1 Corinthians Part 16

1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

Welcome, Dismiss Children, goals

1 Corinthians is about how the gospel matures a messy church

Chapter 8-11:1 is about how a mature church abstains from worldly systems in order to edify and build up others

Read 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

Pray

Main Idea: a mature church will glorify the Lord by abstaining from false worship and living their lives for others

Illustration: My wife is of supreme value to me and there is absolutely no one else. Now if I said that yet dabbled in some relationships with other women would you think I meant it? I say I love only Skyler but I have some side girlfriends? God, even more than your spouse, requires complete devotion and he is jealous for our affections. When the people of Israel engaged in idol worship, the Bible calls them adulterous as they are cheating on Yahweh.

Glorify the Lord through your total allegiance and rejection of false worship (10:14-22)

“therefore” is a wrap up statement tying this next argument to the biblical theological work from last week’s text.

“flee from idolatry” is an imperative statement similar to Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:22 where he says “flee youthful lust.” So brothers and sisters we are not to be apathetic towards the possibly or reality of idolatry. It has no place in the life of a believer.

Verse 15 is basically to highlight that what he is about to say shouldn’t be controversial or difficult to understand. The mixing of worship of demons and worship of Christ is a problem and a clear one at that. He speaks to be people who should be able to grasp this idea.

Verse 16 gets into some theology regarding approaching the Lord’s Supper and what exactly is happening when we take communion together as a church as we did last week.

Partaking of the cup of the Lord is a “koinonia” in the blood of Christ. This is the greek word “fellowship” or “participation” or “communion” which is where we get the term for taking the supper. It has a uniting, missional aspect to it. When we partake of the cup, it is a koinonia in the blood. There is a uniting reality and real connective activity that happens when we approach the supper.

Likewise, the bread we break is a participation in the body of Christ. Metaphor here for “breaking of bread” as in a meal but also “breaking of bread” in the sense that Christ is the bread of life and his body was broken on our behalf which is why we take the bread or cracker in remembrance of what Christ has done.

Verse 17 then highlights the unifying aspect of what we are doing when we take of the bread and the cup. There is one body (Christ’s) and although we are many in diversity and background we are one in Christ (the Church), namely in that we all partake of one bread (which is Christ). Our unity of worship and connectivity comes with what we are coming together to feast on.

Our unity doesn’t come with any other external realities….it is Christ and the fact that we come to his table. At the table of Christ, all are equal and connected, rich and poor, old and young, black and white…..this is where our unity comes. (go off here if you want)

Verse 18 is not in reference to priests getting their food from the temple service as Paul referenced in chapter 9 but rather a Deuteronomy 14 idea where those who offer up sacrifices to the Lord freely allow others to come partake. In this, there is a participation in the worship of Yahweh by all who come and eat which is compared to the Church taking communion together as a worship experience.

Just in case you were confused, Paul clarifies in verse 19 as he said in chapter 8, these idols are not real and the food is not somehow tainted or going to harm you. This is not the basis of his argument.

But he does say in verse 20 these practices are not harmless and are in fact linked to demonic activity which is the basis for why we must abstain. The pagan worship of the day Paul links directly to demons.

Lets talk about demons for a moment. Lots of ideas on the demonic but here is what we know:

Spiritual forces are real as we see in the Gospels as Jesus casts demons out and speaks to them directly. They have the capacity to possess someone and oppress someone but not those who are indwelt by the Spirit of God.

The demonic or satanic is not usually the paranormal activity we would think of culturally.

Ephesians 6 talks about “spiritually forces, principalities and power” we are waring against as we pray and stand for truth or Ephesians 3 says through the church the wisdom of God is proclaimed to the rulers in spiritual places.

In 1 Timothy Paul calls false teaching demonic…..

1 Timothy 4:1–3 “1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”

So we know that false teaching and even religious activity here can be directly linked to the activity of demons.

You wouldn’t necessarily call the prosperity gospel demonic but I think Paul might have. Especially that which twists truth and muddies the gospel message you have to realize is influenced by the demonic.

Which then Paul says “don’t be participants with demons.” and verse 21 goes on to say you can’t partake of the Lord’s Supper and then likewise be at the table of demons. In context this is identifying the pagan worship of the day as demonic. If you in any way engage in or make others think you are supportive of this, its a huge problem.

I don’t think that this passage should be understood as a “find a demon under every rock” or “don’t watch harry potter” or something along those lines but we should know there are certain activities that are not neutral in this life.

He then says in verse 22 shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Can we withstand him? Answer? no we can’t and the jealousy of God in the old testament was regularly kindled as the Israelites were adulterous towards their God with idols.

Consider Deuteronomy 32:15–18 “15 “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation. 16 They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. 17 They sacrificed to demons that were not God, 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.”

The Israelites were culpable directly with the sin of syncretism which is essentially the blending of worship of God with idols. Still continuing aspects of worship to Yahweh the true God but pursuing the pagan practices of the Canaanites around them.

What are some ways we are capable of syncretism today? A few ways that come to mind:

Listening to music or taking in media that is directly anti-God, or surrounding the culture of death. If you just “like the beat” or are not really “thinking about the message” of certain things, you need to open your eyes to their origins. Likewise, the Corinthians appear to have been saying “food is nothing therefore it doesn't matter if we participate in these temple sacrifices” which Paul says otherwise. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by the deceitfulness of sin which can make us calloused towards our double mindedness.

