1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1. The universe may be likened to a great machine, the prime motive power of which is God; and man the one who is set to tend upon it. So long as he keeps his place, all is well; but when, instead of regulating his own acts and motions by the movements of the machinery, he throws himself recklessly into the midst of its wheels and levers, he is crushed. 2. The doctrine of the text is that true religion belongs to all the interests of life, or, rather, they all belong to it. False religions are confined to time, place, circumstance; and are satisfied with man's homage in part. They may be compared to chemical attraction, where one particular body has an affinity for another particular body and only for that; whilst true religion is like the attraction of gravitation, which draws all bodies to its centre. The whole man is God's creature, the object of God's care, the purchase of the blood of Christ: should less than the whole man then be sanctified? God's glory should be consulted — I. IN EATING AND DRINKING. The apostle would have us recognise God as the bountiful Benefactor who openeth His hand and filleth all things living with plenteousness. He would not have man eat as the dumb beast eats. He would not have the Christian eat as even many men eat. What a beautiful lesson our Lord hath left us on this subject! About to feed the people miraculously, He called the people to thanksgiving, and in it led the way. How inconsistent excess in eating and drinking, and a form of thanksgiving at meat! It looks as though we would make God the "minister of sin." How degrading thus to live to eat, and not rather simply eat to live to God's glory! The taking of food, if sanctified by religion, is eucharistic, involves devotion in act and habit in one of its highest forms. II. IN THE USE OF SPEECH In order for speech to glorify God it must be — 1. Truthful. God is a God of truth, and He requires truth. 2. Pure. Impurity of thought is wicked; impurity of speech is worse. 3. Habitually temperate and sedate. We need run into no cynical or ascetic extremes, but still it should be remembered that the spirit of Christianity is not a spirit of frivolity. 4. Reverent. 5. Benevolent. 6. Devout. III. IS THE USE OF TIME. Time has but two proper uses, and all others are insignificant in comparison. The first is, to be spiritually wise in, to make our peace with God in; and then, having obtained reconciliation with God through the blood of His Son, to serve Him in it, by the aid of His Spirit, to our lives' end. (W. Sparrow, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.WEB: Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. |
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