Introduction

Good morning. Today, we turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 10. I have noticed that everyone's ability to grasp the key points is getting stronger and has improved significantly. This entire chapter speaks about doing everything for the glory of God, so the theme is Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

I. The Perplexity of the Corinthians

The Corinthians were perplexed about eating food sacrificed to idols. The first thing that came to their minds was whether they would get sick after eating it, whether it would affect their health, all because of selfishness. Eating greedily is selfish, and feeling like you're missing out if you don't eat is also selfish. Feeling guilty after eating is also selfish, as it's all about oneself. I have found that selfishness has always been very difficult to deal with; it has filled every little corner of our lives. Paul gave the Corinthians a response to their perplexity, which is the principle of action. The Corinthians asked a lot of questions, just like some of us do, about whether they could do this or that, and what would happen if they did. Ultimately, it was all about being concerned with oneself.

Some time ago, there was a sister or brother who should not have ministered if they didn't have the conscience for it, but they insisted on following others to cast out demons. After casting out the demons, they returned with a whole lot of illnesses, feeling that it was inseparable from the demon casting, and repeatedly came to ask me about it. I told them it didn't matter; in fact, they would have been the same even without casting out demons. They were too concerned about themselves. Why did the demon enter them? Because after casting out the demon, they were afraid of being influenced by it, and as a result, they attracted the demon. Selfishness is quite evil, and it can even provoke God's anger. It's not a big deal if a person is selfish, but it's a big problem if they provoke God's anger. When God sees that a person loves himself too much, He sends a little demon to mess with him. It's not that God is so bad, but God does things this way because He has established the rules.

A person with Mingding Destiny no longer lives in selfishness, which is the greatest grace. Our brothers and sisters must gradually emerge from selfishness. Since ancient times, selfishness has been very difficult to deal with. A person who becomes a corrupt merchant or an official does so because of selfishness, which is very evil. Once a person becomes evil, they will be dealt with by God. Not to mention God extending a small finger, even a single strand of hair standing in front of you would be like a towering tree. Playing or contending with God, see how far you can go. The Corinthians' problem of selfishness was all because they cared about themselves, which led to their corruption. Some people's prayers are ineffective no matter how much they pray, and they eventually die. It used to work because they received Paul's teachings, but now they don't know whose teachings they are receiving, whether it's Apollos, Peter Cephas, or others. In short, the Corinthians were confused, and Paul gave them a response.

II. Paul's Response

The fundamental principle is that whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Now, let's ask ourselves how much of what we do glorifies God? It doesn't count if you say your heart is willing but your strength is weak; in reality, your heart is not willing, so your strength is insufficient. If a person seeks only their own benefit, it's like worshipping idols. Let's ask ourselves how much of what we do is selfish, and how much is for others, for the glory of God.

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. (1 Corinthians 10:24)

just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:33)

Paul said twice not to seek one's own benefit, but to seek the benefit of others. This is a spiritual principle, which glorifies God and does not provoke His anger. If you do a lot of things that provoke God's anger, you will definitely feel uncomfortable. Everyone must know that when a person violates spiritual principles, it's a matter of life and death. If the demon has already come, then God doesn't need to send one; but if the demon hasn't come yet, God will definitely send one, which is called temptation. Once a person becomes selfish, their conscience becomes corrupted.

If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner, and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. (1 Corinthians 10:27)

Some people are concerned about whether the food has been sacrificed to idols, and if it has, they won't eat it. This is disruptive. If you're invited and you go, then eat happily. Asking such questions is annoying. Christians have a rather evil habit of not being able to eat blood. It's not a big deal if you don't eat it; just pick the parts that don't have blood.

But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake— I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be judged by someone else’s conscience? (1 Corinthians 10:28-29)

Everything is for the glory of God. Paul gave many examples to illustrate this.

Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. (1 Corinthians 10:25)

Some Christians ask many questions about whether food is organic or genetically modified. Jesus said that food cannot defile a person, but what comes out of the heart defiles a person. People ask these questions because they are filled with selfishness and evil. It's all to avoid causing others to stumble, because we are one body. So, to summarize the principle slightly, all things are lawful, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful, but not all things build up.

III. All Things are Lawful, But Not All Things are Helpful. All Things are Lawful, But Not All Things Build Up.

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. (1 Corinthians 10:23)

This means that we are free, and doing all things is fine, but the problem is that doing them may not build up others, and not all things are helpful. The benefit mentioned here is not your own benefit. Those who love themselves and are extremely selfish have a cancerous character. Those who have suffered from depression or insomnia among us care too much about themselves. In other words, selfishness is seeking one's own benefit. Everyone who comes to the church must know that they should not seek their own benefit, but only seek to glorify God and build up God's glorious church, because it is the same body.

