343: Ben Brinkerhoff – In Search of Conscience

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Welcome to good Chris selfie and
talks.

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I’m Levi.
I’m Chris, I’m Jason, and I’m

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Brian.
Thank you for joining us this

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week.
On this podcast, we select one

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talk a week to help us get the
Bible in our Daily News feed.

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Each week we post a talk that we
previewed from suggestions sent

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in by listeners from around the
world.

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Then we record a short intro
beforehand as a personalized

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recommendation to you on why we
are sharing the talk.

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And now?
Let’s talk more about this

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week’s talk.
Hi, this is Levi.

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This week’s class is the third
in a series that Brother Ben

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Brinkerhoff presented at
Christchurch West in New

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Zealand.
The title of the series is

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called In Search of
Consciousness.

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I don’t actually have a name for
the individual class.

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This was suggested by someone
who listened to the class and I

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very much enjoyed it.
I think it should be clear that

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I do have a bias to brother Ben
growing up a couple years behind

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him here in Los Angeles, and
also I think a bias to the

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topic.
Romans 14 is a part of Scripture

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that I think is very challenging
and hard to figure out how to

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apply and when to apply in
ecclesial life.

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And Ben has clearly struggled
with that as well.

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And I think this class does a
very good job of establishing

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some important kind of ground
rules or parameters on how to

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apply.
You know, when you know when

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someone’s conscience should
overrule maybe the conscience or

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allowance of another’s.
I also just enjoyed the tenor

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that brother Ben has in this
class.

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I feel like I say this in almost
every introduction I do it just

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I’m for the podcast
specifically, I’m usually

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looking for someone who were
clearly listening to them

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talking about something they
passionately care about or have

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been going through.
I mean, I think you can tell in

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in in brother Ben’s voice in
this class that he has a lot of

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stories that he’s not sharing a
lot of experience that he’s not

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diving into in this class, which
I think makes it an easy listen

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and makes it, you know,
encouraging in that way, very

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accessible.
But also, you know, it made me

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look at a lot of the principles
he he has been saying in a

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different way.
I mean, I think at the core, his

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really core messages, you should
not discuss, you know, any

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matters of conscience with any
brother or sister who may also

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be unclear on whether or not you
love them, which I think is a

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really powerful message.
You know, do does that does the

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person that you’re talking to
know you know, undisputedly that

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you love them or not?
That’s what I took from it.

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He was really excited to share
it.

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Thank you again to the brother
who sent it on.

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And also I made a choice to keep
the Q&A portion that they had

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time for at the end of the
class.

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So but you don’t hear the
questions.

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So you can obviously you can
turn the podcast off when it

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switches to the Q&A or listen to
it because I do think that it

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was worth including Ben make
some good clarifications and has

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a lot more good stuff to say in
that Q&A section.

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So here is Ben Bringerhoff in
search of consciousness.

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Well.
Brothers, Sisters in this study

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is where that’s much better.
I think off was the right, right

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choice there.
This is the study where I think

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things get a little bit
challenging.

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See, it’s, it’s one thing for us
to look at conscience in

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relation to, OK, it’s one thing
for us to look at conscience

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relative to the principles of
God, the commands of God,

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They’re difficult to follow.
We all agree they’re difficult

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to follow.
I’ll, I’ll struggle with that.

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My ego will definitely struggle
with that.

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But at least we can say it’s
written down in Scripture and we

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have a consistent standard we
can try to aim for in the

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example of the Lord Jesus
Christ.

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But.
How?

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How do?
I live without giving offense to

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you, as we just read in Romans
14.

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How do I do with that?
You know when I was in Israel?

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There is a kind of a joke that
went around because I don’t know

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if you know this about Israelis,
but they argue a lot.

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And the joke went something
along the lines of if you have

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two Jews, you have three
opinions.

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Now I think this is true of
Christadelphians.

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You have two views.
You have two Christadelphians,

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you have three opinions.
Listen, in Christchurch, it’s

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probably 4 opinions, right?
So, so you know, in this room

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will be people that have
opinions, that have views.

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That are totally at.
Contrast with one another.

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And you will each be fully
persuaded perhaps.

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Of your particular view that
you’ll think that your view on

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whatever matter that that it is,
is the right one.

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And you’ll have your reasons.
You’ll have your scriptural.

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Arguments and and in more than a
few cases I I think your heart

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will probably be bound up in it
and others disagree with you.

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You might think for not very
good reason, and perhaps we can

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each have those disagreements.
In a way where we just sort of

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agree to disagree and we have
peace about that.

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But what if you exercising your
conscience bothers me?

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What if it offends me?
What if it hurts me or I

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perceive that it’s hurting my
children?

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What do I do then?
We may try to work it out.

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But we’ll probably find that’s
not too easy.

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And the real trouble is that we
have both a difference in our

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understanding of principle and
application.

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You ask yourself, well, how
could we have disagreements in

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terms of principles?
Well, principles can be in

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conflict with one another.
Anyone who’s ever now this never

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happens in my household, but
anyone who’s ever had someone,

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their wife asked them, hey, do I
look fat in this dress right

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now?
You’ll recognize upon just that

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simple question that there might
be a few principles to apply to

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that particular answer, right?
With with me, it’d be more like,

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do you enjoy the meatloaf?
But I mean.

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Honestly, right there could be.
There could be many.

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On on these simple questions of
life, there can be more than one

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principle that gets applied to
these sorts of things, and

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you’ll have your life
experience.

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Some of it painful, some of it’s
scarring.

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And it will.
Emphasize to you the wisdom of

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certain principles or the other,
diminishing some, emphasizing

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others, and as a result, our
view on application may be

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different.
And I could eat, or I could

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wear, or I could drink or I
could sing.

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Something of not only those
categories, but just picking

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ones that are common issues.
That offends you, and we all

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both have our Bible verses and
we’ll be at loggerheads with one

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another.
And guess what happens?

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Next.
I’ll tell you what, I start to

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find you annoying.
That’s what happens next.

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And on the flip side, you
probably find me annoying and

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think I’m leading others astray,
or that I’m not a good example

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of leaving, of living the truth.
And and then what we start to do

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is make assumptions about each
other.

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And I’m going to make
assumptions.

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I’m going to start watching you
like a hawk is what I’m going to

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start doing.
I’m going to find any

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contradiction in your life of.
Any of the.

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Principles that you pretend or
portend to have.

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And when I find them, I’m going
to write them down in a book so

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I don’t forget them, so I can
meditate on them.

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And I’m going to look at all.
These all these evidences I’m

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finding.
Against you.

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And I’m going to believe all
these assumptions I’m making

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about you without ever talking
to you about it, by the way, as

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if they’re ironclad proof.
In fact, I might even share them

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with someone else just to just
so I know that what I’m saying

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is not just a figment of my
imagination.

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And, and, and, and in some ways
we, we start to work on the idea

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that there could be a potential
run in I very good some allies

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here.
Now, I hope you don’t relate to

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any of this.
And, and perhaps that was an

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extreme case I just pointed out,
but it’s happened.

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Any of us who’ve been in the
truth long enough would know

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this kind of thing happens,
doesn’t it?

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Sadly.
So if it can happen today,

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here’s a question.
For you, how do you think the

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Jew and Gentile found things in
the 1st century ecclesia?

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A little bit stressful, perhaps
you think they’d run into

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problems like I’ve just
described.

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The Jew and Gentile in the 1st
century ecclesia living in Rome?

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Absolutely.
Now, how do we apply conscience

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in cases such as these?
In cases where.

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I think there’s a right answer.
You probably don’t care for my

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answer.
There might not be a right

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answer, in particularly because
it may not be an issue of

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commandment, but an issue of
interpretation or application,

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and where inevitably, those two
things are going to be infused

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with opinion.
How does contents apply to

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disagreements between brethren
where we can easily be offended

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and offend one another, and
perhaps more particularly?

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Where does Scripture provide a
set of principles to work?

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From to deal with issues like
these.

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So this is a little bit where
we’re going to be talking about

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the next two studies.
Are you interested?

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All right, would you like to
talk about this?

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All right, let’s just talk about
it then.

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That’s what this class is going
to be about.

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I’m sure this is going to be 1
where I get lots of questions at

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the end and and.
Please be gentle with me.

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Scripture.
Does give us some guidance here,

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but the difficulty is to know
how to apply it.

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There are two main sections of
scripture as you might be aware

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of apply to issues such as
these.

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The 1st is in First Corinthians
chapter 8 through 10 which is

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one of application, and the
other being Romans 14 which is

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one of principle.
They both have principle and

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application, but I would say 1
tends to the application and one

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tends more to the principle.
The object of this class then is

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to understand the real source of
the problem.

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So that’s what you have to hold
me to account to at the end of

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the class.
Did we understand?

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The real problem, not the
surface problem, the real

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problem.
OK, that’s what I want to come

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back at the end.
If you haven’t gotten that, then

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I’ve this class hasn’t been a
success.

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OK, the object of the next class
is to understand how Paul

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provides a process for dealing
with the problem.

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The object of the 5th class is
to see how the weak could lead

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to division in the ecclesia by
the application of their weak

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conscience.
And the object of the 6th class

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is to see how the strong could
lead to a division of the

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ecclesia by the application of
their strong conscience.

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So I’m going to put forward to
you that both the weak and the

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strong can divide the ecclesia
and did in the 1st century.

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And we’re going to look at
examples of both to see in the

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extremity what the problem was
with both of those applications

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of conscience that were
misinformed, misguided, and

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ultimately sinful.
OK.

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So that’s that’s where we’re
headed with the study.

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And if you want to hear the 7th.
Class, you can go to North for

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an extortation in May.
All right, so that’s up to you,

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right?
OK, so with that outline and

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introduction, let’s start this
consideration of Romans 14,

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which was our introductory
reading.

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And here we see Paul is dealing
with differences in the ecclesia

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where the ecclesial members had
incompatible views.

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On a cursory level, you can see
that the the issues themselves

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have to do with cultural
differences between Jews and

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Gentiles, right?
So let’s just take a look at

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those together.
Romans chapter 14.

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Now the first is in Romans
chapter 14 verse 2, which is

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differences regarding what we
eat.

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00:13:45,200 –> 00:13:49,320
We read there for one believes
he may eat all things.

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00:13:50,120 –> 00:13:53,040
Another who is weak eateth
herbs.

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00:13:54,800 –> 00:13:57,440
Follow OK differences regarding.
What we eat.

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00:13:58,200 –> 00:14:01,680
The second difference?
Is in regarding the observance

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00:14:01,680 –> 00:14:04,480
of holy days.
We read this in verse five.

225
00:14:04,960 –> 00:14:10,000
One man esteemeth one day above
another, another esteemeth every

226
00:14:10,000 –> 00:14:13,680
day alike.
Let every man be fully persuaded

227
00:14:13,680 –> 00:14:16,960
in his own mind.
OK, so differences regarding the

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00:14:16,960 –> 00:14:21,560
observance of holy days and the
last which is little bit more

229
00:14:21,560 –> 00:14:24,440
painful for me is regarding the
drinking of wine.

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00:14:25,560 –> 00:14:29,640
Romans chapter 14, verse 21.
It is good neither to eat flesh

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00:14:29,640 –> 00:14:33,160
nor to drink wine, nor anything
whereby thy brother stumble with

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00:14:33,160 –> 00:14:36,080
or is offended or is weak.
Now we would I think we’d be

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00:14:36,080 –> 00:14:38,240
foolish to think these were the
only three differences.

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00:14:39,000 –> 00:14:42,040
I think these differences are
emblematic of the.

235
00:14:42,080 –> 00:14:47,160
Overall plethora of cultural.
Differences going on in that

236
00:14:47,160 –> 00:14:52,040
ecclesia between those with
Jewish heritage and those with

237
00:14:52,040 –> 00:14:54,760
Gentile heritage.
OK.

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00:14:56,520 –> 00:15:02,520
In fact, we know that that the
Jew Gentile struggle is is is at

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00:15:02,520 –> 00:15:05,560
the heart of this and we know
that there is some pretty strong

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00:15:05,560 –> 00:15:09,400
language being used because Paul
is going to use the really

241
00:15:09,400 –> 00:15:11,840
loaded term.
What’s the loaded?

242
00:15:11,840 –> 00:15:17,360
Term that a Jew would give.
A Gentile regarding their their

243
00:15:17,360 –> 00:15:21,320
way of life, that loaded term
would be the word unclean.

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00:15:23,120 –> 00:15:27,960
And Paul uses that word unclean
in Romans chapter 14 verse 14,

245
00:15:27,960 –> 00:15:30,760
where Paul says I know and I’m
persuaded by the Lord Jesus.

246
00:15:31,000 –> 00:15:34,760
There’s nothing unclean of
itself to him, but to him who

247
00:15:34,760 –> 00:15:39,560
esteemeth anything to be unclean
to him it us is unclean.

