My Brother's Keeper

Bible Teacher Jared Darby opens 1 Corinthians 8:1–13, where Paul uses a debate about food sacrificed to idols to make a much bigger point: the problem in Corinth wasn't ignorance—it was independence. They loved learning about Jesus but lived like the gospel only affected them personally. Jared draws out three challenges for a healthy church: be careful with your freedom (your rights don't trump your responsibility to the people around you), be aware of the strongholds in your city (the idols of Houston may not be Greek temples, but comfort and consumerism are just as real), and be ready to surrender everything—your preferences, your schedule, your opinions—so the church can stay united. Consumer Christianity is over. Jesus isn't coming back for an audience. He's coming back for a united bride.