First Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 10
Having urged them to run the faithful race of discipleship Paul continues on to admonish and warn the Corinthians so that they will not be complacent and content in their sin. He begins by pointing out their forefathers of the faith: “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). Paul wants the Corinthians to be sure that they are not taking the grace and gifts of God for granted the gifts of baptism and the Lord’s Supper with which they (and all Christians) have been entrusted. He therefore implores them to see that their forefathers had the same grace of God that they have today (they simply looked forward to Christ, instead of backwards to Him like we do). The Israelites had their own baptism and their own spiritual food and drink in the old covenant, and thru them they participated in Christ to come. We must not think that they were somehow devoid of the blessings of God.
“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:5-6). Despite the undeserving and overflowing grace they were shown the Israelites rebelled against God and took His kindness and mercy for granted. Paul therefore wants to make sure that we do not follow in their footsteps and abuse the gifts we have been given. Thru the water of our baptism and the real body and blood of Christ in the Lord’s Supper we have been assured and promised the grace and forgiveness of the Cross; here we are clothed with Christ and then sustained in the faith with His real but spiritual food and drink. However we must not despise these gifts by thinking that they are either nothing but “symbols” or some sort of “magic trick” which allows us to spit and trample on the grace of God. These gifts are not excuses to apathy, complacence, or sinful living, but are means by which Christ has promised to be with us till the end of the age. Therefore we must not set our hearts on evil things thinking that thru the grace of God we have a “get out of jail free” card that allows us to wallow in our own continued filth. “Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.’ We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel” (1 Corinthians 10:7-10). The Israelites actively gave lip-service to God, but in their actions they rejected everything He stood for. “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men” (Isaiah 29:13). Because of their disobedience and idolatry in the face of God’s goodness and mercy, many of the Israelites perished and were destroyed.
Therefore Paul goes on to explain the purpose of what happened to Israel and why it was all written down in the Scriptures: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). The Scriptures, which give the history of the Israelites, serve as a warning for us who live in the age of fulfillment, in the age of the Messiah. All that transpired amongst the Israelites did so in order that we might be shown the utterly despicable nature of humanity and be warned from looking to ourselves and desires for answers and thereby falling into apathy and complacence.
In the wake of this Paul gives us all a stiff warning that we should take from the example of the Israelites: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). The Israelites falsely thought that just because they were God’s chosen people, elected from the beginning of time, that they could therefore squander and manipulate God’s goodness. How wrong they were. Just because we have the great gifts of God’s Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper and are His chosen people thru the cross we must not think that we are somehow invincible from falling. These gifts are given to us in order to assure us and sustain us in the face of our weaknesses and failings; however if we dare think we have it made and are standing firm within ourselves then we are in utter danger of falling. In the grace of God we are eternally secure, but in our flesh and human weakness we are utterly instable. In order to keep this flesh in check we must rein it in via the continual harsh warnings and admonitions of the law.
After this warning though, Paul is quick to reassure us of the kindness and mercy of God in Christ Jesus, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and how He will not abandon us to the temptations that are eager to make us stumble and fall: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). In these words Paul gives us three essential facts and assurances about the temptations we will face in this life. The first is that our temptations are not something extraordinary, we must not be melodramatic in thinking the temptations we face are something special or greater than anything anyone else has ever faced. Though every temptation is great in its own right, no temptation is greater than what is common to all men. The second point to note is that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. God is not the one who tempts, and He is looking out for us so that no temptation will come our way that cannot be borne and overcome. Our temptations come from our own evil desires, and these desires drag us into sin and death. “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:13-15). Therefore we have the sure promise of God that He will never tempt us Himself and that He will never allow evil to enter our life that we are not capable of bearing. The final point that Paul makes about temptation is the fact that God will provide a way in which we can stand up under it.