248
00:15:39,560 –> 00:15:43,160
And you know for sure that that
is a very much a word taken from

249
00:15:43,160 –> 00:15:46,560
the context.
Of the Law of Moses.

250
00:15:50,280 –> 00:15:53,360
OK, so Paul does not use, as
you’re aware, as we read the

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00:15:53,360 –> 00:15:57,560
chapter, he doesn’t use the word
Jew in Gentile Romans 14.

252
00:15:57,800 –> 00:16:00,920
He’s instead uses these term
weak and strong.

253
00:16:00,920 –> 00:16:04,440
And we have to understand what
he means by those terms, right?

254
00:16:04,800 –> 00:16:09,000
So let’s let’s just define that
because having that really clear

255
00:16:09,000 –> 00:16:11,840
in our mind will kind of make
the text a little bit easier to

256
00:16:11,840 –> 00:16:14,480
follow and understand as we go
through it together.

257
00:16:14,640 –> 00:16:17,600
So who are the weak and who are
the strong?

258
00:16:18,480 –> 00:16:24,640
Well, the weak were those who
took who For whom it took only a

259
00:16:24,680 –> 00:16:30,560
mild or a weak stimulus for them
to be concerned or offended.

260
00:16:31,560 –> 00:16:34,400
It only took a weak stimulus.
They’re very sensitive.

261
00:16:34,920 –> 00:16:38,440
Only a weak stimulus would make
them feel offended.

262
00:16:39,000 –> 00:16:41,520
Paul would say.
They are weak in faith because,

263
00:16:41,520 –> 00:16:45,800
Paul would say, faith itself
gives you an ability to wish to

264
00:16:45,840 –> 00:16:52,080
not be as easily offended.
OK, they are probably, and

265
00:16:52,080 –> 00:16:55,600
almost, well, almost definitely
referring to the Jews or those

266
00:16:55,600 –> 00:16:57,920
with Jewish heritage in Romans
14.

267
00:16:58,800 –> 00:17:02,840
The strong, by contrast, are
those for which it took a strong

268
00:17:03,000 –> 00:17:07,560
stimulus for them to feel that
they were concerned or offended

269
00:17:07,560 –> 00:17:10,240
over a matter.
Paul would say that they are

270
00:17:10,240 –> 00:17:14,079
strong because they are strong
in faith, and faith is given the

271
00:17:14,079 –> 00:17:17,800
ability to to withstand the idea
of feeling offended.

272
00:17:17,800 –> 00:17:19,640
Paul would say he was strong in
faith.

273
00:17:19,800 –> 00:17:21,640
This is why he can.
He can.

274
00:17:22,200 –> 00:17:24,280
When he’s amongst Jews, he can
act like.

275
00:17:24,280 –> 00:17:26,920
A Jew, when he’s among Gentiles,
he can dress like a Gentile.

276
00:17:27,480 –> 00:17:30,600
Because he is strong in faith,
Paul would say so.

277
00:17:30,640 –> 00:17:33,360
The strong are those for which
it takes a strong stimulus for

278
00:17:33,360 –> 00:17:34,720
them to be concerned or
offended.

279
00:17:34,960 –> 00:17:37,720
But in this chapter we could, we
should consider the strong when

280
00:17:37,720 –> 00:17:42,160
we see the term as generally
speaking about the Gentiles.

281
00:17:43,880 –> 00:17:49,120
OK, hopefully that clears up
those terms, but I can

282
00:17:49,120 –> 00:17:53,000
understand why those terms are
themselves a little bit

283
00:17:53,000 –> 00:17:55,560
confusing.
So Paul’s.

284
00:17:55,560 –> 00:17:59,920
Admonition as the chapter begins
in verse one of the RSV is this,

285
00:18:01,080 –> 00:18:02,480
he says.
As.

286
00:18:02,480 –> 00:18:06,280
For the man who is weak in
faith, welcome him.

287
00:18:06,800 –> 00:18:10,120
But for not.
Not for disputes over opinions.

288
00:18:10,840 –> 00:18:15,400
I think the King James has
doubtful disputations, but I

289
00:18:15,400 –> 00:18:18,400
think the RSV really does a good
job of translating this.

290
00:18:18,760 –> 00:18:22,240
Doubtful disputations are really
disputes about opinions.

291
00:18:25,480 –> 00:18:27,320
So what Paul’s doing here right
away by.

292
00:18:27,320 –> 00:18:28,840
The way as you can see right
away.

293
00:18:29,120 –> 00:18:31,720
Who is he?
Addressing in Romans 14, he’s

294
00:18:31,720 –> 00:18:37,120
actually addressing the strong.
He’s saying to the strong in the

295
00:18:37,120 –> 00:18:40,120
ecclesia.
I want you to welcome.

296
00:18:40,320 –> 00:18:47,040
The weak but don’t welcome them
just so you can argue about your

297
00:18:47,040 –> 00:18:52,800
different opinions.
And the first question that

298
00:18:52,800 –> 00:18:55,480
arises when you start to unpack
this a little bit.

299
00:18:56,440 –> 00:19:00,880
Is what is a conscience issue
anyway ever had that question

300
00:19:01,920 –> 00:19:05,080
and and and we can disagree that
something even is a conscience

301
00:19:05,080 –> 00:19:09,040
issue.
We we.

302
00:19:09,240 –> 00:19:12,360
The term throw is thrown about
so and so as a conscience.

303
00:19:12,360 –> 00:19:17,360
About this issue.
So and so as another conscience,

304
00:19:17,560 –> 00:19:20,000
a different conscience about a
particular issue.

305
00:19:20,760 –> 00:19:24,280
Well, what makes something an
issue of conscience?

306
00:19:26,640 –> 00:19:30,520
This is my idea about this.
I don’t, I can’t give you an

307
00:19:30,520 –> 00:19:34,040
ironclad definition, but I think
this is a good working

308
00:19:34,040 –> 00:19:40,280
definition For something to be
an issue of conscience where the

309
00:19:40,280 –> 00:19:43,920
verses of Romans 14, the
application of First Corinthians

310
00:19:43,920 –> 00:19:49,120
chapters 8-9 and ten are
applicable, it must be a matter

311
00:19:49,400 –> 00:19:52,000
over which we do not have a
command from the Lord.

312
00:19:53,440 –> 00:19:58,560
In other words, Romans 14 verse
one, it’s got to be about an

313
00:19:58,560 –> 00:20:04,040
opinion.
Perhaps the best example of this

314
00:20:04,040 –> 00:20:07,520
is in Corinth.
See, there is a conscience issue

315
00:20:07,520 –> 00:20:12,400
in Corinth about eating meat
that had been sacrificed to an

316
00:20:12,400 –> 00:20:16,680
idol for some.
Understandably, the association

317
00:20:16,680 –> 00:20:21,400
of doing anything that was
connected to an idol was

318
00:20:21,600 –> 00:20:26,160
unacceptable.
Those that felt it was

319
00:20:26,160 –> 00:20:29,400
unacceptable were weak in faith
in that respect.

320
00:20:29,400 –> 00:20:32,000
And because they are weak in
faith, they wanted rules.

321
00:20:32,200 –> 00:20:34,960
A rule that said we do not eat
it, it’s a rule.

322
00:20:36,560 –> 00:20:39,840
But others felt that meat is
just meat.

323
00:20:40,920 –> 00:20:43,920
The belly is made for meat.
Obviously it can digest it.

324
00:20:44,120 –> 00:20:47,040
If God gave me a belly to digest
it, God must be happy with it.

325
00:20:47,720 –> 00:20:50,200
The belly for meats and meats
for the belly, as it were.

326
00:20:51,360 –> 00:20:54,520
They were strong in faith
regarding.

327
00:20:54,520 –> 00:20:58,640
This and embrace liberty.
To them, idols were nothing.

328
00:20:59,160 –> 00:21:01,960
Eating meat offered to an idol
is like eating meat offered to a

329
00:21:01,960 –> 00:21:05,480
block of stone, as long as it
was eating with Thanksgiving.

330
00:21:05,480 –> 00:21:08,880
What’s the problem?
So both.

331
00:21:08,880 –> 00:21:15,080
Opinions had some validity, but
on the issue there wasn’t a

332
00:21:15,080 –> 00:21:18,480
specific command because the
Lord had declared all foods

333
00:21:18,480 –> 00:21:27,200
clean, all foods clean, period.
So while eating meat was an

334
00:21:27,200 –> 00:21:31,800
issue of conscience.
What was not a conscience issue

335
00:21:31,800 –> 00:21:33,760
would be a question worth
asking.

336
00:21:34,080 –> 00:21:35,640
Well, what isn’t a conscience
issue?

337
00:21:35,920 –> 00:21:37,880
Well, do you know what?
Isn’t a conscience issue

338
00:21:40,200 –> 00:21:43,720
idolatry?
Worshipping a false God?

339
00:21:44,000 –> 00:21:47,000
Guess what?
That’s not a conscience issue.

340
00:21:48,800 –> 00:21:51,200
Do you know what else is not a
conscience issue?

341
00:21:52,880 –> 00:21:55,800
Adultery.
Sleeping with a temple

342
00:21:55,800 –> 00:22:02,680
prostitute as a part of a ritual
meal was not a conscience.

343
00:22:02,680 –> 00:22:07,280
Issue that was a.
Sin and and it’s not for no

344
00:22:07,280 –> 00:22:10,360
reason whatsoever that we read
in First Corinthians chapter 6.

345
00:22:10,680 –> 00:22:13,160
Verses 15 to 16 and verse 18
these.

346
00:22:13,160 –> 00:22:18,160
Words know ye not?
That your bodies are the members

347
00:22:18,160 –> 00:22:20,240
of Christ.
Shall I take?

348
00:22:20,440 –> 00:22:24,120
The members of Christ.
And make them the members of a

349
00:22:24,120 –> 00:22:28,800
harlot.
God forbid what know ye not?

350
00:22:29,280 –> 00:22:31,480
That.
He which is joined to in harlot

351
00:22:31,640 –> 00:22:37,400
is 1 body for two saith he shall
be 1 flesh flee fornication

352
00:22:37,760 –> 00:22:41,800
every sin.
That a man doeth is without the

353
00:22:41,800 –> 00:22:46,680
body, but he that commits
fornication sinneth against his

354
00:22:46,680 –> 00:22:49,680
own body.
So, stating the obvious here,

355
00:22:49,920 –> 00:22:54,160
Paul does not consider that
fornicating with temple harlots

356
00:22:54,160 –> 00:22:55,880
or any variety of harlot, I
suppose.

357
00:22:57,240 –> 00:23:00,240
Which was clearly an issue that
had to be covered in Corin.

358
00:23:01,240 –> 00:23:02,880
He doesn’t think that’s a
conscience issue.

359
00:23:04,080 –> 00:23:07,880
That’s very unambiguously a sin.
Now I use that for its

360
00:23:07,880 –> 00:23:11,160
obviousness, but I also use that
for the relevance of the context

361
00:23:11,840 –> 00:23:14,120
of what’s happening in First
Corinthians.

362
00:23:18,840 –> 00:23:20,800
So I, I like how one brother put
it.

363
00:23:21,280 –> 00:23:23,600
He sort of divided the world
into three boxes.

364
00:23:23,760 –> 00:23:26,440
Now I, I got you want to want a
little hint?

365
00:23:26,720 –> 00:23:32,920
Sisters, men like boxes.
The fewer the boxes, the better.

366
00:23:33,440 –> 00:23:38,400
Really.
And so in this example there’s

367
00:23:38,400 –> 00:23:44,760
only three boxes.
Box number one is the things we

368
00:23:44,760 –> 00:23:46,360
are commanded not to do.
Now this.

369
00:23:46,360 –> 00:23:51,320
Is very hard to see, but that is
a black box black, right?

370
00:23:51,560 –> 00:23:53,160
Things we’re commanded not to
do.

371
00:23:53,320 –> 00:23:59,480
So is everyone OK if I put
idolatry and adultery in that

372
00:23:59,480 –> 00:24:00,480
particular?
Box.

373
00:24:00,960 –> 00:24:04,080
We’re all happy with that, OK?
We’re commanded not to do those

374
00:24:04,080 –> 00:24:06,240
things.
Those things are clearly sin.

375
00:24:07,920 –> 00:24:12,160
OK, well on the other end is a
white.

376
00:24:12,160 –> 00:24:16,600
Box well these.
Are the things we’re commanded

377
00:24:16,600 –> 00:24:21,280
to do?
Would everyone be OK if, if I

378
00:24:21,280 –> 00:24:26,360
put things like caring for the
poor, loving our neighbor,

379
00:24:26,840 –> 00:24:29,960
loving the Lord our God with our
heart, soul, mind and strength,

380
00:24:30,320 –> 00:24:33,440
honoring our father and mother?
Would you be OK if I put those

381
00:24:33,440 –> 00:24:35,200
sort of things in this box over
here?

