that is the real reward, not to mention God himself. Christ wants a fully grown woman for a bride.

 

[Fireinfolding]

the old man and how greatly he will pervert the words of God!

QFT