The Scriptures teach of three ways in which God provides in the face of temptation. The first way in which God provides is by giving us prayer and watchfulness so that we can avoid the situations in our life where we may fall into temptation. The best way to not fall into the desires of the flesh is to avoid the temptations of the flesh at all times. It is for this reason that both Christ and Paul teach us to pray and be watchful: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41). “Lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13). “Watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). Thru prayer and watchfulness we can be guided to see our areas of struggle, and given the wisdom to avoid them like the plague (i.e. if we know situations where we are subjected to lust, gossip, gluttony, idolatry, etc. then we should stay away from those situations at all cost). The second way in which God provides in the face of temptation is by giving us a way out, giving us an exit by which we can flee the situation. In the event that we find ourselves in a situation where temptation occurs God will often give us a clear opportunity to flee (the key is then actually acting upon the opportunity!). “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). “Flee for safety without delay!” (Jeremiah 4:6). “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins” (Jeremiah 51:6). “Flee the evil desires of youth” (2 Timothy 2:22). “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction…But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:9, 11). Fleeing from temptation and from the desires of the flesh is not cowardly by any stretch of the imagination, for it in fact takes true courage, strength, and bravery by way of God’s grace to leave behind the desires of the flesh. The final way in which God provides in the face of temptation is thru the weapon of His Word which He has provided to us for these very situations when we find ourselves trapped and unable to flee. Three specific times Christ was tempted by Satan in the desert and every single time He quoted the Scriptures: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’…It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’… Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). In this example of Christ we have the single most important lesson we can ever learn about how to face temptation: we do not face it with our own will, powers, efforts, or abilities; we only dare face temptation with the sure weapon God has given us, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). If we try to face temptation without the Scriptures of God’s Word we will fail. No man can stand up under temptation without the very Words of God upholding him and giving him strength, and this Word comes thru Christ alone. Therefore let us pray that we do not become arrogant thinking we stand firm on our own, thereby making ourselves vulnerable to the temptations and trappings of the world. Let us instead fall in repentant humility onto the grace of our baptism and the Lord’s Supper so that thru these we will remain in commune with our High Priest (Jesus Christ!) who has rescued us from the bondage of the flesh and empowers us to remain faithful in the face of all the temptations and trials of this life. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death…Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-15, 18).
After having taught us the dangers of being complacent and arrogant in our faith and towards temptation, Paul continues on to apply this to the church on the matter of idolatry. “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say” (1 Corinthians 10:14-15). Paul reiterates what he has just taught us about temptation: flee whenever possible! Idolatry is especially dangerous because it dares to lift up the empty things of this life (whether homes, possessions, jobs, children, spouses, etc.) to the level that is reserved for God alone. In his efforts to show the dangers of idolatry Paul takes a little detour into the Lord’s Supper: “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16). Paul begins by doing one of his favorite things, asking rhetorical questions. Thru these questions Paul puts the Corinthians on the spot and almost dares them to deny the truth of the Lord’s Supper which he has taught them. The one dimensional English translations do not give justice to the depth of the Greek which Paul uses here. The Greek word which is translated here as “participation” and in the KJV as “communion” is koinonia and it further means “intercourse,” “fellowship,” and “intimacy.” When a married couple comes together in the marriage bed they are in reality participating in a koinonia with one another. Consequently the Lord’s Supper is an extremely intimate and serious fellowship and uniting of ourselves with Jesus Christ thru His body and blood given for us (and no single English word can do this justice or properly express this depth). These are the facts of the matter that Paul wishes to reestablish very firmly: when we drink of the cup of wine we are actually joining ourselves in and communing with the very blood of Christ, when we eat the bread which we break we are actually joining ourselves in and communing with the very body of Christ.
He continues on to tell us what this ultimately means: “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:17). Thru the Lord’s Supper we are joined and united into the one Church of Jesus Christ, into the Body of Christ. Because we all partake of the actual body and blood of Christ the entirety of the true Church is united, undivided, and whole thru the fellowship and communion of the Lord’s Supper. Despite what may seem a shattered and broken Church, we are promised true unity of the saints in the Supper of our Lord. Jesus Christ Himself told us: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Paul reaffirms this truth to the Corinthians in order to better address the subject of idolatry and eating at the table of demons.
