John Venn (1759 – 1813) was a priest of the Church of England and a central figure of the group of religious philanthropists known as the Clapham sect. Wikipedia.
THE DUTY OF GLORIFYING GOD.
Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.—1 Cor. 10:31.
One great object of religion is to bring men to a sense of the duty which they owe to God. It is declared of the unregenerate (as distinguished from the righteous,) that God is not in all their thoughts; that “they have no fear of God before their eyes,” that they are “without God in the world,” that they are “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” On the contrary, real Christians are described as living no longer to themselves, but unto God; as serving, fearing, and loving God; as putting their trust in him, and as doing everything to his glory.
The precept, therefore, which is given in my text is not to be viewed as a mere command to practice any particular branch of virtue, but rather as an exhortation to adopt and employ that general principle of true religion which will not only direct to all virtue, but sanctify even the common actions of life.
Let us, therefore, inquire into the general nature of this principle, and then endeavor to elucidate its operation by tracing its influence upon our ordinary conduct.
I. To understand the nature of the principle which St. Paul here inculcates, we should observe the cases before him, in the context from which he takes occasion to prescribe this general rule.
This chapter contains advice upon three particular cases of conscience. The first respects the lawfulness of assisting at idolatrous feasts; such as were held in pagan temples, and in honor of the pagan worship. Of these entertainments, some Christians, it appears, who were less careful to please God than to gratify their worldly connections, condescended to partake, and justified their conduct by an argument of this kind; That an idol was, in fact, nothing; that it was a deity of mere imagination; and that, therefore, what was offered in sacrifice to idols had nothing in it which could pollute; that it could have contracted no defilement by this use; nor be at all less proper for food than flesh which had not been sacrificed. To this the Apostle replies, that certainly an idol was nothing; yet still, since the principle upon which idolatrous sacrifices were offered was the worship of false gods, or, as he might more fitly call it, devils, he could say no less of the compliance than that it was “holding fellowship with devils;” and, therefore, absolutely unlawful. “Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?”
The second case was that of buying such flesh in the market: for whatever part of the animal was not consumed on the altar, or distributed for presents and entertainments, was exposed publicly to sale. And to this the Apostle gives his decided sanction. “Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake” Being designed for common food, it is not liable to the same objection with what is appropriated to idolatrous feasting: for the offence does not consist in eating what was slain for sacrifice, but in eating of it on such occasions; where it is scandalously abused, to the dishonor of him who gave it. The other is its legitimate and appointed use. Eat, therefore, without inquiry and without scruple: “for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” He gave cattle for the use of man: nothing can annul his grant to you, but your own willful perversion of it.
The third case respected the propriety of eating these same meats at the table of an heathen acquaintance; and this is resolved like the last. Being invited as to a common meal, you are in general to partake of it as such, without either uneasiness or remark. “Whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.” But are you officiously told that it is a portion of the sacrifice? Or would a weak brother, who regards it as defiled, consider God as dishonored by your participation of it? Then abstain, on both these accounts, “for his sake that shewed it;” to satisfy your informer, that you give no countenance to such things; and also, “for conscience sake;” for the sake of his conscience, who may be wounded or scandalized, or ensnared by your connivance. It might be lawful for you; but things lawful are not always expedient. It might be lawful; but it would not edify. Disregard not, then, the edification of your brother; respect his weakness. Deem it a sufficient reason for your abstinence that you might otherwise grieve him, or incur the risk of corrupting his integrity, by warranting what he esteems a crime. The principle, therefore, is the same whether you eat, or whether, under these or any other peculiar circumstances, you abstain. In both, you shew a respect to God: in the one, by enjoying his bounty with thankfulness, as he designed; in the other, by giving proof of your sincerity in his service, and by respecting even that scrupulosity in your brethren, which arises from their reverence for him. This leads to the general conclusion, not only in these cases but in all others, “Whether ye eat or drink,” or abstain from either; in a word, “whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
We see, then, that the principle here inculcated is of the soundest, most enlightened, and vigilant kind; sound, as forbidding strictly whatever is really an offence: enlightened, as it discriminates what is sinful from what only seems so to be: and watchful, in attending not merely to an action as it stands alone, but even to those possible effects of it which might bring dishonour to God. What is wrong in itself is not allowed on any plea of convenience, or in consideration of circumstances which may seem to palliate the evil; but is to be rejected absolutely, and without reserve. What is blameable only on account of mischiefs which it may, incidentally, produce, needs not be too scrupulously avoided, when it can have no such consequence; and yet a probability that such effects may follow, is to be considered as bringing actions the most indifferent within the catalogue of sins. The great rule of our life must be regard to God’s honor; and this rule must be applied on occasions when we perhaps think little of responsibility. “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do,” says the Apostle, “do all to the glory of God.” This is the end which he proposes for all our actions. There are different ends, which we may propose to ourselves, or others may propose to us. There are uses of all his gifts which he himself prescribes. There are contrary uses to which we, or others, may pervert them. Our conduct, though in itself blameless, may still be dishonorable to Him; from the light in which others may view it, and the ill effect it may have on their minds.-But in all such cases what dishonors, or seems likely to dishonor, Him, is to be avoided as sin: what promotes, or bids fair to promote, His glory must be deemed of strict obligation.
All for the Glory of God 