What does "not everything is beneficial" mean in the context of 1 Corinthians 10:23? Text “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is edifying.” — 1 Corinthians 10:23 Historical Setting Corinth was a bustling Greco-Roman port where meat from pagan temples flooded the markets. Believers raised concerns: “May I eat if the idol is nothing?” Paul answers by framing the question inside covenant loyalty and love (8:1-13; 10:14-22). Literary Context (10:1-33) 1. Israel’s wilderness failures (vv. 1-13) warn against presuming on liberty. 2. The Lord’s Table (vv. 14-22) demands exclusive allegiance. 3. Everyday choices (vv. 23-33) must honor God and serve neighbor. Verse 23 launches the practical section, repeating and refining the slogan the Corinthians misused. Christian Liberty Defined Scripture grants freedom from legalism (Galatians 5:1) but never freedom from love (Galatians 5:13). Liberty is bounded by: • Lordship of Christ (Romans 14:8-9) • Edification of the church (1 Corinthians 14:12) • Evangelistic witness (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) • Personal holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16) Beneficial Vs. Permissible 1. Personal spiritual profit: Will this draw me nearer to Christ or dull my affections? (Hebrews 12:1-2) 2. Communal advantage: Will it strengthen or weaken another’s faith? (Romans 14:19-21) 3. Missional impact: Will it adorn or impede the gospel? (Titus 2:10) 4. Eternal perspective: Will it survive the testing fire? (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) Edification And The Body Of Christ The church is a living temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Acts that do not actively build up therefore silently tear down (James 4:17). Love “seeks not its own” (1 Corinthians 13:5); anything neutral becomes negative if it diverts energy from love’s constructive aim. Conscience And The Weaker Brother Paul’s behavioral guidance (8:7-13; 10:28-29): • Knowledge without love inflates; knowledge with love liberates. • Conscience is a faculty to be informed by truth yet respected in others. Recent social-science findings on moral injury parallel Paul: repeated violation of conscience degrades psychosocial health, confirming Scripture’s wisdom (Romans 14:23). Practical Applications Food, media, finance, leisure—believers ask two questions: “Is it lawful?” and “Does it love?” The second question governs the first. Examples: • Entertainment choices: Does it normalize sin or kindle virtue? • Social media: Does my post edify or inflame? • Business ethics: Is the profit gained at the expense of witness? Comparative Scriptural Witness • 1 Corinthians 6:12—same antithesis; adds “I will not be mastered by anything,” showing that what is not beneficial can become enslaving. • Romans 14—liberty constrained by love. • Philippians 4:8—positive grid for “beneficial” thoughts. • Hebrews 10:24—spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Traditional And Early Commentary • Tertullian (On Idolatry XV): warns that small compromises feed larger apostasy. • Chrysostom (Homilies on 1 Cor): notes that edification refers chiefly to “the advantage of the brethren.” Archaeological Corroboration The Erastus inscription (Corinth, first century) attests to the city’s affluent civic culture, aligning with Paul’s admonition to socially mobile believers to use their status for gospel advantage (Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29). Conclusion “Not everything is beneficial” summons believers to filter every lawful option through the twin lenses of love and edification. Freedom’s highest expression is voluntary restraint that magnifies Christ, fortifies the church, safeguards conscience, and advances the gospel. |
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