The Warning of Idolatry
Notes
Transcript
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Paul addresses a hot topic - eating meat that was connected to idol worship
He was not one of those that pushed the button on some social media platform and walked away amused with the massive explosion left behind in his wake
In 1 Corinthians 8 we see 2 sides:
Eat no meat that had any affiliation to idols - meat in the markets often came from the idol worshipping temples
Eat the meat and go as far as going to the temples and eating the meat with those worshipping the idols
Paul stated that he would eat or refrain from eating to further the Gospel of Jesus - the higher way was finding a way to preach the Gospel of Jesus
Now, here in text, Paul comes back to this issue specifically addressing those that had no issue eating meat
Paul was a master at approaching a subject like this:
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
Paul appealed to the calm rationale of heart and mind
Let me present the case, and you decide what God would have you do
This is wisely leading people to follow the Holy Spirit of God. Paul would address a specific situation, and he was not afraid of such topics. However, you will find that this is a not a majority of Paul’s letters. He more often taught the Biblical reasoning and instruction behind a decision, so, when a child of God is faced with a particular situation, the Holy Spirit would lead and guide instead of them being dependent upon what Paul thought or said.
The Fellowship with Jesus
The Fellowship with Jesus
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
The purpose of communion
Paul calls our attention to communion or the Lord’s table
We often call it the Lord’s Supper here - interchangeable words for the same thing
Here Paul calls it communion, which means fellowship, to emphasize the fellowship around the Lord’s Supper.
Luke 22:19-20
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Is to remember Jesus and the price He paid for us
The connection this brings to Jesus
All must come to the Saviour
At this time of culture and history they would have
One cup - drink grape juice from the same cup
One bread - break a piece and pass it to the next
This as a powerful symbol showing that all receive the cleansing from sin and sustenance for life at the same place - Jesus Christ
All that come to Jesus for salvation are one family
One body -
Mark 9:38-40
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.
If someone is preaching the truth of the Gospel - I am for him!
I don’t understand the fighting and shunning that goes on in “Christian” churches today because someone’s preferences don’t line up with my own
Our purpose with Jesus is the same - to remember Him and tell others about Him
Partakers - to share (partake) v. — to have, give, or receive a share of.
As we fellowship in this meal we are aligning ourselves in salvation and purpose
The Illustration of Fellowship with Jesus
The Illustration of Fellowship with Jesus
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
Paul uses an illustration of some of the sacrifices Israel would offer
And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.
Sacrifice of peace
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
God’s instructs on how to prepare the sacrifice
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lord’s. It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
The children of Israel would then eat the cooked meat
This was a symbol of fellowship of aligning themselves with this sacrifice of peace
Those that were a part of the sacrifice would join in the meat that it provided
Avoid Fellowship with Devils
Avoid Fellowship with Devils
What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
Paul had already addressed the connection that the “wise men” were drawing
Those that felt confident in eating meat offered to idols in the very temples where idols were being worshipped
He knew people were going to connect the dots and begin rebuttal
I’m not worshipping an idol - I know it’s just a piece of stone, metal, wood, or jewel.
Idol isn’t anything.
The meat isn’t anything.
It’s not the idol that is the focus here, but rather the fellowship with meal.
The purpose of the meal is to worship an idol. I know it’s just meat, but eating the meat with those actively worshipping the idol, which is a devil, is to align yourself with their purpose.
As a part of the family of God, we ought not to align our purposes in fellowship with the devil worship. This is partaking with idolatry.
Remember, I already said, “Flee from idolatry.”
Paul made it clear that eating meat offered to idols sold in the market places is not wrong, but eating it in the temples of those idols was fellowshipping with devils and not God.
A child of God ought not fellowship in the same places as devil worship
Seances are to be avoided
Ouija board practises ought to be avoided
There are places in which a child of God ought not to go!
The Dichotomy of Fellowship
The Dichotomy of Fellowship
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
We cannot fellowship with 2 different masters:
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
The argument exists that a Christian should sit down at a bar or a dance club with unsaved friends to spread the Gospel.
This is dangerous, as it brings a fellowship of behaviour that idolises devilish actions.
This type of action, Paul says, provoke the Lord to jealousy.
God is a jealous God.
He wants our heart, and will fight for it.
Our we stronger than the Lord that we think we can battle the Lord.
This is not a liberty in Christ, but rather a provocation of God Himself.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Serve - work - expend energy to cultivate the relationship
Paul exposed this type of behaviour as a means of serving an idol - furthering the devilish function instead of fleeing from it.
God can use the stand we take for Christ as a greater testimony for Jesus than cowering to the pressures to join in for just one meal, just one social drink.