As the purpose of our existence is to glorify God, every area of our life should bring God glory. Everything we do, say, and think should make God look as good as He really is. Often, Christians relegate glorifying God to the “spiritual” elements of life. We consider our Sunday worship, giving to Christian charitable organizations, and personal devotional time to be those things in our lives that bring God glory. And these things do bring God glory. However, our desire to glorify God should not stop with the “spiritual” things.

 

Once again, it would be wise to visit 1 Corinthians 10. A few weeks ago, we observed that we should consider how something builds up others in Christ when we make decisions. In 1 Corinthians 10:23, we observed that while all things are lawful, not everything is best. Paul then encourages Christians to respond to these questionable situations with wisdom. With this, Paul points to God’s glory.

 

We must remind ourselves of the controversy in that church. Pagans had been saved from idol worship to the worship of the one true God. However, the society around them was still centered around the pagan temple and idol worship. As the citizens brought their sacrifices to the temple, some meat was set aside for the priests and feasts. Any leftover meat was sold in a meat market at discounted prices. Many who had been saved out of idolatry struggled with consuming any meat offered to idols as their conscience informed them they were participating in the worship of those idols. However, some understood that those idols were just pieces of wood and stone (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). With this knowledge, they understood they were free to eat the meat.

 

Paul imagined a situation in which an unbeliever invited a believer to dinner. The unbeliever served up meat that had been offered to idols. Paul instructed the believer to eat the meat without asking where it came from. However, if another believer commented that the meat had been offered to idols, they were then to refrain from eating it for their fellow believer’s conscience.

 

With this argument, Paul makes a decisive statement for our examination of living for God’s glory. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Living for God’s glory involves even the mundane actions of eating and drinking. In this situation, Christians should care more about God’s glory than the wonderful steak dinner. Yet, Paul also includes drinking in this text, pointing to the deeper principle. Our entire life should reflect God’s glory. Every aspect, every deed, and every thought should bring God glory. Next week, we will expand this thought into the various areas of our lives. For this week, live for God’s glory!