He continues: “Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons” (1 Corinthians 10:18-20). Here Paul returns to the subject of food sacrificed to idols. He is not contradicting what he previously taught (that idols are nothing and therefore their food is nothing but food) but he is instead trying to show us how our idolatry (of any sort!) is participation with demons (which are real!) and therefore a rejection of God. There is a stark difference between simply eating food that was intended for an idol and willingly participating in idol sacrifice and demon worship. It is the latter that Paul is very quick to preach against. In the same way that we are united with Christ in the Lord’s Supper, we are also united with demons when we participate in their ceremonies. Though we are free to eat the meat that has been sacrificed to an idol we must not naively think that we can therefore participate in demon worship of any kind. Paul was concerned that in the name of “Christian freedom” the people of Corinth were in fact still worshipping and giving honor to idols and demons. Dr. Paul Kretzmann wrote about how these words of Paul apply to us: “The words of the apostle find their application today as well as in Corinth at that time. If Christians join in the wild and profligate revelings and debaucheries of the world, particularly such as are arranged in honor of antichristian persons or principles, they are no less guilty than the boastful Corinthians were in their day.” We may say that idols and the antichristian things of this world are nothing, but our actions and support of such things in fact speak louder than all our words. Even though we know that antichristian things are nothing when all is said and done, we still must not give our perceived or real support and honor to them. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22). Here Paul reaffirms the teaching of Christ that we cannot serve two masters, both God and the world. In the same way we cannot have communion, fellowship, and unity with both Christ and demons; it is one or the other. Therefore Paul wants to know the reasoning behind the Corinthians participating in the table of idols. Sure we know that idols are nothing, but why do we go participate if we are not in fact giving tribute and worship to demons? Idolatry (as in giving honor, respect, worship, and love to anything other than God) is never ok.
Paul continues on by coming back to his point from earlier in the letter about Christian freedom: “‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24). Everything for the Christian is free and permissible because thru God’s Word all of His creation is consecrated to us. However Paul is quick to remind us that this does not mean we can worship idols or that we can just live “helter, skelter” and without thought. Even if we know deep in our conscience that our eating meat from sacrifices is harmless to us, then we must still take into consideration our fellow man.
Paul continues by giving us three potential scenarios to learn from: “Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, ‘The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it’” (1 Corinthians 10:25-26). All food sold in the market is clean for us; we should not doubt its cleanliness before God since He is the Creator of all things. Next: “If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience” (1 Corinthians 10:27). If we go to a meal with an unbeliever we should not worry about what we eat, such food is clean for us in the eyes of God. Just because it was prepared by an unbeliever doesn’t make it “unclean” in any way. And finally: “But if anyone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake—the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?” (1 Corinthians 10:28-30). The exception to this freedom of ours presents itself in this situation. If someone tells us that this food is for an idol and is meant to be participation and communion with that idol or demon then we must refrain. Why? Because we do not want to make the unbeliever think that we can have fellowship with both Christ and the false ways and idols of this world. Even though our conscience wouldn’t be bothered by eating this food (because we know that idols and demons are now powerless over us and are absolutely nothing before the cross of Christ) we must abstain in order to spare the other man from thinking we approve of idolatry and worship of anything other than God. Paul is crystal clear though that we do this only for the other man since as Christians we are freed from such regulations and restraints. No conscience of another man should restrict or govern our private freedom, but for the sake of not causing our fellow man to stumble we must willingly give up these rights whenever necessary.
Paul concludes with his two main principles to take from this; the first is this: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our entire lives are an act of worship and service to God. He serves and sustains us thru His Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, and in turn we go out into the world to do everything (even to the smallest detail) to His glory. Our worship of God is not what we do on Sunday in church (for that is where God works on our behalf and blesses us for the sake of Christ); instead our worship is the Spirit-worked response of every moment of our daily lives. Everything we do, no matter how insignificant it may seem, should be done in response to what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Every part of our life belongs to God, therefore every part of our life is a living sacrifice offered to Him.
The second principle Paul wants us to learn is this: “Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:32-33). All that we do in life should be done in loving consideration of our fellow man; we should always be looking to seek his ultimate good in Jesus Christ, trying to bear witness to the law and gospel of God. Everything that we do in life should be approached as a living witness to the world and therefore we should be very conscience of not causing our fellow man to stumble thru our life and actions. We need to stop living for “me” and start living for Jesus Christ and our neighbor. Therefore let us pray that we keep focused on Jesus Christ at all times as we brush our teeth, eat our dinner, walk the dog, go to work, teach our children, shop for groceries, drive in our cars, do our exercises, take a shower, talk to our neighbor, mow the lawn, clean the house, etc. so that thru our everyday lives we may give glory to God and proclaim His love that has been given to us all in the cross. “I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).