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

We are all building up God's glorious church together. Selfish people cannot build up the church, nor can they benefit from God, but only receive curses from God. This is the key. It's like the selfish, carnal Israelites who ultimately provoked God's anger.

Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? (1 Corinthians 10:22)

This is the problem. If we think we are stronger than God, it's like poking God's butt. Not to mention poking God's butt, even poking a bear's butt would lead to destruction. Some people have to try it, and they feel uncomfortable every time they do. The number of times they feel uncomfortable is closely related to the degree of their selfishness. If people act to glorify God, they are unlikely to have so many illnesses or so many problems. Look at where we spend our time. Today, ask yourself where you spent your time yesterday, the day before yesterday, the day before that, and even a week ago. Which of those things glorified God? We can all take a pen and write it down. If you have dedicated one-tenth to God, you should already be thankful. There is always no time for things of God, but there is always time for things of the flesh and the world. It's very strange.

We say with our mouths that we want to build up God's glorious church and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. But if we can't even dedicate our time, that's not dedicating it to God. We really need to pat our chests and ask our conscience where it is. If we don't seek our own benefit, but seek to glorify God, then doing things that glorify God will be incredibly good for you. It's worth it from any point of view. There was a pastor who said he put God first, his family second, and ministry third. But his saying that he put God first was just a facade. In reality, there was no first place, only a second place, and putting ministry in third place is really disgusting.

Only service is seeking the benefit of others. Our building up God's glorious church is shepherding God's flock. So how should we shepherd? If someone is in distress and goes to their pastor, and their pastor says that Monday is his day of rest and tells the members not to disturb him, doesn't that sound familiar? A big-name pastor stood on the stage and said that, but in the Old Testament, I saw that it was the Israelites who served God who had a day of rest, but the priests who came to the temple had no day of rest. And not only was there no day of rest in the Old Testament, but I didn't see Jesus having a day of rest in the New Testament. He was serving for more than three years.

Being with God is called rest, not resting there. That pastor shamelessly told everyone on the stage not to disturb his day of rest, saying, to put it bluntly, that even if his mother died that day, he couldn't be found. How selfish must he be? He even used scripture to justify it. Of course, while talking about others, we must also think about whether our own spine can stand straight, including myself, I must be careful.

Some people love themselves to an extreme degree. A friend asked me to minister to a pastor who had a brain tumor, and when asked how he got the brain tumor, he replied that it was because he could only rest one day a week as a pastor and was overworked. One day of rest a week is not enough, but I have not rested a single day from my twenties until now. Some people say I'm quite competitive, but people who work don't have time to rest when they come to church on Sundays. He thought he got a brain tumor because he didn't rest enough while serving God, but that's just a lie. The problem lies in cherishing oneself to an indescribable degree.

Everyone must know that loving yourself is not wrong, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful, but not all things build up. It is most unhelpful to be lazy and feel that doing a little work is too much, to be selfish, and to only love oneself. The Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself because everyone loves themselves, so you must love others as you love yourself. But before that, there is also a saying to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. It's not loving God as you love yourself, but loving God far more than loving yourself. Can building up God's glorious church be done without paying a price? Speaking of this, if you want to write a reflection after listening, then reflect on how much time you have spent serving whom, building up whom. Now that you recognize the problem, you still have a chance to change. When you see the Lord's face, you will have no chance to change. It's just that at that time, who knows whether you will see the face of the Lord or the face of a demon?

Therefore, we do not seek our own benefit, but only seek the benefit of all. We also know that some things provoke the Lord's anger. If you have a lot of illnesses or bad luck, then ponder it yourself. In fact, serving God is a great grace. Loving others can be compared to loving yourself, but loving yourself cannot be balanced with loving God. Loving God requires all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind to love the Lord your God.

IV. Seeking One's Own Benefit is Idolatry

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. (1 Corinthians 10:7)

Seeking one's own benefit is idolatry. I have seen too much of this. Some people put their wives as the highest priority, their children as the second priority, themselves as the third priority at home, their work as the fourth priority, and the members of the church as the fifth priority. Trusting in God for one's own benefit is idolatry. There was a sister who came to me for prayer not for her work, but for her boyfriend. Now I have become smarter in ministering to such people, and I simply suggest that they go to the temple. Those who go to the temple do not seek God's benefit, nor do they seek to glorify God, but only seek their own benefit. No one in the temple seeks world peace. They all pray for their children to get into college, burn incense, and pray for their sons to marry a good wife. Anyway, they are all seeking their own benefit.