382
00:24:36,240 –> 00:24:39,320
We all agree that those are
things we’re commanded to do.

383
00:24:39,320 –> 00:24:42,720
And if we’re honoring our father
and mother, then we’re, we’re

384
00:24:42,720 –> 00:24:44,520
probably doing something in the
white box.

385
00:24:46,280 –> 00:24:47,160
But you know.
What the trouble?

386
00:24:47,160 –> 00:24:52,160
Is the trouble is the third box?
Right.

387
00:24:52,600 –> 00:24:55,680
And the third.
Box is things we are neither

388
00:24:55,680 –> 00:24:58,360
commanded nor not commanded to
do.

389
00:24:58,880 –> 00:25:01,920
But for which we use things in
the black box or in the white

390
00:25:01,920 –> 00:25:04,360
box to imply.
What we should do?

391
00:25:08,760 –> 00:25:11,560
All right.
For example, should I have for

392
00:25:11,560 –> 00:25:14,400
lunch a peanut butter or a ham
sandwich?

393
00:25:16,120 –> 00:25:18,200
Now for a Jew.
By the way, that’s not in the

394
00:25:18,200 –> 00:25:19,800
middle.
Box right, right.

395
00:25:20,640 –> 00:25:24,400
But it is for me because all
foods are clean.

396
00:25:26,080 –> 00:25:30,320
Or should I?
Buy Hyundai or Jaguar.

397
00:25:30,560 –> 00:25:33,560
Now you might think that buying
a Jaguar is definitely in the

398
00:25:33,560 –> 00:25:35,280
black box.
What a waste of money could be

399
00:25:35,280 –> 00:25:37,720
given to the poor.
But what you’re doing is you’re

400
00:25:37,760 –> 00:25:41,680
saying, hey, giving the pores in
the white box, buying the Jaguar

401
00:25:41,920 –> 00:25:45,640
means money not for the poor.
I’m using a white box issue to

402
00:25:45,640 –> 00:25:49,480
make a Gray box decision.
There’s no command about that.

403
00:25:54,680 –> 00:25:56,840
Nothing makes a Hyundai.
Holy, by the way.

404
00:25:57,720 –> 00:26:00,480
Like if anyone’s driven my white
band, they’ll know that for a

405
00:26:00,480 –> 00:26:04,040
certainty, right?
It is.

406
00:26:04,040 –> 00:26:12,040
It’s in the Gray box now.
Most things we do I suggest are

407
00:26:12,040 –> 00:26:16,360
in the Gray box.
Taking an action, not taking an

408
00:26:16,360 –> 00:26:19,720
action, Doing, not doing,
saying, not saying, eating, not

409
00:26:19,720 –> 00:26:22,920
eating, drinking, not drinking,
observing, not observing,

410
00:26:22,920 –> 00:26:25,080
wearing, not wearing, singing,
not singing.

411
00:26:25,400 –> 00:26:28,880
Most of those things are found
in the middle section.

412
00:26:28,880 –> 00:26:36,080
There the middle box, I can’t
point to a single command to

413
00:26:36,080 –> 00:26:40,600
know exactly how to act.
The action may be acceptable,

414
00:26:41,320 –> 00:26:44,120
maybe it’s not acceptable.
It depends on context.

415
00:26:44,680 –> 00:26:47,960
I could definitely suggest to
you that that someone buying a a

416
00:26:47,960 –> 00:26:52,360
really expensive car could be
fine or could really not be

417
00:26:52,360 –> 00:26:58,640
fine, and context might dictate
the wisdom of that, but it’s not

418
00:26:58,640 –> 00:27:00,800
just.
Me thinking that or saying that

419
00:27:00,800 –> 00:27:02,720
context is important for things
in the middle.

420
00:27:02,720 –> 00:27:05,360
Box I think.
That is explicitly what

421
00:27:05,360 –> 00:27:08,880
Scripture tells us, and that is
the application of conscience

422
00:27:08,880 –> 00:27:13,440
issues that Paul tells us in
First Corinthians.

423
00:27:13,440 –> 00:27:15,720
Now let me give you some some
evidence for that.

424
00:27:17,160 –> 00:27:21,600
Why would I say context is so
important with conscience issues

425
00:27:21,960 –> 00:27:23,880
in understanding the wisdom of
what you’re doing?

426
00:27:25,320 –> 00:27:28,880
So for example.
Turn with me if you want.

427
00:27:28,880 –> 00:27:30,680
I think you might want to even
mark this in your Bibles.

428
00:27:30,680 –> 00:27:33,680
Up to you really.
First Corinthians chapter 10,

429
00:27:33,840 –> 00:27:37,000
verses 25 to 28.
I’ll also put it on the screen.

430
00:27:40,000 –> 00:27:44,040
In this case, what I’m I’m going
to point out is we’re going to

431
00:27:44,040 –> 00:27:48,800
talk about eating meats offered
to idols and in one example,

432
00:27:49,840 –> 00:27:52,680
eating meat offered to idols.
Is going to be perfectly

433
00:27:52,680 –> 00:27:57,680
acceptable.
And the second example, eating

434
00:27:57,680 –> 00:28:01,160
meat offered to idols is not OK
whatsoever.

435
00:28:03,080 –> 00:28:04,800
But you know what’s not
different between those two

436
00:28:04,800 –> 00:28:09,600
examples?
Is the meat hasn’t changed.

437
00:28:10,840 –> 00:28:14,720
Look, let’s take a look at this.
First Corinthians chapter 10,

438
00:28:14,720 –> 00:28:20,440
verses 25 to 28.
Who’s whatsoever we’re told is

439
00:28:20,440 –> 00:28:23,880
sold in the shambles, that being
meat that’s sold in the shambles

440
00:28:24,480 –> 00:28:29,840
that eat, asking no question for
conscience sake, For the earth

441
00:28:29,840 –> 00:28:31,560
is the Lord’s and the fullness
thereof.

442
00:28:32,640 –> 00:28:37,240
If any of them that believe not,
bid you to a feast, and ye be.

443
00:28:37,240 –> 00:28:40,400
Deposed to go.
Whatsoever is set before you

444
00:28:40,400 –> 00:28:47,720
eat, asking no question for
conscience sake, but if any man

445
00:28:47,720 –> 00:28:52,520
saying to you, hey this is
offered unto idols.

446
00:28:54,040 –> 00:28:57,680
You don’t worship idols, do you?
I added that last bit.

447
00:28:58,800 –> 00:29:04,320
Eat not for his sake that showed
it, and for conscience sake.

448
00:29:05,080 –> 00:29:07,160
For the earth is the Lord.
‘S and the fullness.

449
00:29:07,160 –> 00:29:09,800
Thorough of how do I make sense
of this, right?

450
00:29:10,240 –> 00:29:13,040
Is it OK to eat meat offered
idols?

451
00:29:13,200 –> 00:29:17,040
What we want is a black box or
white box decision.

452
00:29:17,880 –> 00:29:21,640
Is it in the black box?
Is it in the white box?

453
00:29:22,800 –> 00:29:28,760
That’s what I want, right?
Paul says, well, it’s a neither

454
00:29:28,760 –> 00:29:35,160
box, unfortunately.
If if the meats put in front of

455
00:29:35,160 –> 00:29:39,720
you and no one makes an issue of
it and you’d be disposed to to

456
00:29:39,720 –> 00:29:41,880
eat it, go ahead.
There’s nothing wrong.

457
00:29:42,000 –> 00:29:43,960
Why is there nothing wrong?
Paul says.

458
00:29:44,120 –> 00:29:47,200
Well.
Paul very conveniently quotes a

459
00:29:47,200 –> 00:29:48,920
verse.
Ever had someone with a

460
00:29:48,920 –> 00:29:54,000
conscience issue with a verse?
Any ever had someone with a

461
00:29:54,000 –> 00:29:55,720
conscience issue that has a
verse?

462
00:29:56,280 –> 00:29:58,800
No, no, I’m sure you haven’t.
Right.

463
00:29:59,000 –> 00:30:00,600
Well, Paul says.
I’ll give you a verse.

464
00:30:00,840 –> 00:30:04,200
Great, Paul says.
Oh, all the earth is the Lord,

465
00:30:04,200 –> 00:30:06,320
See.
I can eat that meat.

466
00:30:06,320 –> 00:30:07,400
You know why I can eat that
meat?

467
00:30:07,720 –> 00:30:09,680
Because that came from the rump
of a cow.

468
00:30:10,080 –> 00:30:11,840
Well, if it was good meat, it
came from the.

469
00:30:11,840 –> 00:30:14,200
Rump of a cow.
And you know what?

470
00:30:14,320 –> 00:30:19,320
That cow is the Lord’s, because
all of the earth is the Lord’s.

471
00:30:19,680 –> 00:30:23,960
The cow that was sacrificed to
an idol that is still the

472
00:30:23,960 –> 00:30:24,960
Lord’s.
Cow.

473
00:30:25,560 –> 00:30:27,160
He made it.
He gave it life.

474
00:30:28,160 –> 00:30:31,760
All of the earth is the Lord’s.
It’s the Lord’s cow, no matter.

475
00:30:32,040 –> 00:30:35,760
Who killed it?
No matter where it came from.

476
00:30:36,600 –> 00:30:38,360
Paul says the verse.
Tells me it.

477
00:30:39,160 –> 00:30:40,920
Great.
What a great first.

478
00:30:40,920 –> 00:30:42,640
Paul says look at that, look at
that.

479
00:30:43,400 –> 00:30:45,280
Conscience issue.
I got a verse.

480
00:30:50,640 –> 00:30:53,560
Isn’t it?
If it wasn’t so serious, you’d.

481
00:30:53,560 –> 00:30:55,720
Laugh, isn’t it?
Because you know what Paul does,

482
00:30:55,720 –> 00:30:57,440
right?
Like I’m setting this up right?

483
00:30:58,080 –> 00:31:01,920
So he says, well, I love it.
If someone tells you a sacrifice

484
00:31:01,920 –> 00:31:03,520
of idols, he’s like, don’t eat
it.

485
00:31:03,920 –> 00:31:05,200
But Paul’s like, wait, wait,
wait, wait.

486
00:31:06,120 –> 00:31:10,080
I’m going to give you a verse
and Paul’s like, you’re like,

487
00:31:10,120 –> 00:31:13,000
oh, good.
What’s the contradictory verse

488
00:31:13,000 –> 00:31:15,880
to the verse you used last time?
Paul’s like, oh, I got, I got a

489
00:31:15,880 –> 00:31:20,360
verse for you.
Oh, it’s it’s here.

490
00:31:20,360 –> 00:31:22,080
This the Lords and the fullness
thereof.

491
00:31:24,840 –> 00:31:29,680
Paul’s like, it’s the same
verse, but I thought my verse

492
00:31:29,680 –> 00:31:31,200
proved my point.
It’s my verse.

493
00:31:31,200 –> 00:31:34,800
Don’t touch my verse.
Don’t touch my verse.

494
00:31:38,240 –> 00:31:43,760
But the issue is that Paul’s
like, oh, but this time if the

495
00:31:43,760 –> 00:31:46,440
earth is the Lord’s yet, But you
know what else is the Lord’s?

496
00:31:48,680 –> 00:31:51,800
The fullness is the Lord’s.
And do you know what the

497
00:31:51,800 –> 00:31:55,880
fullness of the Lord is?
It’s you.

498
00:31:58,960 –> 00:32:06,840
You’re the fullness of the Lords
and there’s just no mixing the

499
00:32:06,840 –> 00:32:12,600
Lord with an idol.
Same verse.

500
00:32:17,080 –> 00:32:18,880
So do you appreciate?
What I’m saying?

501
00:32:18,880 –> 00:32:24,280
What about context here?
About the middle box, is it wise

502
00:32:24,280 –> 00:32:28,200
or is it unwise?
Maybe a better way of thinking

503
00:32:28,360 –> 00:32:30,800
than is it right or is it not
right?

504
00:32:31,160 –> 00:32:34,880
Listen, the black and white
boxes are a little bit right or

505
00:32:34,880 –> 00:32:37,600
not right.
No one hears arguing that

506
00:32:37,600 –> 00:32:39,960
idolatry is OK.
That’s.

507
00:32:39,960 –> 00:32:46,880
Black box, right?
And the middle box, is it wise

508
00:32:49,120 –> 00:32:52,680
or is it not wise?
Well, how am I supposed to know

509
00:32:52,680 –> 00:32:55,920
that without context?
Let me let me give you another

510
00:32:55,920 –> 00:33:01,000
example.
Is drinking wine, OK?

511
00:33:01,000 –> 00:33:02,760
Because that came up in Romans
14.

512
00:33:02,760 –> 00:33:04,120
Drinking wine.
Is drinking wine.

