Our Daily Acts
Our Daily Acts
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
This verse is usually used by people to explain why they eat and drink outside of the Bible’s guidelines. This verse is used as an excuse to put our own desires and habits over the laws and regulations that God created for us. Oddly enough, the purpose of this verse is the exact opposite. When you look at the context of the verse, you realize that even if there is freedom to go outside of God’s laws, we shouldn’t for our good and for those around us. Just look at verses 23 and 24.
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Paul is making it very clear that God’s laws were created to be helpful and to edify us. To go against that for our own fleshy desires is both harmful and destructive.
What verse 31 really is trying to say is that our relationship with God should go far beyond what we do in the sanctuary, when we pray or read the Bible. It should be intertwined with every aspect of our lives including the most basic like eating and drinking. The simplest acts should be done to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 10:32-33
The two verses after 31 are very much connected and actually a continuation of the verse. Not only should our daily lives and actions be a glory to God, but so much so when it involves others around us. We should be even more careful and purposeful with how we glory God when we are talking or in communion with others.
We should always try to give offense to no one, even when they deserve it, because we are in that situation to perform a job for God. Every interaction we have with people, from all backgrounds, is an opportunity to give light and the Light to them.
This Sabbath the sermon will be about praying for, reaching out to and bringing God to 5 people in our lives. This will only succeed if we realize that we are on this job not just when we pray, speak or invite them to something but in every second of our lives. What we do all day, and how we accept the Holy Spirit in our day, will be just as important to those 5 people as any interaction you have with them personally.
Let’s remember:
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto