August 2
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FLEE FROM IDOLATRY
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. 16 Is the cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Since there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. 18 Look at the people of Israel; are those who eat the sacrifices not partners in the altar? 19 What do I mean then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners 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 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?
– 1 Corinthians 10:14-22
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In the following passages, Paul instructs the Corinthian believers to run from idolatry. He gave them a food for thought in verses 16-17 regarding the consequences of sharing the blood of Christ with those who do not believer in Him. Though there are many members in the family of believers, they are considered one body of Christ. So, if they partake of the cup of blessing in communion with other pagans, they are defiling the body.
In verse 18, Paul is referring to those Corinthian believers who have consumed meat that were offered to idols. When Paul said to them that idols are nothing and food sacrificed to idols is nothing in the earlier passages of this same letter, the Corinthian believers took it literally and arrogantly think that they can still follow their old beliefs and mix it up with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
In verse 20, Paul clarifies that the Gentiles offer their sacrifice to demons and not to God. Paul warns them not to become partners with demons. What he meant by this is that if they partake of whatever the Gentiles are offering to their gods, they are compromising their commitment to God. In verse 21, he set the clear boundaries that whatever is sacrificed for the idols, cannot be sacrificed to God. In verse 22, he warns them not to provoke the Lord into jealousy by their ignorance to mix up their worship to God with idolatry. Sadly, even in our world today, paganism has entered many religions and even Christianity. Many false religions are not teaching the true gospel and thus mislead many to think that they are worshipping God when they are actually worshipping the devil
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REFLECTION
• Why are so many deceived with what is an idol and what is idolatry?