513
00:33:04,120 –> 00:33:06,720
OK?
Well, I happen to really like

514
00:33:06,720 –> 00:33:08,360
wine.
And if you want to, if you, I

515
00:33:08,360 –> 00:33:10,880
don’t think you care, but
Californian red wine would be my

516
00:33:10,880 –> 00:33:12,960
favorite.
And of those, Zinfandel.

517
00:33:13,160 –> 00:33:14,640
And if you don’t know the
difference.

518
00:33:14,840 –> 00:33:18,920
We should talk.
Now.

519
00:33:20,080 –> 00:33:23,160
I enjoy red wine.
My wife, for reasons specific to

520
00:33:23,160 –> 00:33:28,000
her, won’t touch red wine or any
wine at all, really.

521
00:33:29,760 –> 00:33:33,440
Well, I could say that the Lord
drank wine.

522
00:33:34,880 –> 00:33:37,520
I could say that that Paul said
to Timothy, I have a little bit

523
00:33:37,520 –> 00:33:43,080
of wine for thy stomach’s sake.
OK, That’s that’s all true.

524
00:33:44,040 –> 00:33:45,880
So should we serve wine at the
potluck?

525
00:33:48,320 –> 00:33:49,880
Anyone.
Anyone for serving wine of the

526
00:33:49,880 –> 00:33:57,520
potluck, Right.
I mean, you say that, but you

527
00:33:57,520 –> 00:34:00,760
can’t.
Isn’t this amazing what artists

528
00:34:00,760 –> 00:34:02,600
can do?
He’s clearly drunk.

529
00:34:02,800 –> 00:34:06,920
Like the artists are amazing.
And how they can look at this,

530
00:34:07,240 –> 00:34:11,040
this eye is slightly out of is
not focusing properly.

531
00:34:11,679 –> 00:34:14,120
I really think that’s clever how
an artist can do that.

532
00:34:14,239 –> 00:34:18,719
Right.
But we all know in in First

533
00:34:18,719 –> 00:34:21,360
Corinthians Chapter 11 that Paul
had said that some at the

534
00:34:21,360 –> 00:34:23,560
memorial meeting were drunk and
some were hungry.

535
00:34:24,440 –> 00:34:27,280
So why that?
It sounds comical to us?

536
00:34:27,560 –> 00:34:29,719
Maybe it wasn’t as comical in
corn.

537
00:34:33,840 –> 00:34:40,920
You see, that’s another context.
Wine is neither OK or not OK.

538
00:34:42,440 –> 00:34:44,159
But the context matters, doesn’t
it?

539
00:34:48,159 –> 00:34:50,560
Another issue that comes up a
lot of time is dress.

540
00:34:52,239 –> 00:34:56,560
Is casual dress OK?
Well, I love to dress casually.

541
00:34:56,960 –> 00:34:59,000
I grew up in Southern
California, right?

542
00:34:59,200 –> 00:35:02,800
This day, like today would be
like, our coldest day of the

543
00:35:02,800 –> 00:35:05,440
year, right?
I mean, it’s generally hot.

544
00:35:05,560 –> 00:35:07,280
I would never.
Wear sweater like this in

545
00:35:07,320 –> 00:35:08,880
California.
Hardly ever, right?

546
00:35:09,000 –> 00:35:11,760
I’d buy one just to just to say
that I had one.

547
00:35:11,880 –> 00:35:12,800
I had a sweater.
See.

548
00:35:12,800 –> 00:35:14,120
Look, I had a sweater.
Right.

549
00:35:14,120 –> 00:35:17,360
You know, and occasionally if I
had to go to Canada to give a

550
00:35:17,360 –> 00:35:18,960
talk, I’d have my sweater,
right?

551
00:35:18,960 –> 00:35:21,760
But I just you just you know,
what I want to do in California

552
00:35:21,760 –> 00:35:23,560
is wear shorts and T-shirts all
year long.

553
00:35:23,800 –> 00:35:26,400
I basically wear shorts and
T-shirts my entire high school

554
00:35:26,400 –> 00:35:29,240
career here.
You wear these beautiful

555
00:35:29,240 –> 00:35:31,960
uniforms.
It’s Muffy everyday in.

556
00:35:31,960 –> 00:35:33,720
California, it’s just how it’s
just how the.

557
00:35:33,720 –> 00:35:40,840
Culture of it goes there.
OK so I like dressing casually.

558
00:35:42,720 –> 00:35:44,760
Is it OK to dress casually at a
wedding?

559
00:35:48,480 –> 00:35:50,080
Well, that’s a context, isn’t
it?

560
00:35:52,080 –> 00:35:56,440
Right now, even in the Lord
Jesus day, we know from the

561
00:35:56,440 –> 00:36:03,320
parable that that not wearing
certain garments at a wedding,

562
00:36:03,320 –> 00:36:08,280
failing to put on what is called
a wedding garment was an offense

563
00:36:11,200 –> 00:36:15,760
even in Christ Day because
perhaps the gravity of the

564
00:36:15,760 –> 00:36:18,640
situation suggested a certain
type of clothing.

565
00:36:18,640 –> 00:36:21,280
Now, by the way, I’m not making
a case about clothing per SE.

566
00:36:21,640 –> 00:36:25,600
What I’m saying is context
mattered even in the Lord Jesus

567
00:36:25,600 –> 00:36:30,680
Christ day that wearing certain
clothings in certain contexts

568
00:36:31,640 –> 00:36:36,760
created an offense to the master
of the of the ceremony.

569
00:36:40,040 –> 00:36:43,200
And so, you know, we’re told
that.

570
00:36:44,240 –> 00:36:47,640
This this, this, this man who
didn’t wear the wedding garment,

571
00:36:47,760 –> 00:36:50,680
he was cast out.
Friend, how did you even come

572
00:36:50,800 –> 00:36:54,160
in?
Here is what the master of the

573
00:36:54,160 –> 00:36:57,000
ceremony says to the man not
wearing the wedding garment.

574
00:36:57,120 –> 00:36:59,160
Now Jesus wasn’t making a point
about clothing.

575
00:36:59,680 –> 00:37:04,400
It’s just we can observe this
parable to say it was obvious

576
00:37:04,400 –> 00:37:06,880
that Jesus hearers, you wouldn’t
come to a wedding without a

577
00:37:06,880 –> 00:37:12,880
wedding garment because the
context suggested.

578
00:37:13,240 –> 00:37:15,160
That to not do that would give
an offense.

579
00:37:16,760 –> 00:37:19,960
Do you see what I’m saying about
contexts here?

580
00:37:20,480 –> 00:37:23,280
About the middle box, about the
Gray box?

581
00:37:23,480 –> 00:37:25,680
Is it wise?
Is it unwise?

582
00:37:25,880 –> 00:37:29,120
Not necessarily.
Is it right or wrong?

583
00:37:29,480 –> 00:37:31,800
And the Gray box is the issue of
the offense.

584
00:37:32,080 –> 00:37:34,960
I don’t really care whether
someone is or is not offended by

585
00:37:34,960 –> 00:37:38,520
something like idolatry or
worshipping a false God.

586
00:37:38,720 –> 00:37:41,440
It’s wrong.
Offense has nothing to do with

587
00:37:41,440 –> 00:37:44,040
this.
But in the Gray.

588
00:37:44,040 –> 00:37:46,440
Box.
Apparently offense matters, and

589
00:37:46,440 –> 00:37:53,120
this was an offense.
What about the issue in Corinth?

590
00:37:55,080 –> 00:38:02,040
You see in Corinth a weak
brother, maybe someone who even

591
00:38:02,040 –> 00:38:05,800
recently came into the truth,
who had left the world of

592
00:38:06,120 –> 00:38:09,200
idolatry behind, that just come
into the truth.

593
00:38:11,200 –> 00:38:15,720
They might look at a brother in
the ecclesia marching up into

594
00:38:15,720 –> 00:38:21,280
the hill to go to the temple to
buy some meat offered to the to

595
00:38:21,280 –> 00:38:24,440
a false God.
And, and if and if they saw that

596
00:38:24,440 –> 00:38:27,280
brother they respected going up
and doing that, maybe, maybe.

597
00:38:27,280 –> 00:38:31,240
They follow their example and at
the top of that hill they were

598
00:38:31,240 –> 00:38:36,200
prostitutes, lots of them.
It was a very dangerous place to

599
00:38:36,200 –> 00:38:41,000
go buy meat.
I mean, context here is

600
00:38:41,000 –> 00:38:44,480
important.
We’re not really talking about

601
00:38:44,960 –> 00:38:47,080
whether or not someone worships
a false God.

602
00:38:47,080 –> 00:38:49,520
Clearly that’s wrong.
We’re we’re talking about is his

603
00:38:49,520 –> 00:38:52,200
buying meat.
What’s the context there?

604
00:38:52,360 –> 00:38:55,320
Well, let me take you to to one
of the first ancient

605
00:38:55,320 –> 00:39:02,680
geographers.
Geographer is someone who

606
00:39:02,760 –> 00:39:07,760
studies cities and the geography
and the demographics of those

607
00:39:07,760 –> 00:39:09,640
cities.
Right, one of the first.

608
00:39:09,840 –> 00:39:13,560
Geographers ever was a man named
Strabo.

609
00:39:13,560 –> 00:39:15,400
I don’t know if you’ve heard of
him, but he wrote around the

610
00:39:15,400 –> 00:39:20,160
time of Julius Caesar and he
wrote about many places in the

611
00:39:20,160 –> 00:39:23,520
Roman Empire at that time.
But amongst the cities that

612
00:39:23,520 –> 00:39:24,400
Strabo.
Wrote.

613
00:39:24,400 –> 00:39:29,440
About was Corinth, and this is
what Strabo has to say about

614
00:39:29,440 –> 00:39:34,600
Corinth, and it’s useful because
it’s good context, Strabo said.

615
00:39:36,840 –> 00:39:42,200
The Temple of Aphrodite.
In Corinth, in the days of the

616
00:39:42,200 –> 00:39:49,560
tyrant, Calypsos was so rich
that it owned more than 1000

617
00:39:49,560 –> 00:39:54,120
temple slaves.
Courtesans, both men and women,

618
00:39:54,440 –> 00:39:58,840
had dedicated to the goddess,
and therefore it was on account

619
00:39:58,920 –> 00:40:01,280
of these women that the city
was.

620
00:40:01,280 –> 00:40:05,440
Crowded with people and grew
rich, for instance, the ship

621
00:40:05,440 –> 00:40:08,440
captains freely squandered their
money.

622
00:40:10,080 –> 00:40:14,880
And hence the proverb Not for
every man is a voyage to

623
00:40:14,880 –> 00:40:20,840
Corinth.
Now Corinth being so closely

624
00:40:20,840 –> 00:40:27,960
associated with harlotry led to
two different ancient Greek

625
00:40:27,960 –> 00:40:33,080
phrases. 1 was the term
Corinthia Zomai.

626
00:40:34,320 –> 00:40:36,840
Corinthia zomai is roughly
translated.

627
00:40:37,120 –> 00:40:42,080
I act like a Corinthian.
And when that term was used, as

628
00:40:42,080 –> 00:40:46,200
it was used by the playwright
Aristophanes, it was a reference

629
00:40:46,200 –> 00:40:50,520
to sexual immorality.
To act like a Corinthian was

630
00:40:50,520 –> 00:40:52,840
sufficient as a say, you’re
sexually immoral.

631
00:40:53,320 –> 00:40:54,640
I don’t have to explain what it
means.

632
00:40:54,800 –> 00:40:57,760
It’s so obvious what acting like
a Corinthian is all about.

633
00:40:58,400 –> 00:41:02,880
Aristophanes just throws out the
phrase in his in his plays.

634
00:41:04,040 –> 00:41:06,960
The second phrase was used by
the philosopher Plato.

635
00:41:07,360 –> 00:41:11,200
Now Plato, as you know, was
talking about in his book on the

636
00:41:11,200 –> 00:41:15,080
Republic was talking about how a
government could be moral,

637
00:41:16,240 –> 00:41:17,600
right?
He’s talking about morality

638
00:41:17,600 –> 00:41:20,360
within government, right?
That’s what the book Republic is

639
00:41:20,360 –> 00:41:22,920
really kind of getting at.
He infuses that with a lot of

640
00:41:22,920 –> 00:41:26,760
his philosophy.
Now in one of his books, Book 3,

641
00:41:26,760 –> 00:41:29,480
he’s talking about someone
training for the games, and

642
00:41:29,480 –> 00:41:31,160
games are very important in
Greece.

643
00:41:31,800 –> 00:41:34,360
So if you’re training for the
games, you got to be very

644
00:41:34,360 –> 00:41:37,440
disciplined, Plato says.
Well, if you’re being very

645
00:41:37,440 –> 00:41:40,040
disciplined, there’s certain
types of people you don’t want

646
00:41:40,040 –> 00:41:42,200
to hang out with.
So Plato says this.