“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:5-6). Despite the undeserving and overflowing grace they were shown the Israelites rebelled against God and took His kindness and mercy for granted. Paul therefore wants to make sure that we do not follow in their footsteps and abuse the gifts we have been given. Thru the water of our baptism and the real body and blood of Christ in the Lord’s Supper we have been assured and promised the grace and forgiveness of the Cross; here we are clothed with Christ and then sustained in the faith with His real but spiritual food and drink. However we must not despise these gifts by thinking that they are either nothing but “symbols” or some sort of “magic trick” which allows us to spit and trample on the grace of God. These gifts are not excuses to apathy, complacence, or sinful living, but are means by which Christ has promised to be with us till the end of the age. Therefore we must not set our hearts on evil things thinking that thru the grace of God we have a “get out of jail free” card that allows us to wallow in our own continued filth. “Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.’ We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel” (1 Corinthians 10:7-10). The Israelites actively gave lip-service to God, but in their actions they rejected everything He stood for. “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men” (Isaiah 29:13). Because of their disobedience and idolatry in the face of God’s goodness and mercy, many of the Israelites perished and were destroyed.
Therefore Paul goes on to explain the purpose of what happened to Israel and why it was all written down in the Scriptures: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). The Scriptures, which give the history of the Israelites, serve as a warning for us who live in the age of fulfillment, in the age of the Messiah. All that transpired amongst the Israelites did so in order that we might be shown the utterly despicable nature of humanity and be warned from looking to ourselves and desires for answers and thereby falling into apathy and complacence.
In the wake of this Paul gives us all a stiff warning that we should take from the example of the Israelites: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). The Israelites falsely thought that just because they were God’s chosen people, elected from the beginning of time, that they could therefore squander and manipulate God’s goodness. How wrong they were. Just because we have the great gifts of God’s Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper and are His chosen people thru the cross we must not think that we are somehow invincible from falling. These gifts are given to us in order to assure us and sustain us in the face of our weaknesses and failings; however if we dare think we have it made and are standing firm within ourselves then we are in utter danger of falling. In the grace of God we are eternally secure, but in our flesh and human weakness we are utterly instable. In order to keep this flesh in check we must rein it in via the continual harsh warnings and admonitions of the law.
After this warning though, Paul is quick to reassure us of the kindness and mercy of God in Christ Jesus, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and how He will not abandon us to the temptations that are eager to make us stumble and fall: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). In these words Paul gives us three essential facts and assurances about the temptations we will face in this life. The first is that our temptations are not something extraordinary, we must not be melodramatic in thinking the temptations we face are something special or greater than anything anyone else has ever faced. Though every temptation is great in its own right, no temptation is greater than what is common to all men. The second point to note is that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. God is not the one who tempts, and He is looking out for us so that no temptation will come our way that cannot be borne and overcome. Our temptations come from our own evil desires, and these desires drag us into sin and death. “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:13-15). Therefore we have the sure promise of God that He will never tempt us Himself and that He will never allow evil to enter our life that we are not capable of bearing. The final point that Paul makes about temptation is the fact that God will provide a way in which we can stand up under it.
