{"id":493,"date":"2011-07-18T00:45:32","date_gmt":"2011-07-17T23:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/jcstoker\/?p=493"},"modified":"2011-07-18T06:41:57","modified_gmt":"2011-07-18T05:41:57","slug":"would-you-eat-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/jcstoker\/2011\/07\/18\/would-you-eat-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Would you eat a….?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This morning in church our Cameroonian pastor began his sermon by asking if we\u00a0had ever\u00a0eaten \u00a0a …..<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

viper (a snake)?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some people thought the idea of eating a snake was bad, others thought it was ok.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

But then he asked what\u00a0 if we would eat a …………..<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

cat?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Most people today said no, but he pointed out in some cultures eating cat is perfectly normal.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The issue is not a biblical issue of what\u00a0God allows but a cultural issue of what is aceptable.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Similarly in some cultures woman can wear trousers (even to church) but in\u00a0others this is totally unacceptable.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The scripture for the morning was I Corinthians 10:31-33 which says:<\/strong><\/p>\n

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.\u00a0\u00a0 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God – even as I try to please everybody in every way.\u00a0\u00a0 For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so they may be saved.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(New International Version)<\/p>\n

His point was that as we look at the things we do and the freedom we are given to live, we need to ask ourselves two questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first question to consider\u00a0is whether what we are doing brings glory to God?\u00a0 Now eating snake (or maybe cat) for most of us is not a moral issue.\u00a0 It\u00a0does not really reflect on\u00a0God’s glory one way or another.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This means we can move to the second question which is whether what we are doing will offend those around us?\u00a0 This is where our cultures come in to play.\u00a0 What\u00a0are acceptable and even honorable actions in one place, may be offensive in another.\u00a0 Our pastor pointed out\u00a0that even within our church community there were cultural differences.\u00a0 As we discover these, we ought to respect them to avoid offending those around us.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This reminds me of the necessity to look around carefully to notice the culture in which I find myself.\u00a0 And then to change my habits so that they do not cause people to\u00a0reject me before they have the opportunity to hear the message of the Gospel.\u00a0\u00a0Thus my habits will be different\u00a0when I live in Yaounde \u00a0as compared to my life in\u00a0 California.\u00a0 However whatever habits I adopt within the culture in which I am immersed need to be ones that are glorifying to God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What do you think?<\/h3>\n

Report This Post<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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