647
00:41:43,160 –> 00:41:46,240
If a man is to be in condition,
that means condition for the

648
00:41:46,240 –> 00:41:48,840
games.
Would you allow him to have a?

649
00:41:48,840 –> 00:41:51,360
Corinthian girl as his fair
friend?

650
00:41:52,480 –> 00:41:55,320
Certainly not now.
Now the point.

651
00:41:55,320 –> 00:41:56,760
This is the point I want to make
about this.

652
00:41:57,440 –> 00:42:00,320
Plato didn’t have to explain
what the term Corinthian girl

653
00:42:00,320 –> 00:42:06,560
meant.
It was obvious to his readers.

654
00:42:07,120 –> 00:42:12,200
What that term was all about,
that’s context.

655
00:42:15,920 –> 00:42:21,360
So Paul’s admonition that if a
weak brother followed the

656
00:42:21,360 –> 00:42:26,640
example of a supposedly, and I
use that term advisedly, A

657
00:42:26,640 –> 00:42:33,160
supposedly strong brother eating
meat in an idol’s temple, he

658
00:42:33,160 –> 00:42:34,960
could be destroyed.
Now, we’re not talking about

659
00:42:34,960 –> 00:42:36,720
meat sold at shambles, by the
way.

660
00:42:36,960 –> 00:42:39,440
Remember in First Corinthians
10, I we talked about, hey, you

661
00:42:39,440 –> 00:42:41,880
buy some meat in the shambles.
You buy it, don’t ask where it

662
00:42:41,880 –> 00:42:43,320
came from, eat it if you want
to.

663
00:42:44,080 –> 00:42:46,320
Paul’s not talking about buying
meat in the shambles.

664
00:42:47,240 –> 00:42:49,560
Paul says this.
In First Corinthians chapter 8,

665
00:42:49,800 –> 00:42:53,400
if anyone sees you a man of
knowledge, meaning a strong

666
00:42:53,440 –> 00:43:01,840
brother at table in an idol’s
temple, might he not be

667
00:43:01,840 –> 00:43:05,240
encouraged, if his conscience is
weak, to eat food offered to

668
00:43:05,240 –> 00:43:08,840
idols and so by your knowledge?
This weak man is.

669
00:43:08,920 –> 00:43:13,840
Destroyed for whom?
Christ died.

670
00:43:16,880 –> 00:43:18,680
That is useful.
Context.

671
00:43:21,560 –> 00:43:28,120
Is it about meat really?
Is it really about meat or is it

672
00:43:28,120 –> 00:43:34,440
about something more?
And meat is like this this

673
00:43:34,440 –> 00:43:36,520
surface issue.
Really.

674
00:43:38,160 –> 00:43:40,080
Oh.
You find often on conscious

675
00:43:40,080 –> 00:43:43,040
matters that that the conscious
matter of the day is just really

676
00:43:43,040 –> 00:43:46,640
the surface issue.
Not saying that everything

677
00:43:46,640 –> 00:43:49,440
underneath is as serious as
this, but there is something

678
00:43:49,440 –> 00:43:54,320
underneath typically.
So this is the context of what

679
00:43:54,320 –> 00:43:59,320
was going on, and the context
informs wise or unwise

680
00:43:59,320 –> 00:44:04,760
decisions, not right or wrong
decisions, not black box or

681
00:44:04,760 –> 00:44:10,080
white box decisions, wise or
unwise Gray decisions, context.

682
00:44:11,160 –> 00:44:17,440
It’s a conscience issue.
It’s not a command, but it might

683
00:44:17,440 –> 00:44:19,720
influence some commands we can
see.

684
00:44:19,720 –> 00:44:25,600
That pretty clearly can’t we?
But let’s now let’s let’s.

685
00:44:25,640 –> 00:44:29,040
Reflect back on what’s happening
in Rome, because from what I can

686
00:44:29,040 –> 00:44:33,280
tell, what’s happening in Romans
14 isn’t nearly so clear as what

687
00:44:33,280 –> 00:44:35,400
was happening in First
Corinthians 8-9 and ten.

688
00:44:36,880 –> 00:44:39,960
See in First Corinthians 14 we
have the Jew and the Gentile and

689
00:44:39,960 –> 00:44:45,680
I don’t get the impression.
That if the Jew saw the Gentile

690
00:44:45,680 –> 00:44:49,400
not observing the Sabbath that
they’d be tempted.

691
00:44:49,400 –> 00:44:52,880
To go sleep with the harlot.
That’s not what’s going on here

692
00:44:53,000 –> 00:44:55,720
in First Corinthians chapter 4,
no, excuse me, in Romans chapter

693
00:44:55,720 –> 00:44:59,120
14.
Now that that Jew might be

694
00:44:59,120 –> 00:45:04,440
offended, but it’s not.
Necessarily leading the Jew to

695
00:45:04,440 –> 00:45:10,560
sin, at least not in the same
obvious way, could be leading

696
00:45:10,560 –> 00:45:13,480
him to sin if he sins against
his faith, but not in the same

697
00:45:13,480 –> 00:45:21,000
obvious way as was in corn.
So what I want to get to now is

698
00:45:21,000 –> 00:45:26,280
looking at Romans 14 is what the
real issue was rather than

699
00:45:26,280 –> 00:45:35,320
necessarily the surface issue.
And I I believe the real issue

700
00:45:35,320 –> 00:45:39,320
in Romans 14 is revealed to us
in verse.

701
00:45:39,320 –> 00:45:41,880
Three, you might even want to
write.

702
00:45:41,880 –> 00:45:44,480
The real issue in your margin
next to verse 3.

703
00:45:45,080 –> 00:45:47,640
So what was the?
Real issue going on.

704
00:45:48,360 –> 00:45:50,880
In Romans chapter 14.
Let’s put it up here and take a

705
00:45:50,880 –> 00:45:54,640
look at it, it says.
There let.

706
00:45:54,640 –> 00:46:01,400
Him that Edith despise, let not
I should say that’s an important

707
00:46:01,400 –> 00:46:02,880
word, not don’t want to miss
that one.

708
00:46:04,320 –> 00:46:12,920
Let not him that Edith despise.
Him that Edith not, and let not

709
00:46:12,920 –> 00:46:19,520
him which Edith not judge him
that Edith for God hath

710
00:46:19,520 –> 00:46:24,760
received.
Him that word not shouldn’t be

711
00:46:24,760 –> 00:46:26,720
there.
And let not him which Edith

712
00:46:26,840 –> 00:46:30,280
judge him that Edith no what
not.

713
00:46:30,600 –> 00:46:34,360
And let him which Edith not
judge him, that Edith for God

714
00:46:34,360 –> 00:46:34,960
hath received.
Him.

715
00:46:34,960 –> 00:46:37,040
So I guess having the emphasis
on the right words is critical.

716
00:46:37,040 –> 00:46:40,200
Here.
So I think we, although I

717
00:46:40,400 –> 00:46:42,240
butchered that, I think you get
the idea.

718
00:46:42,600 –> 00:46:51,800
So what we have is is how
brethren were feeling about one

719
00:46:51,800 –> 00:46:57,240
another because of the conflict
and and let’s look at what these

720
00:46:57,240 –> 00:47:00,520
words.
Mean first this word despise.

721
00:47:00,760 –> 00:47:03,200
This word despise.
If you look in a dictionary, it

722
00:47:03,200 –> 00:47:06,920
means to set it not but but
what?

723
00:47:06,920 –> 00:47:09,400
What do I mean by set it not?
Because that’s not even

724
00:47:09,400 –> 00:47:10,440
language.
That we would use.

725
00:47:10,440 –> 00:47:14,520
Today, that means count as if
you’re nothing.

726
00:47:16,240 –> 00:47:20,360
Said it not means to count as if
you’re nothing.

727
00:47:21,480 –> 00:47:23,200
So.
So what’s going on here?

728
00:47:24,400 –> 00:47:29,560
Someone feels judged.
They think it doesn’t matter if

729
00:47:29,560 –> 00:47:31,600
you judge me.
Do you know why it doesn’t

730
00:47:31,600 –> 00:47:35,360
matter if you judge me?
Because I don’t care about you

731
00:47:35,360 –> 00:47:38,840
at all.
There’s nothing you can say

732
00:47:38,840 –> 00:47:42,840
that’s going to hurt me because
I care for your opinion like I

733
00:47:42,840 –> 00:47:46,280
care for a bug.
I just squashed beneath my shoe.

734
00:47:47,240 –> 00:47:51,200
I did not care about the life of
the bug, the the insect.

735
00:47:51,560 –> 00:47:53,360
I didn’t care about the life of
the insect.

736
00:47:53,680 –> 00:47:59,760
I squashed it beneath my shoe.
I set that at naughty and that’s

737
00:47:59,760 –> 00:48:01,320
how much I care about your
opinion.

738
00:48:01,400 –> 00:48:04,240
It doesn’t matter to me because
I don’t care about you.

739
00:48:04,800 –> 00:48:07,440
So you can say whatever you
want.

740
00:48:09,560 –> 00:48:12,200
That’s what that’s getting at.
Now that’s a strong statement,

741
00:48:12,200 –> 00:48:15,280
isn’t it?
And and actually the word

742
00:48:15,280 –> 00:48:18,320
despise.
Is a really good English word.

743
00:48:18,480 –> 00:48:20,560
To.
Capture that Greek idea of said

744
00:48:20,560 –> 00:48:24,320
it not because despise is a
strong.

745
00:48:24,320 –> 00:48:28,160
Word.
I mean, if there’s a spectrum of

746
00:48:28,160 –> 00:48:33,800
words about not liking someone,
despise is way on on the on the

747
00:48:33,800 –> 00:48:40,160
edge, right?
I don’t care about your opinion

748
00:48:40,160 –> 00:48:41,920
about now, why would someone say
that?

749
00:48:44,120 –> 00:48:46,560
Well, to protect themselves,
right?

750
00:48:48,120 –> 00:48:51,280
If if you’re going to judge me
and I’m going to get hurt by

751
00:48:51,280 –> 00:48:56,080
that, the easiest way to handle
not getting hurt is simply not

752
00:48:56,080 –> 00:48:59,480
to care about your opinions.
And if I don’t care about your

753
00:48:59,480 –> 00:49:04,800
opinions, I can’t be hurt.
You follow how that emotional

754
00:49:04,800 –> 00:49:08,800
logic works.
What about the one who’s judging

755
00:49:09,760 –> 00:49:13,320
what’s going on there?
Well, I I, I.

756
00:49:13,320 –> 00:49:17,240
Liken this to almost really go
into a courtroom and, and that I

757
00:49:17,240 –> 00:49:18,320
don’t know how it is in New
Zealand.

758
00:49:18,320 –> 00:49:21,640
I haven’t been in any courtrooms
in New Zealand really in in 14

759
00:49:21,640 –> 00:49:25,960
years, thankfully, but in
American courtrooms, the judge

760
00:49:25,960 –> 00:49:27,960
is always sitting higher than
everybody else.

761
00:49:27,960 –> 00:49:31,960
Has that happened also in?
In New Zealand and and the and

762
00:49:31,960 –> 00:49:33,400
the judge in America, they’re
looking down.

763
00:49:35,640 –> 00:49:39,880
And, and So what the person is
judging is doing is they’re

764
00:49:39,880 –> 00:49:43,720
giving up a liberty.
I’m giving up a liberty to do

765
00:49:43,720 –> 00:49:46,320
what I want on that day.
I’m giving up a liberty to eat

766
00:49:46,320 –> 00:49:49,000
what I want to eat.
I’m giving up a liberty to drink

767
00:49:49,000 –> 00:49:52,280
what I might want to drink.
Now, I’m telling you that you

768
00:49:52,280 –> 00:49:53,640
actually have the liberty to do
that.

769
00:49:53,800 –> 00:49:56,160
You have the liberty to not
observe the Sabbath.

770
00:49:56,360 –> 00:49:59,800
You actually have the liberty to
drink that wine.

771
00:49:59,800 –> 00:50:03,840
You have a liberty to eat that
meat, but you don’t want to take

772
00:50:03,840 –> 00:50:05,720
that liberty.
Now if you don’t want to take

773
00:50:05,720 –> 00:50:10,680
that liberty, then what are you
thinking in your mind?

774
00:50:10,960 –> 00:50:14,520
Well, not taking that liberty is
probably really important.

775
00:50:15,960 –> 00:50:20,240
In fact, it’s so important that
I’m going to elevate its

776
00:50:20,240 –> 00:50:22,280
importance and tell everyone
else about it.

777
00:50:22,280 –> 00:50:25,520
Because if I convince them about
how important it is to not take

778
00:50:25,520 –> 00:50:27,520
the liberty, I feel better not
taking it.

