Flee Idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14-22)

 

It is not misleading to say that the West celebrates what it calls diversity (it is actually conformity), whereas the Bible is concerned with truth. It is very serious to worship the wrong god – Romans 1:21-23.

  1. We are to flee idolatry.
    • 10:14-15 (recall 6:18 re. sexual immorality)
    • Paul commands us in v.14, and he appeals to our better judgment in v.15, as ‘sensible people’. God describes Himself as a jealous God – 10:22; Ex.34:14; Isa.48:11.
  2. To participate is to fellowship.
    • 10:16-17. The third cup of the four in the Passover was called the cup of blessing.
    • the Lord’s Supper is not like looking at an old photograph album, and wishing the person were still with you. ‘One with each other, Lord, and one in You.’
    • 10:18; Deut.14:22-23. But it also works the other way – 10:19-20. The pagan gods do not exist (1 Cor.8:4). But participating in non-Christian worship is to worship demons – Deut.32:17.
  3. No compromise is possible.
    • 10:21-22. Patrick White called himself ‘a religious bowerbird’. That is not Paul’s approach here. Being a Christian is not like joining two clubs – one for tennis and one for dining out, for example. See 2 John 10-11; Acts 4:12.