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1 Corinthians 10:14–33 ESV

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? 23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

So, Paul has spent 2 1/2 chapters fully unpacking this issue of “What are we supposed to do when it comes to eating food that is offered to idols?”

The Corinthians have most likely written to him in a previous letter acknowledging that they have a few members of their church that used to practice the local idol religions in Corinth but since they’ve found new life in Christ, they have greater joy, peace, and hope.

However one thing that is still lingering is their refusal to eat anything that might be connected with sacrifices in that same idol temple.

You can just picture them…”NO SIR, I ain’t eating that devil meat!” and as a result they’re becoming a drag to socialize with. They’re making it harder to buy food at the market for dinner because they’re worried that they’re going to eat some of the leftover meat from one of the sacrifices. They’re also making it impossible to attend some of the temple feasts because they’re telling everybody that goes that they are participating in a devil feast.

And despite all the many times that the other Christians have tried to tell them that we now possess freedom in Christ, all food is clean, and no idol can match our God and hold any power over Him…They are still EXTREMELY uncomfortable with the ideal of anyone eating meat sacrificed to idols.

So, from chapter 8 to now, Paul has been fully unpacking this issue...

He spent some time de-cluttering the argument to get to the heart of what’s driving it. And what’s driving it is many of their other brothers in Christ

(1) KNOW and believe that there is only one TRUE God of the universe who holds everything together AND

(2) They KNOW and believe all the food He provides is clean and not idolatrous in and off itself and they don’t feel like they should have to tip toe around the weaker brothers and sisters who don’t understand their freedom in Christ...

To that Paul enters into the conversation...

And he says…what you guys are experiencing isn’t a food problem, it’s a problem of pride, selfishness, and ultimately idolatry.

And so he gives them the call to lay down the rights for one another...

He shares how he has laid down his own rights in order to see the Gospel have a greater impact on those he ministers to

He also shares several examples in history of how things went bad when Israel refused to learn how not to play around with idols.

So all of that has led to this moment in verses 14-33 where Paul reaches a final verdict of sorts on how to handle this issue...

And in that final verdict he is going to give us a command and he’s going to help understand how to fully live that command out...

Final Verdict: Flee from Idolatry

1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

This single command is what Paul has been building up to for the last 2 and half chapters.

All of the admonishments and instructions concerning food offered to idols has been Paul’s way of helping the Corinthians understand the sneaky nature of idolatry.

YOU SEE Idolatry can oftentimes hide itself in Christian Freedom. I have a right to eat this food offered to idols, because I’m free in Christ all the while the exercise of the freedom is leading me from Christ in the arms of false gods.

Idolatry can also too often mask itself in knowledge. “I know that there is only one God who is all powerful and no idol can harm me so there is nothing wrong with participating in the idol’s temple feast and sacrifice.” all the while that participation is leading me away from the table of Christ to the table of demons

Paul has been working hard to make this truth abundantly clear: You CAN allow your freedom in Christ to be used as a stumbling block for other brothers and sisters AND you CAN allow your freedom in Christ to be used as a personal door into deeper issues of idolatry.

APPLICATION: My freedom and rights in Christ in my entertainment can drive me away from Christ and deeper into an idolatry of lust. (2) My freedom and rights in Christ in career pursuits can drive me away from Christ and deeper into an idolatry of money. (3) My freedom and rights in Christ in where I go and who I go with can drive me away from Christ and deeper into an idolatry in my relationships where the gods of those I run with become my gods oftentimes the biggest god among them being the god of self.

So to that truth, Paul gives this instruction. FLEE from IDOLATRY. Don’t play with it…Don’t use your FREEDOM in Christ to dablle in it. Run as far away as possible in the opposite direction.

Now, as always, notice that there is a “therefore” here meaning Paul is saying in light of what we just discussed and the most recent thing connected to this subject was Israel’s constant failing through the years in letting idolatry get a foothold in the community. This was our subject on last week, verses 1-13, where we talked about all the ways Israel let idolatry creep in even though they had tangible experiences with God and witnessed FIRST HAND his provision, protection, and preparing of the way for them!

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with many of them because despite all that he had shown them, they still grumbled, they still complained, they still commanded Aaron to make idol gods in his place, they still chased other gods by engaging in sexual immorality with the pagan women of the land in which they resided.

So, Paul’s word to the Corinthians is don’t dabble in idolatry because when you dabble you get swallowed up by it.

There’s one more point worth making in the connection between the command in verse 14 and everything that came before it.

The call to flee - Is a strong call…It is communicating an immediate danger, one that must be responded to quickly and diligently in order to be stopped.

Be quick, decisive, and diligent. Don’t dabble. Don’t toy with it.

Think of that in light of the verse proceeding it:

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

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.

Very significant because what Paul is saying that the Lord always gives a path out with our temptation and as we said most of the time that path is not simply stop thinking and stop doing but instead it is connecting start thinking and start doing something different. Replace the evil with something more beautiful, more divine rather than nature, more eternal than temporal...

But Paul’s point in calling us to the urgent command to FLEE from idolatry is to let us know that ESCAPE from idolatry needs to carry with it an urgency. God’s way of escape is always present but it also does not necessarily consist of lackadaisical but one of urgency.

APPLICATION: Don’t let freedom lull you to sleep when it comes down to running with urgency AWAY from idolatry!

EVEN if it’s something as simple as the meals we are eating...

For the saint who just can’t quite seem to get in their head what’s the big deal about this food being offered to idols Paul gives them one final explanation.

