Flee Idolatry! (Part 2)
1 Corinthians 10:1-22
Truth Taught- We are called to worship and serve the living and sovereign God
and to flee from idols
Last time we observed as the Apostle Paul made very sound and logical arguments against attending pagan worship meals in their temples. We had already learned that his first reason came as the Corinthians were to consider their brothers and sisters in Christ who were being saved out of that life into a life of Christ.
We saw last time that the Israelites had many benefits and blessings. They had, as Paul explained, the sacraments like we do. They were baptized under the cloud and in the Red Sea. They too had spiritual food as they ate of the manna in the wilderness. Yet, these advantages did not benefit them because they had no real faith and longed for Egypt and their idols.
There is no safety in the sacraments. There is no salvation in the sacraments. There is grace, accountability and blessing in the sacraments as saved people partake. Remember the Corinthians thought as long as they could take of baptism and the Lord’s Supper that they were okay with God. The sacraments must be accompanied by a worshipping and repentant heart.
Then last time we saw as he showed very clearly from the OT that the judgements from God on the Israelites took place as thay shared a meal, worshipped and yoked themselves to idols.
The meal they ate around the Golden Calf
The food they ate as the yoked themselves to Baal
The Bronze Serpent episode as the people loathed the manna God provided
Then the continual grumbling in which the Israelites engaged.
All these events were also times when it showed that the people hated God and what He provided and longed for their idols. The point was, they ate and worshipped false gods and God judged their idolatry.
The same was going to happen to the trouble makers in Corinth who ate at meals in honor of pagan gods, in doing so, they were yoking themselves to those gods rather than the living and true God of the Bible.
In this behavior, they were putting Christ to the test just as the Israelites did in the wilderness…Paul’s command is do not be idolaters as some of them were…
We also saw how God filters the temptations that come our way and provides the open door for us to escape. The open door for the Corinthians was to stop going to the pagan temple, stop eating the meal there and stop engaging in the sinful acts that were done in that place.
In the passage before us today, the Apostles’ argument with those in Corinth who were attending pagan meals in their temple comes to a close. He began this back in Chapter 8:1 and will conclude with these verses.
His further warning to these in Corinth is that they must not partake of both sacred meals. You must not feast with demons and then turn around and feast with the Lord. Leave the demons and return to Christ…Flee Idolatry!!!
Please stand…
1 Corinthians 10:1–22 (ESV)
10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
1. The Command: Flee Idolatry (10:14)
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Now, Paul is out to show them that there is only one true and godly conclusion to His argument…Flee Idolatry! God will provide a way out but you must take it. He will provide an open door to run through.
Israel was thrown down in the wilderness despite having the OT sacraments. They were overthrown and perished in spite of all of them engaging in the sacraments. They all fell because sacraments cannot save but extend grace to the saved.
The same command is true for us as well. God provides an open door for us to flee from our idols but we must take it. We must run through it.
Will you flee from your idol today? Beloved, the Israelites refused to and they trusted in their OT sacraments and they who refused fell in the wilderness. Those in Corinth were up against the same test. Would they flee or would they fall? The same test is ours as well. Flee from idols and live!!
2. The Appeal: You Are Sensible People (10:15)
15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
The Corinthians prided themselves in the wisdom so now Paul is telling them to use it for good. Use the wisdom you take such pride in and agree with me for once.
Paul is probably writing this with a bit of irony as he did earlier…
1 Corinthians 4:10 (ESV)
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
Here, there is only one right conclusion and that is Paul speaks for God and what he says and writes is correct.
3. God’s Ordained Meals are Fellowship with God (10:16-18)
16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
Here is Paul’s presupposition. His reasoning behind his command lies in this fact. When we Christians partake of the Lord’s Supper we are in fellowship with Christ. As we do this observance together as Christians, we are in fellowship with one another as well.
He wants to remind them of the significance of their own sacred meal. We too are reminded that partaking is participation in and with Christ.
There is something inherent in the nature of the Christian meal that makes participation in the pagan meal absolutely incompatible with Christianity. What makes them incompatible with each other is the Greek word used here…koinonia (fellowship/participation).
The point…sacred meals include fellowship with the deity, in our case with the Lord’s Supper, Christ Himself and with other Christians eating at the same time. We are eating in His honor and remembering His great name and achievements for us.
In the Lord’s Supper, Christ is also a participant. He is with us as we share the glorious meal together. Our souls are fed and hearts filled as we share in the Lord’s sacred meal.
Remember in the Bible the first time the Church ate the Lord’s Supper? Jesus was the Host.
Luke 22:14–23 (ESV)
14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.
Jesus is with us in Spirit as our Host. So, to share in the meal is to share in fellowship with Him and the other participants.
16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
When we eat the bread and drink the cup we share in Christ’s body and blood.
He then, turns to the OT example of the priest who shared in the food sacrificed to God on the altar.
18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
They shared the same food and participated in the same meal and it created fellowship among them and they worshipped God together.
4. The Same Realities are True When Sharing a Pagan Meal (10:19-20)
19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.
Just like when we participate in the Lord’s Supper our hearts and minds become connected more to Christ. Our souls are fed from His supernatural food and we fellowship with Him, the same is true when the Corinthians were eating the idol’s sacred meal. Their hearts, minds and souls were becoming fixed to the demon behind the idol.
Here we see the initial point back in Chapter 8…
1 Corinthians 8:4 (ESV)
4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
The Corinthians and Paul agree on this point, namely, an idol is nothing. However, what they have failed to comprehend is that just because the idol is no god it does have supernatural power. It is not a god but it is often connected to demons.
Deuteronomy 32:16–21 (ESV)
16 They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods;
with abominations they provoked him to anger.
17 They sacrificed to demons that were no gods,
to gods they had never known,
to new gods that had come recently,
whom your fathers had never dreaded.
18 You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you,
and you forgot the God who gave you birth.
19 “The Lord saw it and spurned them,
because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.
20 And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them;
I will see what their end will be,
for they are a perverse generation,
children in whom is no faithfulness.
21 They have made me jealous with what is no god;
they have provoked me to anger with their idols.
So I will make them jealous with those who are no people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
They stirred up God’s wrath by worshipping these idol/pagan gods who were no Gods at all. They were demonic.
The so-called gods of the world are demons in disguise this is what the Israelites were guilty of and it’s what the Corinthians were dabbling in as well. We must also be careful in this world because there are many things that may seem harmless on the surface but behind them just may be a demon ready to steal your affections away from God.
Conclusion…
21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
Beloved, they thought they could eat both meals. They could eat with pagans in honor of their god and engage in their behavior and then also eat at the Lord’s table.
Are there times when you try to eat at both tables? Do you share in the world and then try to share in Christ? Do you chase after idols and then try to worship the Lord on Sundays?
Beloved, 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
The Israelites had all the advantages but refused to listen to the warnings and they died in the wilderness…God was not happy with most of them. The Corinthians too had many advantages but thought they could share a meal with demons and with Christ. I pray they repented. However, if they didn’t, they too suffered judgement.
How about us? Do we need to seek repentance from God for our idol worship?
Flee Idolatry!!
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Is there an idol that has you under its control? Flee, God has given you an open door.
Resources Used
1 Corinthians by Gordon Fee
1 Corinthians by Steven Um
Leave a Reply