Remember, seeking your own benefit is selfishness, and selfishness is idolatry. That's the logic. Some people say, who doesn't seek their own benefit, who isn't selfish? But that's not the case. Open your eyes and look carefully at the end of those selfish people. If you haven't seen the end of those selfish people, start looking today. We ourselves are clear proof of selfishness, and we have experienced many of those things ourselves. Whether we can sleep is not up to us, and we still feel that there is a sufficient reason for seeking our own benefit. Even if there are indeed many selfish people, even Christians are the same, all the Christians who died in the wilderness were very selfish. The question is, do you want to be a Christian who dies in the wilderness?

Those Christians' actions are not the standard; the standard is the Word of God. If what we speak is not the Word of God, but the words of men, then it is the word of Satan. If you speak the words of Satan and it is indeed your heartfelt sentiment, you invite the Lord's wrath, and do not come to me to complain about your suffering. I will only say you deserve it. If I myself suffer, then I too deserve it. Selfishness is not a given. Jesus Christ came into this world to bring us before God; we must change this selfish logic. To say that no one can succeed without striving is the logic of the world; even Christians think this way. But does this make it our standard? In reality, these are purely devilish words. Stop inviting the Lord's wrath; a slight touch of the Lord's wrath can kill ten thousand people.

V. Temptation Tests Your Selfishness

Temptation is when God sends a demon to test your selfishness. If you overcome it, you will be rewarded; if you fail, good luck to you. We have learned enough lessons; let us not repeatedly offend God, finding many reasons to support our selfish motives. Selfishness will not bring anyone any benefit. Today, I speak with a bit of fervor because watching brothers and sisters rush headlong to their doom truly pains my heart. Why do people tempt God? After testing once and finding that selfishness is okay, they selfishly test again and nothing happens. It is like running a red light once without an accident, and then running it twice without incident, but this is actually not far from death.

If now selfishness holds nothing within me, and it is no longer I who live, but Jesus Christ who lives in me, then nothing can control us anymore. Everyone begins to recognize this temptation, and frequently, upon contact, a person's selfishness emerges. My pastoral care has a characteristic: I often intentionally say provocative things, testing them, wrongly accusing them, to see what is truly inside them. But with one test, they reveal their true form, showing their teeth. Accuse them again and they start biting. Some brothers and sisters actually bite during deliverance, with ferocious expressions. Some of our brothers and sisters have been bitten while serving with me.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

If one's self-assurance is not supported by the Word of God, then what good is a pile of reasons? My colleagues often hear me say one sentence: Those who are willing to build God's glorious church with me, let us walk together; those who are unwilling, forget it. This sentence is only for my colleagues, not for the brothers and sisters, because you cannot withstand this sentence. So, stop living in temptation. The key point is to let us run not without aim; I discipline my body and bring it under subjection, lest when I preach to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:26-27)

God has treated me so kindly because I have Paul's heart in me; living this life is not so complicated. Letting go of worldly things is not that difficult either; it is all because of selfishness, because one's own affairs are so important. People come up immediately praying for their husbands, wives, children, parents, jobs, businesses, boyfriends, and girlfriends—it is no different from idolatry.

VI. The Israelites Who Perished in the Wilderness Are Our Warning

The Corinthians, those selfish, self-centered fellows, think first about whether what they eat will affect their bodies, and when serving others, they first think about whether demons will enter them—such trivial matters.

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10:1-5)

Why did they perish in the wilderness? Because they cared only about themselves, and thus incurred God's wrath. If God wants you to die, can you still live? Today, we should be thankful that God has spared our little lives and not continue to tempt God.

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. (1 Corinthians 10:6-10)

This is a matter of life and death, which is to say, you must not worship idols. Like some of them who worshiped, so that they could sit down to eat and drink and rise up to play, all to indulge themselves, still for their own trivial matters. Everyone, tell me, how much of what is in us is for these things?

Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. (1 Corinthians 10:8)

Fidelity is paramount. When one commits adultery, it is like the Israelites fornicating with the Midianite women. At the time, the physical sensations were very good, like dry wood meeting fire, igniting as soon as they came together, just like in the novels. But God destroyed them, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Fidelity is very important. Are we faithful to God in our hearts? If we are unfaithful in matters of the flesh, we will also be unfaithful in spiritual matters, and that will take our lives. Twenty-three thousand fell in one day—are we also one of those twenty-three thousand? There are many things we need to repent of because we indulge the flesh too much. It does feel good, but caring only about one's own feelings is a deadly matter.

Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted, and were destroyed by serpents. (1 Corinthians 10:9)

People tempt Christ because they think it should be okay to do this, that there should be no cameras running the red light, and they take their chances, thinking nothing should happen. However, whether one is fined is a small matter; death, once finalized, has no sequel. It is not that one is destroyed on the first day of committing adultery, but it is the consequence of a sustained period. Everyone can look at the other person, and think it is okay for themselves, and simply bring a Midianite woman home to sleep with, and the result will be becoming one of the twenty-three thousand who are destroyed. Therefore, not seeking God's glory is a very dangerous thing. Seeking only one's own benefit, indulging only one's own feelings, is tempting Christ.

We tempt Christ in many things, and my patience is far inferior to the Lord's patience. I thank God that God's patience is so great. How long will He endure us? I also lament that serving many brothers and sisters is truly like serving God, even though sometimes the words spoken are unpleasant. For example, when the person being served commits adultery, or tempts the Lord, indulging the flesh, or saying that they are just being selfish, worshiping idols and only caring about themselves—such words are unpleasant to hear. Sometimes after saying these things, one is even rebuffed, and I can only say thank God.

Nor murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. (1 Corinthians 10:10)

I also encounter many who murmur. People often say why God has not healed them yet, and when will He bless them, but why should God heal you and bless you? If God destroys you, it is only right. This is how the Israelites perished in the wilderness. Chinese Mingding Destiny has a great discovery, which is that perishing in the wilderness is no joke. But many people think they are okay, better than cancer patients.

Believing in the Lord is not buying insurance, but we must be vigilant and warn ourselves to do everything for the glory of God. Before doing anything, ask yourself whether doing this glorifies God. If it does not glorify God and invites God's wrath, then why repeat things that invite God's wrath? Some time ago, a sister always thought she had many good reasons, and as a result, she suffered from insomnia. The next day, I reluctantly led her in prayer, and as soon as I said something, she always thought she had good reasons, and was very reasonable. I had to correct her little by little. If we do not seek our own benefit, but seek only the benefit of others, regardless of who they are, that is a great grace.

Do not worship idols, do not commit adultery, do not tempt the Lord, and do not murmur. People murmur because what we want has not been obtained, but what we want is not important, what God wants is important. That is why Paul speaks so earnestly here. But the Corinthians still could not accept it after reading it, which is why the Corinthians fell out with Paul after he wrote these words. Later, Paul sent Timothy to repair the relationship, but Timothy could not handle it. Then he sent Titus to handle it, repaired the relationship, and explained things clearly. The Corinthians understood that Paul was not seeking his own benefit and spoke so earnestly, and they actually discerned good and evil regarding Paul, only to find that they had gone too far.

From now on, resolve that whatever you do, do it for the glory of God—this sentence carries great weight. If we are constantly discerning good and evil with people, we end up grabbing each other by the collar, pulling each other's hair, tearing each other apart. Even if it is just using WeChat, it cannot be avoided. With nothing better to do, we blacklist people, all for our own benefit. Those who seek only their own benefit find that while seeking, they lose their jobs, or cause themselves to suffer from insomnia, become depressed, or even develop brain tumors. It is easy to put on a show, but that strength in the bones is not easy to have. Some pastors' words seem grand and righteous on the surface, and this includes myself, of course, but are they Paul in their bones?

VII. Conclusion

Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. This sentence is not spoken to you, but to myself. Over the years, I have often used these words to remind myself. If you are someone I have ministered to before, you know very well that I do not mind suffering when I minister, but I never seek my own benefit, let alone try to gain anything from you. I seek nothing. I only give out, and God still blesses me even today. Among us, brothers and sisters have received grace because of the church I built. What kind of person builds what kind of church; the pastors who serve you are all trained by me. The price he pays for you is the price I paid for him back then.

I truly hope that one day, when I come before God, I can receive a word from God, saying that I am a faithful and good servant who can enter into the joy of my master. Therefore, many of the momentary and light troubles in this world are nothing; it does not matter if it is very hard, anyway, it is over when we die. Once, I sang the song One Day Find a Place and scared them all, thinking that I was closing my eyes there to leave the world and be with the Lord. I said no. If one day I tell everyone to fast and pray for 80 days, you will know what I am going to do. Building Chinese Mingding Destiny in this world is not my hope, and gaining something from the church is not my pursuit.

What I seek is to see the face of my Lord in glory, and this life will be worth it. But I also eagerly desire to pass on this mindset and these thoughts to the brothers and sisters, so that the brothers and sisters can live for the Lord and live for the glory of God. From now on, no longer seek our own benefit, not even our own face, and no longer care about our image. Because when we care about it, the demons will come. There is no need to think about it; we will definitely feel bad, because that is not the Word of God. I yearn for the people of this world to be able to see God's glory because of us, amen!