Conformity: Skilful Engagement

We behold God’s beauty and beautify it in creation when we wisely and skillfully use it and shape it. We can only act like Christ did towards the created order when we wisely, and therefore skillfully understands its use. Paul furnishes us with an example.

Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness.” If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness.” (1Co 10:25-28)

In an apparent paradox, Paul uses the same verse about creation (Psalm 24:1) to back up two opposite courses of action. He explains that in one circumstance, believers are to eat, and then quotes ‘the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness”. He then writes that in another circumstance, believers are not to eat, and then quotes exactly the same verse ‘the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.” The goodness of creation can be applied in opposite ways.

In the first circumstance, Paul speaks of buying food at the meat market. The food at the meat market often came from pagan temples, where it had originally been used in pagan worship. Paul says, don’t make trouble for your own conscience by asking, “Where did this meat come from? Was it sacrificed to idols?” You are a Christian shopping for meat, Paul says, and here is meat for sale. Buy it. Eat it. Why? Because “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fulness” – food is part of creation, the meat is part of his good world, so eat it. That’s one way to use creation. We understand its use and use it that way.

In the second circumstance, Paul speaks of sharing a meal with an unbeliever. Once again, Paul says, don’t make trouble for your conscience by asking the unbeliever, “Where did you get this meat? Did you consecrate this to idols? Did you pray a pagan prayer over this?” No, Paul says. You are there to eat, and here is food. Eat it. However, Paul says, let’s say that before you eat, the unbeliever says something, perhaps to test you, perhaps to warn you, perhaps to taunt you. He tells you that that food was offered to idols. In that case, Paul says, don’t eat. Politely refuse for the sake of the pagan who told you of its former use. That man has now, as it were, invited you to join an idol feast. The food is still the same, but the meaning of eating it has changed because of what the pagan said. The pagan is now inviting you to fellowship with his gods. And Paul says, as testimony to him, as witness to him, don’t eat. Why? “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness”, in other words, in God’s good world there will always be something else to eat, and that person is more important than your stomach. He is also part of God’s earth, needs salvation, God will meet your need out of his fullness, but abstain from the food. That’s a second way to use creation.

As verse 31 says, you need to eat to the glory of God, and you can also not eat to the glory of God.
You can love God in regards to food by eating, and you can love God in regards to food by not eating. What makes the difference? The meaning of that part of creation.

In the one occasion, the meaning is food for sustenance, food to be received with thanksgiving, food that will bring pleasure to send you up to God in gratitude, food that will remind you of God your provider. In the second occasion, the meaning is different. Now the food is associated with idolatry. The meaning has been changed by what the food has been used for. To eat in the second instance has a different meaning from eating in the first case. Isn’t the food just neutral organic matter? Yes, but nothing is neutral once moral agents use it. Once we image-bearers of God use anything in creation – food, clothing, art, the body, money, technology – we assign meaning to it. And that meaning determines how you ought to use it for the glory of God.

To love God in creation is to become wise about what the thing in question means. Piggy-backing upon the discipline of thoughtful examination, this discipline takes meanings and applies them to pleasing God. We want to skilfully engage with creation, not blindly partake of all things in the name of Christian liberty. Paul says, when you use creation, determine the meaning of what you are doing, or using, or partaking of, to see how to love and glorify God in it. Whatever cannot be done for his glory should not be done at all. Conversely, all that can be loved for his sake, or performed for his glory, ought to be done for His glory. Once again, God’s image-bearers are tasked with incarnating the order and beauty of God in the world in their engagement with creation.

Who Are You Not To Judge?

Skilful engagement with creation requires discernment. Discernment is another way of saying good judgement. The ability to judge, discriminate, sense what is appropriate and what is not – this is indispensable to conforming to Christ amidst creation. If we do not have this discernment, then we will almost certainly end up abusing creation (1 Cor 7:31), because we fail to properly judge the meaning of what we are partaking.

This judgement or discernment is not the same as biblical knowledge. Knowledge comes in the form of the propositions and the images and the principles of Scripture. Judgement uses that knowledge, but then does something more. Judgement has to understand meaning, and apply it skillfully. It must take the knowledge from the Word, and then also use knowledge in the world, and weigh things well to make decisions that glorify God and enable us to continue communing with him. To put it another way, Proverbs tells us to pursue wisdom. Wisdom is understanding all of life from God’s point of view. That includes understanding the meaning of creation. Here is why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We begin with a God-centred attitude, and we then read creation. We take in God’s Word and then read God’s world.

Judging, discerning, and skilfully making decisions is commanded by Scripture.

This is why Paul says Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1Th 5:21)

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, (Phil 1:9)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy– meditate on these things. (Phi 4:8)

In fact, anytime we apply Scripture to some aspect of life that the Bible doesn’t explicitly address, we are using judgement. With every ethical issue we deal with – abortion, death penalty, war, economics, government, environment – we have to use sound judgement. With every cultural issue we deal with – music, dress, entertainment, technology, dating, art – we have to use sound judgement. The knowledge is given in Scripture, and then sound judgement must use and apply that knowledge.

About David de Bruyn

David de Bruyn pastors New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a graduate of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minnesota and the University of South Africa (D.Th.). Since 1999, he has presented a weekly radio program that is heard throughout much of central South Africa. He also blogs at Churches Without Chests.

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