The Scriptures teach of three ways in which God provides in the face of temptation. The first way in which God provides is by giving us prayer and watchfulness so that we can avoid the situations in our life where we may fall into temptation. The best way to not fall into the desires of the flesh is to avoid the temptations of the flesh at all times. It is for this reason that both Christ and Paul teach us to pray and be watchful: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41). “Lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13). “Watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). Thru prayer and watchfulness we can be guided to see our areas of struggle, and given the wisdom to avoid them like the plague (i.e. if we know situations where we are subjected to lust, gossip, gluttony, idolatry, etc. then we should stay away from those situations at all cost). The second way in which God provides in the face of temptation is by giving us a way out, giving us an exit by which we can flee the situation. In the event that we find ourselves in a situation where temptation occurs God will often give us a clear opportunity to flee (the key is then actually acting upon the opportunity!). “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). “Flee for safety without delay!” (Jeremiah 4:6). “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins” (Jeremiah 51:6). “Flee the evil desires of youth” (2 Timothy 2:22). “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction…But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:9, 11). Fleeing from temptation and from the desires of the flesh is not cowardly by any stretch of the imagination, for it in fact takes true courage, strength, and bravery by way of God’s grace to leave behind the desires of the flesh. The final way in which God provides in the face of temptation is thru the weapon of His Word which He has provided to us for these very situations when we find ourselves trapped and unable to flee. Three specific times Christ was tempted by Satan in the desert and every single time He quoted the Scriptures: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’…It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’… Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). In this example of Christ we have the single most important lesson we can ever learn about how to face temptation: we do not face it with our own will, powers, efforts, or abilities; we only dare face temptation with the sure weapon God has given us, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). If we try to face temptation without the Scriptures of God’s Word we will fail. No man can stand up under temptation without the very Words of God upholding him and giving him strength, and this Word comes thru Christ alone. Therefore let us pray that we do not become arrogant thinking we stand firm on our own, thereby making ourselves vulnerable to the temptations and trappings of the world. Let us instead fall in repentant humility onto the grace of our baptism and the Lord’s Supper so that thru these we will remain in commune with our High Priest (Jesus Christ!) who has rescued us from the bondage of the flesh and empowers us to remain faithful in the face of all the temptations and trials of this life. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death…Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-15, 18).
After having taught us the dangers of being complacent and arrogant in our faith and towards temptation, Paul continues on to apply this to the church on the matter of idolatry. “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say” (1 Corinthians 10:14-15). Paul reiterates what he has just taught us about temptation: flee whenever possible! Idolatry is especially dangerous because it dares to lift up the empty things of this life (whether homes, possessions, jobs, children, spouses, etc.) to the level that is reserved for God alone. In his efforts to show the dangers of idolatry Paul takes a little detour into the Lord’s Supper: “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16). Paul begins by doing one of his favorite things, asking rhetorical questions. Thru these questions Paul puts the Corinthians on the spot and almost dares them to deny the truth of the Lord’s Supper which he has taught them. The one dimensional English translations do not give justice to the depth of the Greek which Paul uses here. The Greek word which is translated here as “participation” and in the KJV as “communion” is koinonia and it further means “intercourse,” “fellowship,” and “intimacy.” When a married couple comes together in the marriage bed they are in reality participating in a koinonia with one another. Consequently the Lord’s Supper is an extremely intimate and serious fellowship and uniting of ourselves with Jesus Christ thru His body and blood given for us (and no single English word can do this justice or properly express this depth). These are the facts of the matter that Paul wishes to reestablish very firmly: when we drink of the cup of wine we are actually joining ourselves in and communing with the very blood of Christ, when we eat the bread which we break we are actually joining ourselves in and communing with the very body of Christ.
He continues on to tell us what this ultimately means: “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:17). Thru the Lord’s Supper we are joined and united into the one Church of Jesus Christ, into the Body of Christ. Because we all partake of the actual body and blood of Christ the entirety of the true Church is united, undivided, and whole thru the fellowship and communion of the Lord’s Supper. Despite what may seem a shattered and broken Church, we are promised true unity of the saints in the Supper of our Lord. Jesus Christ Himself told us: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Paul reaffirms this truth to the Corinthians in order to better address the subject of idolatry and eating at the table of demons.