779
00:50:29,560 –> 00:50:32,880
I’ve elevated its importance to
maybe even something that’s

780
00:50:32,880 –> 00:50:36,800
salvation worthy.
Because that motivates me to

781
00:50:36,800 –> 00:50:40,640
forego that liberty comfortably.
I I’ve seen this play out in

782
00:50:40,640 –> 00:50:43,440
other contexts.
I’ve, I’ve seen, I’ve seen

783
00:50:43,600 –> 00:50:47,880
people start crazy diets, crazy
diets where they’re giving up

784
00:50:47,880 –> 00:50:49,360
all these different types of
foods.

785
00:50:49,360 –> 00:50:53,360
Right.
And then talk to everybody else

786
00:50:53,360 –> 00:50:57,200
about their crazy diet, right?
And and then and then and then

787
00:50:57,200 –> 00:50:59,520
brag about look how I look.
My ankles aren’t fat anymore.

788
00:50:59,520 –> 00:51:01,880
And like everything you’re
talking about this wonderful

789
00:51:01,880 –> 00:51:05,440
diet, right?
And really, why are you talking

790
00:51:05,440 –> 00:51:08,960
to us about your diet?
Because you actually want to eat

791
00:51:08,960 –> 00:51:11,720
a chocolate bar, right?
And, and if you, if you, if you

792
00:51:11,880 –> 00:51:14,080
listen, you can convince
everyone how important your diet

793
00:51:14,080 –> 00:51:18,360
is, right?
Then, then you then, then, then

794
00:51:18,360 –> 00:51:20,480
you’re motivated more to keep
it.

795
00:51:21,960 –> 00:51:23,920
I’m not criticizing anyone about
those things.

796
00:51:23,920 –> 00:51:25,680
I’m just saying this is a human
thing.

797
00:51:26,800 –> 00:51:28,600
It’s a human thing.
I’m going to raise its

798
00:51:28,600 –> 00:51:33,720
importance.
So when I give up my liberty, I

799
00:51:33,720 –> 00:51:42,160
feel better about that because I
made it important and that’s

800
00:51:42,160 –> 00:51:46,480
human.
And so the person that judges

801
00:51:46,640 –> 00:51:52,040
and the person that despises,
they’re stuck in their humanity.

802
00:51:59,330 –> 00:52:01,490
And you know what?
In this case, what’s at least

803
00:52:01,490 –> 00:52:05,450
what’s.
Happening in in in in Romans,

804
00:52:07,520 –> 00:52:13,240
sadly, what they’re definitely
not doing is they’re not loving

805
00:52:13,240 –> 00:52:19,040
one another.
Now you, you know that the

806
00:52:19,040 –> 00:52:21,280
greatest commandment of the law
is to love the Lord thy God with

807
00:52:21,280 –> 00:52:22,720
all thy heart, soul, mind and
strength.

808
00:52:22,720 –> 00:52:24,960
You know that for sure, right?
And you also know that the

809
00:52:24,960 –> 00:52:30,240
second greatest commandment is
to love your neighbor as

810
00:52:30,240 –> 00:52:36,120
yourself now.
Thankfully, the Lord.

811
00:52:36,160 –> 00:52:38,520
Jesus actually told us that was
the second greatest command

812
00:52:38,520 –> 00:52:40,360
because you know, what we would
do is squabble.

813
00:52:40,720 –> 00:52:42,680
We’d say, well, this commandment
is better than that commandment

814
00:52:42,680 –> 00:52:46,080
that, you know, we’re, we’re
getting together, you know, oh,

815
00:52:46,080 –> 00:52:47,400
that this commandment is more
important.

816
00:52:47,400 –> 00:52:48,640
Oh, that’s commandment is more
important.

817
00:52:48,640 –> 00:52:50,520
Well, the Lord Jesus Christ
says, you know what, these are

818
00:52:50,520 –> 00:52:55,080
the number one, number two.
In fact, what Paul is going to

819
00:52:55,080 –> 00:52:59,000
say in the previous chapter of
Romans 13 verse 8, he’s going to

820
00:52:59,000 –> 00:53:00,640
say this.
Notice he uses the word love

821
00:53:00,640 –> 00:53:02,920
about five times there in 3
verses.

822
00:53:03,440 –> 00:53:06,480
Now in this instance, he’s
really, I think, talking

823
00:53:06,480 –> 00:53:12,120
primarily to the weak, because
it was the weak who loved the

824
00:53:12,120 –> 00:53:13,040
law.
See this.

825
00:53:13,040 –> 00:53:16,320
Fulfilling in the law a bit.
The weak.

826
00:53:16,320 –> 00:53:20,000
Loved the law.
And wanted to keep the law and

827
00:53:20,000 –> 00:53:22,360
wanted to make commandments
about keeping the law and and

828
00:53:22,400 –> 00:53:28,400
and and impart those and and and
scrutinize others who were not

829
00:53:28,400 –> 00:53:29,520
keeping the law.
And Paul?

830
00:53:29,520 –> 00:53:32,240
Says this about.
The fulfilling of the law In

831
00:53:32,240 –> 00:53:38,400
Romans chapter 13 he says, Oh no
man anything but to love one

832
00:53:38,400 –> 00:53:43,880
another, for he that loveth
another hath fulfilled the law.

833
00:53:44,400 –> 00:53:47,680
For this thou shalt not commit
adultery.

834
00:53:47,960 –> 00:53:50,880
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not steal.

835
00:53:51,080 –> 00:53:53,040
Thou shalt not bear false
witness.

836
00:53:53,200 –> 00:53:56,920
Thou shalt not covet all this
black box stuff.

837
00:53:57,720 –> 00:54:00,480
All these things that we’d say
go in the black box.

838
00:54:01,280 –> 00:54:04,480
If there be any other
commandment is briefly

839
00:54:04,480 –> 00:54:07,320
comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy

840
00:54:07,320 –> 00:54:10,320
neighbor as thyself love worketh
no I’ll.

841
00:54:10,320 –> 00:54:13,320
To his neighbor, therefore.
Love is the fulfilling of the

842
00:54:13,320 –> 00:54:18,600
law.
So, Paul?

843
00:54:18,840 –> 00:54:23,040
In this verse takes commandments
about no one when no one was

844
00:54:23,040 –> 00:54:25,280
disputing.
By the way, no one in Rome, in

845
00:54:25,280 –> 00:54:28,040
the Roman ecclesia was saying,
oh, killing, that’s OK.

846
00:54:29,000 –> 00:54:32,000
No one was saying, as far as we
know, stealing, that’s OK.

847
00:54:33,480 –> 00:54:36,680
They, they weren’t even arguing
about these commands.

848
00:54:37,480 –> 00:54:41,400
And Paul says these indisputable
commands, these commands.

849
00:54:41,400 –> 00:54:46,000
Which everybody agreed these
commands on which on which

850
00:54:46,080 –> 00:54:47,960
there’s no argument about these
ones.

851
00:54:48,280 –> 00:54:53,200
These ones are fulfilled in the
command to love your neighbor as

852
00:54:53,200 –> 00:54:55,360
yourself.
And the question that hangs in

853
00:54:55,360 –> 00:55:00,520
the air is clearly this if the
if loving your neighbor as

854
00:55:00,520 –> 00:55:04,200
yourself fulfills.
These these these commands like

855
00:55:04,200 –> 00:55:06,480
that that are found in the 10
commandments.

856
00:55:08,520 –> 00:55:13,480
Then loving your neighbor as
yourself must fulfill whatever

857
00:55:13,480 –> 00:55:15,440
small issue you’re arguing
about.

858
00:55:17,960 –> 00:55:21,800
And so you are asked, you are
invited to ask the question,

859
00:55:24,080 –> 00:55:28,000
have I made whatever this
dispute is?

860
00:55:30,440 –> 00:55:36,760
More important than the command
to love my neighbor as myself,

861
00:55:36,760 –> 00:55:44,240
as myself is could I really say
that that that if I have love

862
00:55:44,240 –> 00:55:45,960
the Lord your God and love your
neighbor.

863
00:55:46,000 –> 00:55:48,760
That actually this issue that
we’re arguing about, it jumps

864
00:55:48,760 –> 00:55:51,760
over love your neighbor and
slots right into second place.

865
00:55:53,360 –> 00:55:55,480
Is that what I’m saying, or am
I?

866
00:55:55,480 –> 00:56:03,440
Am I sacrificing the love of the
neighbor in order to promote

867
00:56:04,440 –> 00:56:09,960
this command?
Have I made the command more?

868
00:56:09,960 –> 00:56:13,000
Important than to love the
neighbor.

869
00:56:13,400 –> 00:56:15,840
Which is essentially the issue
of judgment, isn’t it?

870
00:56:17,160 –> 00:56:20,120
Because when we want to give up
a liberty, we want to make

871
00:56:20,120 –> 00:56:22,160
something really, really,
really, really important.

872
00:56:22,840 –> 00:56:25,240
Because we make it really
important, it motivates us all

873
00:56:25,240 –> 00:56:35,560
the more to give up the liberty.
Paul’s saying is it more

874
00:56:35,560 –> 00:56:36,720
important than loving your
neighbor?

875
00:56:39,080 –> 00:56:40,960
And and actually it begs this
question.

876
00:56:41,560 –> 00:56:45,440
I probably if you’re here, if
you’re, if you’re my age or

877
00:56:45,440 –> 00:56:48,200
older there you’ve definitely
been involved in an ecclesial

878
00:56:48,200 –> 00:56:49,400
issues where you’ve been
offended.

879
00:56:50,840 –> 00:56:54,640
If you haven’t been offended yet
and that’s possible, then that’s

880
00:56:54,640 –> 00:56:56,920
wonderful.
But but many of your older

881
00:56:56,920 –> 00:56:59,000
brothers and sisters have been
in situations where someone in

882
00:56:59,000 –> 00:57:00,200
the collegiate has offended
them.

883
00:57:00,320 –> 00:57:02,800
So we can we can reflect on that
experience.

884
00:57:05,320 –> 00:57:12,600
If if I if someone offended me
and it’s it was the middle of

885
00:57:12,600 –> 00:57:18,120
whatever issue that I was
offended over and I went to that

886
00:57:18,120 –> 00:57:20,400
brother that offended me.
No.

887
00:57:20,400 –> 00:57:23,120
If you went to the brother that
offended me and you asked them

888
00:57:23,120 –> 00:57:25,800
the question, hey.
Are you sure?

889
00:57:25,800 –> 00:57:30,680
Right now that Ben Brinkerhoff
loves you, What would they say?

890
00:57:35,120 –> 00:57:41,560
Or or.
On the flip side, I’ve offended

891
00:57:41,560 –> 00:57:47,520
someone else.
And I’ve taken a liberty that

892
00:57:47,520 –> 00:57:51,760
they didn’t like being taken.
I’ve, I’ve pushed AII, I, I

893
00:57:51,760 –> 00:57:54,640
thought it was necessary to push
a boundary that they, that they

894
00:57:54,640 –> 00:57:56,040
didn’t want.
They’re maybe they’re stuck in

895
00:57:56,040 –> 00:57:57,800
the mud, but you know, they
didn’t want, they didn’t want

896
00:57:57,800 –> 00:58:00,640
this, this liberty taken.
And so I’ve really pushed them

897
00:58:00,640 –> 00:58:02,440
outside of their comfort zone.
I know I’m pushing their

898
00:58:02,440 –> 00:58:04,320
buttons, but you know, I feel
like it has to be done.

899
00:58:05,200 –> 00:58:07,400
So, so they’re, so they’re
offended.

900
00:58:09,600 –> 00:58:13,520
And let’s say I’ve done that.
If you went to that person and

901
00:58:13,520 –> 00:58:15,880
you ask them, hey, do you think
that Ben Brinkerhoff, this

902
00:58:15,880 –> 00:58:17,320
person that’s pushing your
buttons?

903
00:58:17,600 –> 00:58:26,080
Do you think that he loves you?
What would they say sort of

904
00:58:26,080 –> 00:58:29,360
makes you think, what would they
say?

905
00:58:31,160 –> 00:58:35,840
The person that has offended me,
would they think I love them?

906
00:58:37,840 –> 00:58:41,040
With the person that I’ve
offended by pushing my agenda,

907
00:58:43,120 –> 00:58:44,600
Would they?
Think I love them if.

908
00:58:46,280 –> 00:58:52,200
They were asked and if not?
Have I put?

909
00:58:52,200 –> 00:58:54,520
Something in the second place
that shouldn’t be there?

910
00:58:57,800 –> 00:59:02,360
Have I raised the importance of
something above?

911
00:59:02,360 –> 00:59:06,160
What is clearly what is clearly
inferior.

912
00:59:07,760 –> 00:59:10,880
You see, so many of these issues
of ecclesial life can actually

913
00:59:10,880 –> 00:59:15,760
be worked out attitudinally once
people are sure they love each

914
00:59:15,760 –> 00:59:22,040
other, once that’s clear.
But when that’s in question,

915
00:59:23,120 –> 00:59:25,040
even the smallest issues break
us apart.

