The Mobility of The Messenger

Our freedom in the gospel and our freedom for the gospel

What limits the freedom of an apostle (Gk apostolos ‘sent one’) or cross-cultural worker
who works among hostile religious groups? It is usually not legal issues, but issues of
conscience, or scruples inherited from our Christian background. 1 Cor 5-10 deals with
how new believers should and can remain in their context. They touch on issues of con-
science, both of the new believer and for the apostle who goes cross-cultural. Then Rom
14 deals with how different types of consciences relate to each other. Certain principles
emerge that are crucial not only to the gospel’s mobility as it remains in context, but also
to our mobility as apostles as we operate in cross-cultural contexts.

A. The Role of the Apostle or Apostolic Team

1. For most of us from a Christian background, who are trying to reach our neighbours,
Paul’s example as a Jew trying to reach Gentiles is very instructive. Describe Paul’s
approach in 1 Cor 9:19-23

2. Paul’s approach follows the example of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the apostle and
high priest whom we confess (Heb 3:1). He is the ultimate apostle. What can we learn
from Jesus’ example?
Rom 8:3

Heb 2:14

Heb 2:17

Were there any limits to how much Jesus became like us?

4. As Paul sought to become like the Corinthians, so that they could hear the gospel with-
out cultural confusion, what advice did he give to the new Corinthian believers in 1 Cor
7:17-24

5. As you think about Paul’s behaviour and the advice he gave new believers, what
motivated him?
1 Cor 9:23
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Gal 1:10

2 Cor 10:15-16

B. Issues in religious contexts involving places of worship

What do we do about new believers continuing to go to their places of worship after they
come to faith? Do we allow it or stop it? What about saying the creed or praying three or
five times a day or going on pilgrimage? What about eating the prasadam (food offered to
idols) or any of these ‘acts of worship’ associated with the major non Christian religions?
Let us look at 1 Cor 8 for guidelines.

1. What basic attitude must we have as we approach this subject? Verses 1-3

2. What basic knowledge does a new believer need to know? Verses 4-6

3. But these truths are not always clear in the new believer’s mind. Many of his religious
beliefs are still mixed. How is his conscience described? Verse 7

4. For such a new believer who is still confused in his religious beliefs, what happens to
him if he is still involved in his old religious beliefs? Verse 7

5. But for the believer who has the knowledge of verses 4-6, how does involvement in his
old religious traditions and practices affect him? Verse 8

Explain your answer.

6. As a believer I have been freed from the physical religious traditions and practices of
my own background (Christian, Jewish, Gentile, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist) and now
experience a spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus through the gospel. Consequently,
I can now enjoy the wonderful presence of God and worship Him anytime and anywhere,
regardless of the particular set of religious traditions that may form my context. My faith
is no longer dependent on performing certain rituals but is in Jesus alone. Such freedom
not only releases me from bondage to my own religious traditions or of someone else’s
traditions, but it enables the gospel to be pure and mobile in that religious context. Yet on

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certain occasions I must be careful of exercising my normal freedom for the sake of cer-
tain new believers. Describe the situation in verses 9-13, and what my course of action
should be.

If the new believer grows in his knowledge of the truth (verses 4-6) and his conscience
becomes strong, how could I exercise my freedom at that stage?

C. Syncretism

[From L sun, ‘with’ and kres, ‘group, party’, thus ‘merging two parties’] If a new believ-
er has clearly understood the gospel, and is free to remain in his old religious context, and
attends all the religious activities and appears to be involved in all the traditions and prac-
tices of that religion, isn’t there a great danger that he will slip into syncretism, resulting
in the worship of two or more gods? The answer is yes. Let us examine 1 Cor 10:1-33

1. Describe the syncretism that took place among the nation of Israel in verses 1-10. Look
up the incident in Exod 32:1-8.

2. Another incident is in 2 Kgs 17: 24-41. Describe the syncretism that happened there.

3. What is Paul’s advice to us today? Verses 11-13

4. In verses 14-22 the word participate (in various forms) is mentioned five times. What
is its meaning in this passage.

Notice that Paul did not see sacrifices to idols or even idols themselves as anything (verse
19), since they are only physical. What was Paul’s real concern?

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5. The Scriptures are clear. God does not tolerate syncretism . We cannot worship God
and mammon or money (Matt 6:24). There is no harmony between righteousness and
wickedness, between Christ and Belial. There is no agreement between the temple of God
and idols (2 Cor 6:14-16). We cannot participate in worshipping God and also worship-
ping other gods or demons (1 Cor 10: 20-21). Yet how does a new believer remain in the
context in which he found Christ and not become syncretistic. Let us examine 1 Cor 5: 9-
13, noting the word associate which occurs twice.
a. Who are we to associate with?

b. Does this include idolaters?

c. Who are we not to associate with?

d. Who are we to judge?

e. Who are we not to judge?

6. How did Christ demonstrate this idea of association? Luke 5: 30-32; 15:1-2; 19:1-10

1 Cor 5 implies that association is the normal pattern of the new believer with his unbe-
lieving friends. It implies physical association, including the physical traditions and prac-
tices of his friend’s religious background. However if the new believer crosses the line of
idolatry and begins to participate in a spiritual relationship with both Christ and his old
gods, syncretism has occurred. At that point 1 Cor 10:14 (flee from idolatry) and 2 Cor 6:
17-18 (come out from among them and be separate) apply.

D. Issues in religious contexts involving the home environment

(meat market and eating a meal)

1 Cor 10: 23-33 give us the guidelines not only for eating food offered to idols, bot for
associating with other physical objects and practices of our neighbours.
1. In Christ we have tremendous freedom. But what should always motivate our
behaviour? Verses 23-24

2. Normally, meat sold in the meat market has already been offered to some god. Should
that trouble me to buy such meat and eat it? Verses 25-26

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Explain your answer.

3. If I get invited to an unbeliever’s home for a meal, should I raise questions of con-
science about his food that has most likely been blessed by a god? Verse 27

4. If the unbeliever raises the question, thinking you may have a conscience problem,
what should you do? Verse 28

5. Whose conscience is being considered in these verses and why? Verses 28-30

6. If I eat or drink food offered to idols, why am I doing it? Verses 31-33. How does this
relate to the creed and other practices of our neighbours?

E. Acceptance

As new communities of believers develop, certain traditions and practices are considered
by some to be very important and they hold strong ‘convictions’ about them. These are
often determined by the conscience of the individual believer and his particular religious
or denominational background. Acts 15 describes a conflict that occurred because of the
belief of certain new Jewish believers regarding Jewish customs they felt all believers
must observe. Romans 14 gives us helpful guidelines as we live and minister together in
different contexts.
1. Every person’s faith is at a different stage from others, and so he is capable of different
behaviour. But it becomes very easy to judge someone else’s behaviour. Why must I not
do that? Verses 1-4

2. What other considerations are mentioned in verses 5-12?

3. How would you link verses 13-21 with 1 Cor 8: 9-13?

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4. Everyone is free to have their own convictions on issues, since the Lord is our master.
And we are to accept one another. What is Paul’s concluding advice that will both help
ourselves and our relationship with others? Verses 22-23

F. Conclusion

1. What new insights have you gained and how do they apply to your life?

2. How are we to be sensitive to the conscience of the

a. unbeliever

b. new believer

c. carnal believer (controlled by traditions and his own immaturity)

d. mature believer

3. What broad applications do you see applying to our group and to others we relate to?

G. Further Study

What further study should we undertake that will give more light on the above subject?

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