Sermons

Paul often sidetracks into related ideas while he is writing. This is one of those places where it looks like he has gone off onto an unrelated tangent – so much so that some have even suggested that this section is an insertion from some other letter. When we back up and consider it more carefully however, we can see that he is really following up on his earlier comments about Christian freedom not being license to indulge ourselves if it might hurt others. Along with that point he also almost incidentally addresses his credentials as an apostle and therefore his calling.