How Can Freedom Be Used For Idolatry Part #1: Our Participation With God at our own table (vv15-17)

The first way that Paul opens our eyes to the reality that participating in an idolatrous meal can very well be an act of outright idolatry is by reminding us what is actually happening in our own Christian Meal and Sacrament, the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 10:15–17 ESV

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.

Paul is going to dive into this very essential sacrament shortly but for now he wants to make this point…when we come to the table to eat the Lord’s Supper it is more than just a meal…it is participation with the Lord in His presence and proclamation of the Lord’s Gospel...

English Standard Version Chapter 11

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The same can be said of when we use our freedom to participate in the feast of false gods…it is a participation with SOMETHING…and we’ll unpack that in just a moment and it is a PROCLAMATION of the glories of the false god...

How Can Freedom Be Used For Idolatry Part #2: Our Participation with God in the temple (vv18)

The second way that Paul opens our eyes to the reality that participating in an idolatrous meal can be an act of idolatry is by highlighting the significance of the sacrifices in the Jewish sacrificial system...

1 Corinthians 10:18 ESV

18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?

Those who ate the sacrifices were playing a role in divine system ordained by God to bring delight to God...

Leviticus 3:3–5 ESV

3 And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the Lord, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire; it is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Here’s what one theologian says of this passage in Corinthians:

The First Letter to the Corinthians c. Those Who Worship God Must Refrain from Any Association with Idolatry, 10:14–22

Paul implies that to knowingly eat food that has been clearly identified as such makes one a willing participant of the offering from which it was taken. Such is understood to be the case in Christian participation in the Lord’s Supper and in the offerings made at the temple in Jerusalem as well, and it would be only reasonable to assume that it applies to food offered to idols also. That very implication brings Paul back to the issue of the significance of idols and idol food, an issue that he touched on in 8:4, 7 and that he addresses again in the following verses.

Paul’s point is that when we engage in the feast of the temple, we are engaging with the gods of the temple...

Now after hearing that, the easy thing for us to come away with is Paul is saying that these idols have way more power than he initially said. I thought you said Paul that these idols didn’t have any power...

Here’s Paul’s Response:

1 Corinthians 10:19–22 ESV

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?

What Paul Is Not Saying (v19)

I’m not saying idols pose any match with our God…I’m not saying that the food that is offered to them carries any real power...

What Paul IS SAYING (v20-22)

While Paul is not saying these idols have any more power than he initially proclaimed.

So what IS HE SAYING!

When we are participating in their sacrifices even as powerless as the food and idol is, we are participating in a deliberate effort of SATAN and His DEMONS to rob God of glory and to derail the children of God off of their pursuit of God.

In giving attention and reverence to a dead idol, we are failing into a trip of Satan and taken attention from the one who is worthy of it and handing it to the devil and His demons...

APPLICATION: Be careful that your freedom IN CHRIST isn’t being used to ROB GLORY from CHRIST!

Sure you can participate in social media...

Sure you can participate in politics...

Sure you can enjoy entertainment and sports...

These things ultimately have no power over God and we are free to enjoy and participate in all of them…but the question we have to constantly ask is HOW WILL CHRIST BE GLORIFIED?

HOW IS THE DEVIL ATTEMPTING TO USE MY FREEDOM TO ROB GOD OF GLORY?

Now if you were reading this letter and you heard Paul say this you would probably say to yourself…OK Paul so no eating food offered to idols...

And to that Paul would say…No that’s not what I’m saying! What???? What do you mean???? Verse 25

1 Corinthians 10:25–30 ESV

25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

What about food offered in the marketplace...

Don’t even ask…idols have no power over you and you are no longer in the temple where you eating might be tied to participation with the idol and used by demons to take glory from God...

What about food in the home of an unbeliever...

So Paul what do you do then????

We flee from Idolatry????

How on earth do you do that…do you want us to eat but you don’t want us to eat...

How Do You Flee From Idolatry? Selfless living

Seek the good of neighbor…(v23-24)

Seeking the good of neighbor will typically cut against the grain...

All things (food, drink, television shows, political positions, social media engagement, etc.) may be lawful but will they be helpful for everyone?

All things (food, drink, television shows, political positions, social media engagement, etc.) may be lawful but will they lead to others being built up?

Do everything for the glory of God (v31-33)

1 Corinthians 10:31–33 ESV

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

How do we Give Glory To God In Everything? Let me tell you what this does not mean. It does not mean you sitting with a glass of wine and as you sip it saying "Praise be to God for this glorious tasty fruit of the wine". It could mean that in part but it is not all it means and it is not even what is in view here in this text.

Here’s what it does mean...The road to glory is to sacrifice for the sake of others and for the sake of the Gospel...

We exercise all freedoms for the sake of other people.

Culture: You can't live your life trying to please everybody.

Paul: ---------------- I try to please everyone in everything I do!

It’s not intended to be taken as Paul being a people pleaser…it is meant to point to the fact that Paul USES EVERY RIGHT, EVERY FREEDOM, EVERY KNOWLEDGE to serve others...

However when that freedom gets in the way of serving the Greek…he’s going to lay that freedom down…when that freedom gets in the way of serving the Jew…he’s going to lay that freedom down…when that freedom gets in the way of serving the church…he’s going to lay that freedom down...

The road to idolatry is paved by people selfishly pursuing their own way ABOVE ALL!

James 3:14–15 ESV

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

1 Corinthians 10:33 ESV

33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

A gospel proclamation wrapped in selfish living is powerless gospel. Is there any power in preaching about a God who gave His life for the world and since He has come into my life I give no more to this world than I did before He showed up?