He continues: “Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons” (1 Corinthians 10:18-20). Here Paul returns to the subject of food sacrificed to idols. He is not contradicting what he previously taught (that idols are nothing and therefore their food is nothing but food) but he is instead trying to show us how our idolatry (of any sort!) is participation with demons (which are real!) and therefore a rejection of God. There is a stark difference between simply eating food that was intended for an idol and willingly participating in idol sacrifice and demon worship. It is the latter that Paul is very quick to preach against. In the same way that we are united with Christ in the Lord’s Supper, we are also united with demons when we participate in their ceremonies. Though we are free to eat the meat that has been sacrificed to an idol we must not naively think that we can therefore participate in demon worship of any kind. Paul was concerned that in the name of “Christian freedom” the people of Corinth were in fact still worshipping and giving honor to idols and demons. Dr. Paul Kretzmann wrote about how these words of Paul apply to us: “The words of the apostle find their application today as well as in Corinth at that time. If Christians join in the wild and profligate revelings and debaucheries of the world, particularly such as are arranged in honor of antichristian persons or principles, they are no less guilty than the boastful Corinthians were in their day.” We may say that idols and the antichristian things of this world are nothing, but our actions and support of such things in fact speak louder than all our words. Even though we know that antichristian things are nothing when all is said and done, we still must not give our perceived or real support and honor to them. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22). Here Paul reaffirms the teaching of Christ that we cannot serve two masters, both God and the world. In the same way we cannot have communion, fellowship, and unity with both Christ and demons; it is one or the other. Therefore Paul wants to know the reasoning behind the Corinthians participating in the table of idols. Sure we know that idols are nothing, but why do we go participate if we are not in fact giving tribute and worship to demons? Idolatry (as in giving honor, respect, worship, and love to anything other than God) is never ok.
Paul continues on by coming back to his point from earlier in the letter about Christian freedom: “‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24). Everything for the Christian is free and permissible because thru God’s Word all of His creation is consecrated to us. However Paul is quick to remind us that this does not mean we can worship idols or that we can just live “helter, skelter” and without thought. Even if we know deep in our conscience that our eating meat from sacrifices is harmless to us, then we must still take into consideration our fellow man.
Paul continues by giving us three potential scenarios to learn from: “Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, ‘The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it’” (1 Corinthians 10:25-26). All food sold in the market is clean for us; we should not doubt its cleanliness before God since He is the Creator of all things. Next: “If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience” (1 Corinthians 10:27). If we go to a meal with an unbeliever we should not worry about what we eat, such food is clean for us in the eyes of God. Just because it was prepared by an unbeliever doesn’t make it “unclean” in any way. And finally: “But if anyone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake—the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?” (1 Corinthians 10:28-30). The exception to this freedom of ours presents itself in this situation. If someone tells us that this food is for an idol and is meant to be participation and communion with that idol or demon then we must refrain. Why? Because we do not want to make the unbeliever think that we can have fellowship with both Christ and the false ways and idols of this world. Even though our conscience wouldn’t be bothered by eating this food (because we know that idols and demons are now powerless over us and are absolutely nothing before the cross of Christ) we must abstain in order to spare the other man from thinking we approve of idolatry and worship of anything other than God. Paul is crystal clear though that we do this only for the other man since as Christians we are freed from such regulations and restraints. No conscience of another man should restrict or govern our private freedom, but for the sake of not causing our fellow man to stumble we must willingly give up these rights whenever necessary.
Paul concludes with his two main principles to take from this; the first is this: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our entire lives are an act of worship and service to God. He serves and sustains us thru His Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, and in turn we go out into the world to do everything (even to the smallest detail) to His glory. Our worship of God is not what we do on Sunday in church (for that is where God works on our behalf and blesses us for the sake of Christ); instead our worship is the Spirit-worked response of every moment of our daily lives. Everything we do, no matter how insignificant it may seem, should be done in response to what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Every part of our life belongs to God, therefore every part of our life is a living sacrifice offered to Him.
The second principle Paul wants us to learn is this: “Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:32-33). All that we do in life should be done in loving consideration of our fellow man; we should always be looking to seek his ultimate good in Jesus Christ, trying to bear witness to the law and gospel of God. Everything that we do in life should be approached as a living witness to the world and therefore we should be very conscience of not causing our fellow man to stumble thru our life and actions. We need to stop living for “me” and start living for Jesus Christ and our neighbor. Therefore let us pray that we keep focused on Jesus Christ at all times as we brush our teeth, eat our dinner, walk the dog, go to work, teach our children, shop for groceries, drive in our cars, do our exercises, take a shower, talk to our neighbor, mow the lawn, clean the house, etc. so that thru our everyday lives we may give glory to God and proclaim His love that has been given to us all in the cross. “I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).
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