Whose Interest is your Interest?

“Wherefore, therefore, you eat, or drink ,or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God!”  I Corinthians 10:31

That’s the way it is to be…everything I do is to be done to the glory of God.  Even such a minimal task as eating or drinking!  However, when placed in the context of Paul’s instruction, we find the eating or drinking he refers to is in his reference to how we are treating our brothers and sisters in Christ.  The issue of meat purchased in the market place that was offered to idols was an offense to some Corinthian Christians if it was presented to them to eat.  If offered that meat at a meal, and it was told that the meat was offered to idols, Paul instructs the Corinthians not to think of themselves, but rather their brother and sister’s conscience, and not eat the meat. (vss. 28-29)  Even though it was perfectly good meat! (cf. vs. 27)   Therefore, in this context, the “do all to the glory of God” has specific reference to the interests of my brother or sister in Christ over my own interest. (cf. vs.24) The bottom line question becomes, just whose interest is my interest!  In this text, the greatest interest is to do everything to the glory of God.  And how do I do that?  By considering the interest of my brothers and sisters in Christ over my own!  Therefore, God’s glory and other’s good becomes my greatest interest! 

Now that all sounds really great, but the ugly truth of the matter is that, apart from the grace of God effectively operating in my life, the only interest I am interested in is my interest!  That is man’s base condition…that is man…doing what comes naturally.  But the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ enables us to do what comes supernaturally. It not only delivers me from eternal separation from God, but it can also deliver me from being preoccupied with myself and focus my interest on God and others.  Does this interest you?  Are you interested in what interests God?  I hope so!  Whose interest is your interest today?

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