“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:31-33).
The Word of God has a lot to say about what we do as believers in Christ. Our behavior can either back up what we say we believe, or, if it’s not what it ought to be, can certainly damage our testimony for Christ and cause others to stumble. In these three verses at the end of 1 Corinthians 10, Paul gives us some inspired counsel regarding our actions as Christians.
1. OUR ACTIONS SHOULD GLORIFY GOD – vs. 31
Everything we do in this body of ours ought to be done for one goal and purpose – to bring honor and glory to God. The Bible plainly tells us, “For ye have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).
This is an excellent test of questionable activities. Ask yourself, “If I do this, can God get glory from it? Will God be glorified as a result?” To glorify God is to give a right opinion of Him. Let’s make sure that our actions, as well as our words, glorify God (see 1 Peter 4:11).
2. OUR ACTIONS SHOULD NOT OFFEND OTHERS – vs. 32
The three groups mentioned in this verse cover all of humanity, so therefore we are to be careful to offend none. By this we mean that we ourselves should not be offensive. The Bible speaks of “the offence of the cross” (Galatians 5:11). The cross of Christ is offensive to many because it strips man of the opportunity to earn salvation by his own merit. We must never apologize if people are offended because of the truth of the Bible. But we must make sure that we do not offend others by being rude, discourteous, etc.
Paul said, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16).
Let’s be careful that our actions are not offensive to others lest we cause them to think less of our Lord and Savior.
3. OUR ACTIONS SHOULD HELP LEAD OTHERS TO BE SAVED – vs. 33
Paul spoke in other places of not pleasing men. “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Is this a contradiction? No, for here Paul is talking about pleasing men and displeasing God. Paul was never guilty of compromising the Gospel in order to gain man’s approval, and neither should we. In that sense, we should never be “men-pleasers.”
However, we are to strive to be “made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). Again, Paul is not speaking of changing the Scripture or compromising in any way, but of condescending in ways that could lead others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Someone said once, “If Christianity were a crime and you were charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
None of us are perfect, to be sure. We are still “under construction” and God is at work in us as believers to make us more like Christ. Like Paul, we have not yet “arrived” (see Philippians 3:13-14). But, let’s be sure that by the things we do and say, God is glorified and others are not offended, but rather helped by our good example to come to Christ and be saved.