What about attending a same sex wedding. You can say “well they know where I stand” or “its not participating simply by observing.” No one is saying that is not a tough reality to navigate but I think Paul would say you are participating in an idolatrous wicked practice rooted in the twisting of the truth if you go. and you cannot come to the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

There are many ways we can try to run under the radar by not rocking the boat in regards to cultural practices…..I think many of the Israelites likewise could have easily said they’d rather not rock the boat with the canaanites and its not “that big of a deal.” but just as Paul said in chapter 6 you can’t unite the temple of the Holy Spirit to a prostitute, in the same way, you can’t unite worship of Yahweh to worship of demons.

Does the Lord hold hold your allegiance entirely? Do not allow yourself to be deceived or buy into double mindedness.

Last thing to say, 1 Corinthians 8-10 gives us a narrow focus in regards to idolatry. We have discussed some broader categories of idolatry the last few weeks but I want to be clear: The idolatrous practices talked about in this context are to be completely abstained from as they are not neutral cultural practices in any way. As the converted muslim must turn from Islam to become a Christian or as the Hindu can no longer worship the other litany of gods, so the Corinthians can no longer have any participation in the temple worship of greco roman gods. That is the meaning of the text.

If you are convicted by an indirect application regarding ways your affections are not wholly focused on Christ as we have gone through these last few chapters, praise God but there is a specific application here regarding practices that cannot co-mingle in the life of a believer at all. Its like fire and water. Like a believer marrying a nonbeliever….they don’t mix.

Let the church hear and remain faithful to their God.

2. Glorify the Lord by living your life for the betterment of others (10:23-11:1)

Paul here is going to settle his argument across these few chapters with a few examples and a final call.

Verse 23 calls back to mind the Corinthians theology he talked about in chapter 6 quoting the idea “all things are lawful” but then paul is going to say yes but not all things are helpful and not all things build up so that is a poor argument for engaging in certain behavior.

Recall he quoted this Corinthian slogan in chapter 6 in regards to eating of food and sexual desire. They were apparently using this idea to justify a lot of wicked activity.

Christian’s are not constrained to live only within the bounds of what is lawful..we are bound by “what will count for the kingdom most?” How can we leverage our lives for his purposes in the world?

Verse 24 reminds us that the good of others is our greatest pursuit! “love your neighbor as yourself” is a pillar truth for the believer.

Verses 25-30 give us some hypothetical situations to apply what Paul has discussed up to this point. We already have been told any participation in pagan temple worship is participating in demons but what about just eating meat from the market?

Paul says in verses 25 and 26 “eat whatever is sold without raising a question” as the food is good to eat and given by the Lord.

So likewise if a non-believer invites you over for a meal, don’t sweat it, don’t feel like you need to inspect the origins of the meat….its fine. No one needs to play detective

But if they say “this meat has been sacrificed to idols” then verse 28 says you need to abstain for their sake and for the sake of their conscience as they clearly believe this meat is somehow connected to this false worship system.

So the bottom line is, if at any point you become aware of food or drink being somehow connected to false religious practice, you must abstain.

Verses 29 and 30 remind us of why Christians do anything….We can clearly give thanks, have liberty and not be perturbed by those immersed in idol worship but we abstain for their benefit. To see a stark contrast between those who follow Christ and those who do not. This is why we do many things we do. There must be a clear difference between those who follow Christ and those who do not. The goal of a Christian is not to look as much like the world as possible just we have a “christian label” slapped on us. The goal is to look like Christ!

So in summary for these hypothetical situations:

When you go to kroger, you don’t have to ask the butcher if he offered up the fillet to buddah in the back

and if your muslim friend invites you over for dinner you can eat whatever they prepare for you without complaint

But if they give you food and say this is halal and offered up to allah pleasing in his sight….you need to abstain for your friend’s sake…not because the meat is anything but because your friend clearly believes it is something.

Verse 31 is a summary statement of this theology…No matter what we do in this life, we do it for the glory of God. This is our purpose

What drives your decision making in this life? God’s glory or yours? God’s glory or your entertainment? See we make decisions on eating, drinking, or anything else as believers with God’s ultimate glory in mind. What can I do that will make much of him?

Verses 32 and 33 reminds us of Paul’s example to not erect unnecessary stumbling blocks to others. Whether Jew or Greek or those in the church, we make it our aim to not seek our own advantage but rather the advantage of others that they may be saved.

Don’t mistake his statement of pleasing others as a lack of conviction but rather tie it back to his statement in 9:22 regarding “being all things to all men that I might win some”

Paul wraps it up by saying, imitate me in this as I imitate Christ.

Christ is our ultimate example of a life lived in dedication to the glory of God and the help of others and Paul reminds us to imitate him as much as he is imitating Christ.

Do you live a life you can say to others is worthy of imitating?

Christ is our ultimate example. He did not seek his own benefit or advantage in any way but he surrendered his life for our good that we might be saved.

This is what it means to surrender our lives to the gospel of Christ.

Have you made him the Lord of your life today? He is deserving of your complete devotion and dedication.

Main Idea: a mature church will glorify the Lord by abstaining from false worship and living their lives for others