916
00:59:28,080 –> 00:59:32,640
And so in reality, in.
Rome.

917
00:59:34,280 –> 00:59:42,160
They thought the issue was over
days and food and drink and

918
00:59:42,200 –> 00:59:47,120
cultural issues.
And you know what Paul could

919
00:59:47,120 –> 00:59:48,520
have?
Given us an exposition on the

920
00:59:48,520 –> 00:59:53,320
Sabbath in Romans 14 could have.
He could have given us an

921
00:59:53,320 –> 00:59:56,920
exposition on unclean foods.
Could have.

922
00:59:59,120 –> 01:00:04,480
He didn’t.
This isn’t about unclean foods.

923
01:00:07,000 –> 01:00:12,640
This isn’t about days.
This is about.

924
01:00:12,640 –> 01:00:14,000
How you are treating one
another?

925
01:00:16,640 –> 01:00:22,120
That’s the problem.
Now what to do about the

926
01:00:22,120 –> 01:00:25,320
problem?
Well, that’s what we’ll have to

927
01:00:25,320 –> 01:00:52,040
talk about next time.
Thanks a lot for that, Ben.

928
01:00:52,920 –> 01:00:57,920
There’s an awful lot to think
about with what you’ve said.

929
01:00:59,040 –> 01:01:03,920
I’ll, I think it’s probably good
that we open up the class for

930
01:01:03,920 –> 01:01:06,800
any discussion.
Ben, do you want to come back up

931
01:01:06,800 –> 01:01:07,840
here?
Because that’s probably going to

932
01:01:07,840 –> 01:01:12,000
be easier.
Yeah, I keep forgetting.

933
01:01:12,120 –> 01:01:13,320
You’re not north.
All right.

934
01:01:15,000 –> 01:01:17,000
Let’s start with a question and
thank you.

935
01:01:17,000 –> 01:01:24,370
Thanks.
And the question is you use the

936
01:01:24,730 –> 01:01:41,190
word penis in times continue to
expand on that further.

937
01:01:42,390 –> 01:01:44,950
Future or what’s?
It what does it mean in

938
01:01:44,950 –> 01:01:45,430
relation?
Yeah.

939
01:01:45,430 –> 01:01:48,950
So I’m not going to expand on
it, but if you want to expand on

940
01:01:48,950 –> 01:01:51,590
it, you would go to 1st
Corinthians chapter 10.

941
01:01:58,400 –> 01:02:05,480
Or says in verse 31, So whatever
you do, so whether you eat or

942
01:02:05,480 –> 01:02:09,680
drink, whatever you do, do all
to the glory of God.

943
01:02:12,400 –> 01:02:17,080
Give no offense to the Jews or
to the Greeks or to the ecclesia

944
01:02:17,080 –> 01:02:22,040
of God.
Just as I try to please all men

945
01:02:22,520 –> 01:02:24,880
in everything I do.
You see that the opposite there,

946
01:02:24,880 –> 01:02:27,720
Tim.
He simply doesn’t use a fence.

947
01:02:28,080 –> 01:02:33,640
Maybe using a fence by itself
would be difficult to

948
01:02:33,640 –> 01:02:38,520
understand.
So Paul then flips it and he.

949
01:02:38,520 –> 01:02:44,040
Says just as I try to please
all.

950
01:02:44,040 –> 01:02:48,360
Men in everything I do now, does
that mean Paul’s a men?

951
01:02:48,360 –> 01:02:50,160
Pleaser.
He doesn’t.

952
01:02:50,160 –> 01:02:53,000
Please, men, because he’s afraid
of offending men like Paul.

953
01:02:53,000 –> 01:02:54,680
Paul definitely offended a lot
of people.

954
01:02:56,200 –> 01:03:00,400
Not seeking my own advantage,
but that of many that they may

955
01:03:00,400 –> 01:03:05,880
be saved.
So I think that’s the best.

956
01:03:05,880 –> 01:03:10,360
Place we can go in scripture to
unpack maybe what is meant by

957
01:03:11,080 –> 01:03:26,160
offense.
I’ve spoken to a number of

958
01:03:26,240 –> 01:03:37,000
people about these categories,
everyone of them.

959
01:03:37,960 –> 01:03:42,680
So can you clarify this concept
again?

960
01:03:42,680 –> 01:03:48,680
Because I think probably a lot
of us will think that a strong

961
01:03:48,880 –> 01:03:56,960
person brother who has chapter
and list the previous point in.

962
01:04:04,530 –> 01:04:07,050
I don’t think it’s a matter of
chapter and verse because Paul

963
01:04:07,050 –> 01:04:09,410
had chapter and verse, didn’t
he?

964
01:04:09,930 –> 01:04:12,730
And Paul would.
Paul was very When Paul would

965
01:04:12,810 –> 01:04:23,860
describes himself as one who is
strong, the offended one could

966
01:04:23,860 –> 01:04:26,940
be the weak or the strong.
But the way the scripture

967
01:04:26,940 –> 01:04:31,020
typically shows this is in terms
of defining liberality.

968
01:04:33,040 –> 01:04:38,200
The weak conscience 1 is one
that does not want liberality.

969
01:04:38,240 –> 01:04:43,680
Who prefers a rule, right, Even
when the rule isn’t necessary

970
01:04:43,680 –> 01:04:46,520
anymore?
All foods are clean, but I still

971
01:04:46,520 –> 01:04:48,120
want the rule.
Why?

972
01:04:48,120 –> 01:04:51,920
Because that Gray box is pretty
associated with the black box,

973
01:04:52,040 –> 01:04:53,520
and the black box is definitely
black.

974
01:04:53,520 –> 01:04:57,200
No one’s arguing about the black
box being black, but to me that

975
01:04:57,240 –> 01:05:00,040
that’s too close to the black to
be comfortable, right?

976
01:05:00,680 –> 01:05:06,320
Whereas so so the strong is 1
who’s described as being strong

977
01:05:06,320 –> 01:05:09,480
in faith.
Paul could look at that and look

978
01:05:09,480 –> 01:05:13,400
at that same meat and say idols
are nothing.

979
01:05:15,000 –> 01:05:16,480
Why?
Because of his knowledge.

980
01:05:17,680 –> 01:05:20,720
But Paul would also say
knowledge puffs up, right?

981
01:05:22,000 –> 01:05:28,240
So, so the way that I think the
way that that we should

982
01:05:28,240 –> 01:05:32,720
understand it is that it’s the
the way scriptures is describing

983
01:05:32,720 –> 01:05:36,920
it typically is that the weak is
the one taking offense because

984
01:05:36,920 –> 01:05:39,320
they are forgoing a liberal, a
liberality.

985
01:05:40,240 –> 01:05:44,520
The strong is someone who can
partake of that liberality

986
01:05:44,880 –> 01:05:48,680
because of their faith, because
they understand because of their

987
01:05:48,680 –> 01:05:52,320
faith that these rules that they
used to be under, they’re no

988
01:05:52,320 –> 01:05:54,360
longer under.
But Paul is at.

989
01:05:54,360 –> 01:05:58,080
Pains to say just because you
can.

990
01:05:59,280 –> 01:06:04,360
Doesn’t mean that you should it
may not be wise.

991
01:06:04,680 –> 01:06:09,000
Pay attention to the context is
what Paul is trying to get at.

992
01:06:11,360 –> 01:06:15,520
So, so I think it’s, I, I think
it’s defies the idea of a

993
01:06:15,520 –> 01:06:18,920
chapter in a verse in my
experience and a collegial

994
01:06:18,920 –> 01:06:22,360
controversies.
You know, there could be those

995
01:06:22,360 –> 01:06:26,120
people who want to take a
liberality, want, want, want to

996
01:06:26,120 –> 01:06:28,480
have the freedom to do
something.

997
01:06:28,600 –> 01:06:30,800
And those people, the saying
that freedom has dangers.

998
01:06:31,720 –> 01:06:36,800
Both had verses, both had both
had verses and in, in First

999
01:06:36,800 –> 01:06:40,560
Corinthians both had verses and
in Romans both had verses.

1000
01:06:41,280 –> 01:06:46,040
But their understanding of what
Christ has accomplished in

1001
01:06:46,040 –> 01:06:49,960
freeing us from the bounds and
the burdens of the law was

1002
01:06:49,960 –> 01:06:51,920
different.
And Paul does link that

1003
01:06:51,920 –> 01:06:53,640
understanding of that difference
to faith.

1004
01:08:00,340 –> 01:08:02,860
Yeah, I’ve done that.
Very powerful, but asking.

1005
01:08:02,980 –> 01:08:06,660
A question.
When they’re, you know, on both

1006
01:08:06,700 –> 01:08:13,740
sides, do they at that time
actually love the other other

1007
01:08:13,740 –> 01:08:16,580
system?
Because if I think of context in

1008
01:08:16,580 –> 01:08:20,779
my own life where that may have
happened, whichever, whichever

1009
01:08:20,779 –> 01:08:26,840
side I’m on, probably not that
I’ve been loving the other

1010
01:08:26,840 –> 01:08:30,520
brother or sister.
And that’s quite a powerful

1011
01:08:30,680 –> 01:08:46,220
addition for us.
The other thing that comes up

1012
01:08:46,580 –> 01:08:51,420
from that is we’re not
necessarily as individuals in.

1013
01:08:51,460 –> 01:08:55,140
One or other.
Camp permanent, We can have a

1014
01:08:55,180 –> 01:08:57,460
strong conscience about some
things and a weak conscience

1015
01:08:57,660 –> 01:09:01,240
about others.
And actually the pointers and

1016
01:09:01,240 –> 01:09:05,120
this is what you’re good for.
Now the pointers, it’s about our

1017
01:09:05,279 –> 01:09:13,720
attitude and that’s what changes
what whether we are weak or

1018
01:09:13,720 –> 01:09:21,439
strong and how we live that.
It’s very.

1019
01:09:21,439 –> 01:09:27,200
Possible that we have we have
the ability because some of the

1020
01:09:27,319 –> 01:09:35,080
things of the law had been
lifted to to take freedoms that

1021
01:09:35,080 –> 01:09:39,560
those living under the law of
Moses were unable to take but it

1022
01:09:39,560 –> 01:09:43,800
can’t be argued that in every
case, taking those freedoms is

1023
01:09:43,800 –> 01:09:52,260
wise and.
So some might say well.

1024
01:09:52,819 –> 01:09:55,980
If we take that freedom, there
could be danger.

1025
01:09:57,800 –> 01:09:59,640
And you know what?
It’s too difficult to make a

1026
01:09:59,640 –> 01:10:02,600
decision about every time there
is danger and there isn’t.

1027
01:10:03,680 –> 01:10:06,240
So in order to keep us safe,
let’s just make a rule.

1028
01:10:06,400 –> 01:10:07,680
That way we’re always.
Safe.

1029
01:10:09,920 –> 01:10:13,120
But pretty soon that rule
becomes a guide of

1030
01:10:13,120 –> 01:10:15,240
righteousness, which is which is
not.

1031
01:10:17,480 –> 01:10:23,080
The rule may be keeping us safe,
but it’s also creating another

1032
01:10:23,080 –> 01:10:27,240
standard that’s extra biblical
and it creates very easily a

1033
01:10:27,240 –> 01:10:29,200
means by which we might judge
one another.

1034
01:10:29,400 –> 01:10:32,440
Does that mean that that rule
has no merit?

1035
01:10:33,840 –> 01:10:36,120
Does that rule that mean that
rule has no merit, especially

1036
01:10:36,120 –> 01:10:39,080
regarding our children who are
maybe find it more difficult to

1037
01:10:39,080 –> 01:10:42,200
understand wisdom from from
things that are foolish?

1038
01:10:42,640 –> 01:10:45,120
No, just means it’s not
righteousness.

1039
01:10:46,920 –> 01:10:51,000
So we certainly can’t argue that
rules are are are bad things.

1040
01:10:51,000 –> 01:10:52,560
Rules are really wonderful
things.

1041
01:10:53,480 –> 01:10:55,160
You have a rule.
That we started Bible class at

1042
01:10:55,160 –> 01:10:57,880
7:30.
Well, it’s because you have that

1043
01:10:57,880 –> 01:11:00,800
rule, we don’t have chaos.
It’s not righteousness, but it’s

1044
01:11:00,800 –> 01:11:04,960
a good idea, right?
And then at some point you have

1045
01:11:04,960 –> 01:11:07,360
a conscience, one with another,
that we all agree to that so we

1046
01:11:07,360 –> 01:11:09,120
don’t have chaos on our Bible
class night.

1047
01:11:09,840 –> 01:11:13,200
And for everyone to show up at a
different time, right, would be

1048
01:11:13,200 –> 01:11:17,000
disrespectful to one another.
So we’re going to treat that

1049
01:11:17,000 –> 01:11:22,200
rule as if it’s a rule.
Right.

