Study Desk

So if the food I eat makes another believer fall into sin, I will never eat meat again. I will stop eating meat, so that I will not make my brother or sister sin.

Some people want to judge me. So this is the answer I give them:

We planted spiritual seed among you, so we should be able to harvest from you some things for this life. Surely that is not asking too much.

Others have this right to get things from you. So surely we have this right too. But we don't use this right. No, we endure everything ourselves so that we will not stop anyone from obeying the Good News of Christ.

If I did it because it was my own choice, I would deserve to be paid. But I have no choice. I must tell the Good News. So I am only doing the duty that was given to me.

So what do I get for doing it? My reward is that when I tell people the Good News I can offer it to them for free and not use the rights that come with doing this work.

To the Jews I became like a Jew so that I could help save Jews. I myself am not ruled by the law, but to those who are ruled by the law I became like someone who is ruled by the law. I did this to help save those who are ruled by the law.

To those who are weak, I became weak so that I could help save them. I have become all things to all people. I did this so that I could save people in any way possible.

I do all this to make the Good News known. I do it so that I can share in the blessings of the Good News.

You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one runner gets the prize. So run like that. Run to win!

All who compete in the games use strict training. They do this so that they can win a prize—one that doesn't last. But our prize is one that will last forever.

So I run like someone who has a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something, not just the air.

It is my own body I fight to make it do what I want. I do this so that I won't miss getting the prize myself after telling others about it.

But God was not pleased with most of those people, so they were killed in the desert.

So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don't fall.

So, my dear friends, stay away from worshiping idols.

There is one loaf of bread, so we who are many are one body, because we all share in that one loaf.

So, am I saying that sacrifices to idols are the same as those Jewish sacrifices? No, because an idol is nothing, and the things offered to idols are worth nothing.

I eat the meal with thankfulness. So I don't want to be criticized because of something I thank God for.

So if you eat, or if you drink, or if you do anything, do it for the glory of God.