1 Corinthians 10:14-22 (NIV)
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 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? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that food sacrificed 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. 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?
The lure of idolatry loomed large in the minds, and sometimes in the hearts, of the Corinthian Christians. It was woven into the very fabric of their society and was nearly impossible for them to ignore. Local festivals to the gods were frequent, and participation was a societal expectation that, if ignored, led quickly to being considered a social outcast if not an absolute danger to the community.
Paul understood these pressures. He had just given an exposition on God providing a way out of any temptation, a way that merely needed to be noticed and taken to ensure success. And that applied to the temptation to fall back into idolatry as well.
Paul’s whole argument is based on the fact that when a person turns to Christ, they instantly become a part of the body of Christ symbolized by the sharing of a single loaf used in the communion. Thus, being united to Christ is completely incompatible with “moonlighting” in pagan temples, even if it is simply for appearances sake.
Paul makes his point even clear: the pagan gods are not gods at all, but demons. And a person can’t reasonably worship God part of the time, and a demon the rest of the time. If they try, rather than being a “half Christian”, they end up becoming a “whole pagan” who goes to church. This is because of the first two of the Ten Commandments and the Greatest Commandment: a Christian shall worship nothing other than God, even for show, and shall be completely devoted to God at all times, loving him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, leaving no part of the heart available for other gods.
Father, this temptation is still there today. Even though we don’t have statues of gods to bow down to or to pour out offerings to, we still can find ourselves compromising with societal positions that contradict Your clear commands. Some excuse themselves from guilt on the basis that they really don’t believe what they are professing but are simply complying or agreeing on the outside to avoid trouble. But consistent outer compromise, even if it is not supported by the heart or mind, will ultimately sway both, and will become a habit, an attitude, even a theology that will draw us into places that are far from You. Lord, help me to never compromise, but to always stand firm for You, no matter what pressures I face, always looking for and taking the God-provided way out. Amen.