1050
01:11:22,200 –> 01:11:24,640
So you can you sort of can see.
But it but.

1051
01:11:24,680 –> 01:11:28,120
It’s in the Gray box.
It’s a Hyundai or a Jaguar,

1052
01:11:28,160 –> 01:11:30,760
right?
It’s not like it’s not 7:00

1053
01:11:30,760 –> 01:11:34,360
wasn’t better.
I I once made the the the the

1054
01:11:34,360 –> 01:11:36,760
catastrophic.
Mistake of suggesting that over

1055
01:11:36,760 –> 01:11:39,160
the summer Christchurch N
started at 10 AM.

1056
01:11:39,480 –> 01:11:44,560
Oh my, Oh my.
What was I thinking?

1057
01:11:44,920 –> 01:11:50,600
Right, Because I, and my
thinking was, was this in

1058
01:11:50,600 –> 01:11:56,640
California, when you start over
summer at 10 AM, the result is

1059
01:11:57,080 –> 01:11:59,040
that you end up having more
brothers and sisters back to

1060
01:11:59,040 –> 01:12:01,840
your house, right?
And there’s more time for that,

1061
01:12:02,080 –> 01:12:04,440
that kind of summer fellowship,
right?

1062
01:12:07,160 –> 01:12:08,680
Listen, did we ever start at 10
AM?

1063
01:12:08,680 –> 01:12:14,520
Absolutely not, right?
Because for some, that was just

1064
01:12:14,520 –> 01:12:18,800
too much, too much change.
It’s not righteousness.

1065
01:12:19,520 –> 01:12:21,840
There could be reasoned
arguments on both sides.

1066
01:12:22,680 –> 01:12:26,720
But if the eclusia decides 11 O
clock, am I at liberty to come

1067
01:12:26,720 –> 01:12:28,720
at 12 and just start making a
ruckus?

1068
01:12:28,720 –> 01:12:31,120
Because I think a meeting should
have started at 12 or 10 or

1069
01:12:31,120 –> 01:12:33,560
whatever else?
No, this isn’t island time,

1070
01:12:33,840 –> 01:12:38,200
right?
It wouldn’t be wise.

1071
01:12:40,400 –> 01:12:42,920
But that rule is, is is not
righteousness.

1072
01:12:43,640 –> 01:12:47,040
And if they start at 10A10 O
clock on Sunday morning in

1073
01:12:47,040 –> 01:12:52,840
California, they’re not sinning.
Maybe it’s maybe it would be

1074
01:12:52,840 –> 01:12:55,440
wise or maybe it wouldn’t.
But we can discuss it together.

1075
01:12:55,600 –> 01:12:57,360
But you’re going to be much.
Less likely to.

1076
01:12:57,360 –> 01:13:02,880
Listen to me if you think I
don’t love you, and I’m not

1077
01:13:02,880 –> 01:13:05,080
allowed to not love you if you
don’t agree with me.

1078
01:13:09,600 –> 01:13:11,640
That’s just.
It’s a silly example, but it was

1079
01:13:11,640 –> 01:13:22,320
a true one.
Because you know, the second,

1080
01:13:23,840 –> 01:13:29,280
it’s really, you’ve got to be
very careful what you think

1081
01:13:32,480 –> 01:13:36,880
about the second.
That’s generally what happens

1082
01:13:37,800 –> 01:13:42,640
when you get into discussions.
People want to head their way

1083
01:13:42,840 –> 01:13:49,920
and it’s going above what you
say, yeah.

1084
01:13:50,960 –> 01:13:54,960
Actually, I’ve been.
I’m quite interested.

1085
01:13:55,000 –> 01:13:56,200
Well.
Very interested in.

1086
01:13:56,400 –> 01:13:58,920
In what you said tonight and and
what?

1087
01:13:59,440 –> 01:14:02,200
Seems to really.
Help the discussion.

1088
01:14:02,600 –> 01:14:06,080
Is if you have.
An object just in the Jews and

1089
01:14:06,080 –> 01:14:09,680
the jet tiles in that the Jews
had endless genealogies.

1090
01:14:09,920 –> 01:14:12,800
They had chapter and verses.
They had that phrase, you know,

1091
01:14:12,800 –> 01:14:14,760
they could.
They could go everywhere and

1092
01:14:14,760 –> 01:14:16,240
anywhere to.
Prove.

1093
01:14:17,200 –> 01:14:20,040
Things and when they didn’t have
enough they they added more to

1094
01:14:20,040 –> 01:14:28,160
support themselves, you know so
they had all of that, but they

1095
01:14:37,360 –> 01:14:43,040
so.
It’s interesting what, what you

1096
01:14:43,040 –> 01:14:47,400
know, Paul uses very, he uses
this really strange language,

1097
01:14:47,520 –> 01:14:50,960
Ross, in Romans 14.
I’m not going to talk about it

1098
01:14:50,960 –> 01:14:52,520
next week.
I just might mention it now.

1099
01:14:52,720 –> 01:14:55,200
He says none of us lives to
himself.

1100
01:14:55,200 –> 01:14:57,560
None of us dies to himself.
If we live, we live to the Lord.

1101
01:14:57,560 –> 01:15:00,000
If we die, we die to the Lord.
What is he talking about living

1102
01:15:00,000 –> 01:15:06,120
and dying for?
What he’s really saying is those

1103
01:15:06,120 –> 01:15:11,120
of us who take liberties, right?
Living is taking a liberty and

1104
01:15:11,120 –> 01:15:13,360
dying is not taking liberty.
That’s what he’s really getting

1105
01:15:13,360 –> 01:15:16,400
at.
None of us takes liberties for

1106
01:15:16,400 –> 01:15:18,640
himself.
None of us denies ourself

1107
01:15:18,640 –> 01:15:21,800
liberties for himself.
If we take liberties, we take

1108
01:15:21,800 –> 01:15:25,120
liberties to the Lord.
If we do not take liberties, we

1109
01:15:25,120 –> 01:15:26,760
do not take liberties to the
Lord.

1110
01:15:27,000 –> 01:15:29,520
So whether we take liberties or
we don’t take liberties, we are

1111
01:15:29,520 –> 01:15:30,920
the Lords.
That’s what he’s really getting

1112
01:15:30,920 –> 01:15:32,280
at.
But why does he use the word

1113
01:15:32,280 –> 01:15:36,880
living and dying?
Because he uses the word living

1114
01:15:36,880 –> 01:15:43,200
and dying on purpose.
Because Christ bore all those

1115
01:15:43,200 –> 01:15:48,720
commands on himself when he died
and when he rose, they were

1116
01:15:48,720 –> 01:15:54,480
fulfilled.
So the living Lord is not under

1117
01:15:55,200 –> 01:15:57,200
those commands because they were
fulfilled.

1118
01:15:58,120 –> 01:16:01,440
But the dying Lord, the one who
carried around a body of death,

1119
01:16:01,960 –> 01:16:04,080
was under every single one of
those commandments.

1120
01:16:05,080 –> 01:16:07,240
So we still think we’re under
those commandments.

1121
01:16:07,240 –> 01:16:10,000
We’re still dying, but we’re
dying to the Lord.

1122
01:16:10,400 –> 01:16:13,080
If instead under the under into
the resurrect of the Lord Jesus

1123
01:16:13,080 –> 01:16:16,400
Christ, we are living.
We’re still living to the Lord.

1124
01:16:19,080 –> 01:16:22,280
That’s what he’s saying there.
That’s why he uses the word

1125
01:16:22,280 –> 01:16:26,840
living and dying, not liberty or
not taking liberty, right?

1126
01:16:28,000 –> 01:16:30,560
If we’re holding ourselves to
something that the Lord Jesus

1127
01:16:30,560 –> 01:16:34,520
Christ put to death, we’re still
have to deal for the Lord.

1128
01:16:35,520 –> 01:16:37,480
But if we say.
The Lord Jesus Christ has been

1129
01:16:37,480 –> 01:16:39,000
resurrected.
I am now.

1130
01:16:39,080 –> 01:16:42,520
And This is why he makes the
issue 1 of faith because I have

1131
01:16:42,520 –> 01:16:43,640
to.
Believe that the Lord.

1132
01:16:43,640 –> 01:16:45,240
Jesus Christ put that on
himself.

1133
01:16:45,480 –> 01:16:49,200
Took it to the grave and.
You know, according to according

1134
01:16:49,200 –> 01:16:53,480
to Colossians chapter 3, if I go
to Colossians chapter 3 or

1135
01:16:53,480 –> 01:17:00,040
chapter 2, I should say in
Colossians chapter 2 it says in

1136
01:17:00,040 –> 01:17:04,120
verse 14 verse.
Let me maybe verse 1213 and 14

1137
01:17:04,120 –> 01:17:06,760
for context.
And you were buried with him in

1138
01:17:06,760 –> 01:17:11,000
baptism, in which you were
raised with him through faith in

1139
01:17:11,000 –> 01:17:14,000
the working of God, who raised
him from the dead, and you who

1140
01:17:14,000 –> 01:17:15,640
were.
Dead in trespasses and the

1141
01:17:15,640 –> 01:17:19,520
uncircumcision of your flesh God
made alive together with Him,

1142
01:17:19,760 –> 01:17:24,080
having forgiven us all our
trespasses, having canceled the

1143
01:17:24,080 –> 01:17:28,120
bond which stood against us with
its legal demands.

1144
01:17:28,600 –> 01:17:32,040
And this He set aside, nailing
it to the cross.

1145
01:17:34,600 –> 01:17:39,360
That’s faith.
If you’re dying, you’re dying to

1146
01:17:39,360 –> 01:17:40,640
the Lord.
If you’re living, you’re living

1147
01:17:40,640 –> 01:17:43,240
to the Lord.
But if you have faith that those

1148
01:17:43,240 –> 01:17:48,360
things were nailed to the cross
and cancelled, cancelled, that’s

1149
01:17:48,360 –> 01:17:51,600
a matter of faith, which is why
Paul makes it a matter of faith.

1150
01:17:51,720 –> 01:17:58,000
Strong in faith, weak in faith.
Therefore, verse 16.

1151
01:17:58,000 –> 01:18:03,200
By the way, therefore let no one
pass judgement on you in

1152
01:18:03,200 –> 01:18:05,680
questions.
This is verse 16 of chapter 2 of

1153
01:18:05,680 –> 01:18:07,400
Colossians.
Therefore, let no one pass

1154
01:18:07,400 –> 01:18:10,120
judgement on you in questions of
food drink.

1155
01:18:10,240 –> 01:18:13,560
Or with regard to festival, new
moon or Sabbath.

1156
01:18:13,720 –> 01:18:15,760
Why?
They were cancelled?

1157
01:18:16,400 –> 01:18:19,280
They were canned, they were
nailed to the cross and they

1158
01:18:19,280 –> 01:18:23,920
were cancelled.
So then.

1159
01:18:24,240 –> 01:18:27,200
To tell someone you are
disqualified from the Kingdom

1160
01:18:28,080 –> 01:18:29,720
because of those things which
are dead.

1161
01:18:31,000 –> 01:18:35,400
Shows you lack faith.
That’s why he uses The Word

1162
01:18:35,400 –> 01:18:41,200
Alive or dead.
But in either case, you’re doing

1163
01:18:41,200 –> 01:18:43,200
it for the Lord and.
We’re kind of getting that that

1164
01:18:43,200 –> 01:18:54,540
we will be covering in our in
our session next time I’m going

1165
01:18:54,540 –> 01:18:56,500
to start, I’m going to start
getting into next session too

1166
01:18:56,500 –> 01:18:57,860
much I.
Better I better I better.

1167
01:18:57,860 –> 01:18:59,180
Sit down now while the getting’s
good.

1168
01:19:15,980 –> 01:19:18,060
Thank you for listening to the
good Chris Adelphian Talks

1169
01:19:18,060 –> 01:19:20,660
podcast.
We hope this talk helped you in

1170
01:19:20,660 –> 01:19:22,180
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1171
01:19:23,340 –> 01:19:25,380
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1172
01:19:25,380 –> 01:19:27,900
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1173
01:19:27,900 –> 01:19:32,020
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01:19:32,020 –> 01:19:34,500
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01:19:34,500 –> 01:19:37,280
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1176
01:19:37,280 –> 01:19:41,360
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1177
01:19:41,640 –> 01:19:44,160
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1178
01:19:45,440 –> 01:19:47,880
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01:19:47,880 –> 01:19:50,400
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01:19:50,400 –> 01:19:53,920
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01:19:53,920 –> 01:19:55,480
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1182
01:19:55,840 –> 01:19:58,480
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1183
01:19:58,480 –> 01:20:00,680
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01:20:04,280 –> 01:20:07,280
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1186
01:20:07,920 –> 01:20:10,800
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1187
01:20:10,800 –> 01:20:11,040
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