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, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. (I Corinthians 10:16-17)
In the previous study, Paul concluded by saying, Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. (I Corinthians 10:14-15) Idolatry is the worship of a physical object as a god; a blind or excessive devotion to something. God's first of the ten commandments is, “I am the Lord your God,..." “You shall have no other gods before Me." "For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,..." (Exodus 20:2-3, 5; Deuteronomy 5:6-7, 9)
Paul started this lesson by explaining that when we participate in the communion, we are participating in a worship service that replicates our union with Christ. Jesus had explained it this way: Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)
Jesus was not telling the disciples or us to eat his actual flesh and drink his actual blood, which He demonstrated during the first communion supper. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19; Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22) Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-25; Luke 22:20)
When we partake of the communion, eat the bread and drink the wine from the cup, we are doing it in remembrance of Christ death for the remission of our sins. Therefore we have to be mindful and careful what other kind of worship services we participate in. Paul went on to explain, Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? (I Corinthians 10:18-22)
Paul was explaining that we can't participate in any and every kind of worship service, because all forms of religious worship aren't necessarily to God. Paul again, as in the previous lesson, used Israel's history as an example. Moses specifically explained what they did, which Paul compared to what the non-believing Gentiles do: "Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock [Christ] of his salvation. They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear. Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you." (Deuteronomy 32:15-18)
But God is a merciful God, and He offers forgiveness and restoration after we repent from our sins and acknowledge Him as the One and True Living God, even to the Gentiles. “For the Lord will judge His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining, bond or free. He will say: ‘Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge? Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise and help you, and be your refuge. Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand. “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.” (Deuteronomy 32:36-39, 43)
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness. [Psalm 24:1] If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness. [Psalm 24:1]” (I Corinthians 10:23-28)
We who are Christians have the freedom to do whatever we want. However, All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Paul was specifically writing to the church in Corinth, and Corinth was a very immoral society, which practiced all kinds of religious rituals to hundreds of false gods. It was very possible for a convert to Christianity in that society to go to the market place to buy food and end up buying food that was offered to idols. Paul said in a previous message, Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. ...for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. (I Corinthians 8:4, 8)
It's almost like the old motto, "don't ask, don't tell". But Paul went on to say that if the Christian had a meal with a non-believer, and if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? (I Corinthians 10:29-30) Paul was saying that even though we as Christians know food is just food, and as long as we partake with thanks, we're fine with God, because “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness."
But our witness for Christ is never to cause someone else to stumble. But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. (I Corinthians 8:9) We established in a previous lesson, "Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) And the answer is, Yes we are! We shouldn't participate in the idol worship of the world because of the world's conscience, not our own. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:16-17)
No matter what we do or who we're around, we should always represent Christ in such a way, ...that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 4:11) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (I Corinthians 10:31-33) Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (I Corinthians 11:1) Our goal should always be to lead others to Christ, and not just satisfy our personal desires! To God be the Glory! AMEN
In the previous study, Paul concluded by saying, Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. (I Corinthians 10:14-15) Idolatry is the worship of a physical object as a god; a blind or excessive devotion to something. God's first of the ten commandments is, “I am the Lord your God,..." “You shall have no other gods before Me." "For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,..." (Exodus 20:2-3, 5; Deuteronomy 5:6-7, 9)
Paul started this lesson by explaining that when we participate in the communion, we are participating in a worship service that replicates our union with Christ. Jesus had explained it this way: Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)
Jesus was not telling the disciples or us to eat his actual flesh and drink his actual blood, which He demonstrated during the first communion supper. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19; Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22) Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-25; Luke 22:20)
When we partake of the communion, eat the bread and drink the wine from the cup, we are doing it in remembrance of Christ death for the remission of our sins. Therefore we have to be mindful and careful what other kind of worship services we participate in. Paul went on to explain, Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? (I Corinthians 10:18-22)
Paul was explaining that we can't participate in any and every kind of worship service, because all forms of religious worship aren't necessarily to God. Paul again, as in the previous lesson, used Israel's history as an example. Moses specifically explained what they did, which Paul compared to what the non-believing Gentiles do: "Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock [Christ] of his salvation. They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear. Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you." (Deuteronomy 32:15-18)
But God is a merciful God, and He offers forgiveness and restoration after we repent from our sins and acknowledge Him as the One and True Living God, even to the Gentiles. “For the Lord will judge His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining, bond or free. He will say: ‘Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge? Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise and help you, and be your refuge. Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand. “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.” (Deuteronomy 32:36-39, 43)
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness. [Psalm 24:1] If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness. [Psalm 24:1]” (I Corinthians 10:23-28)
We who are Christians have the freedom to do whatever we want. However, All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Paul was specifically writing to the church in Corinth, and Corinth was a very immoral society, which practiced all kinds of religious rituals to hundreds of false gods. It was very possible for a convert to Christianity in that society to go to the market place to buy food and end up buying food that was offered to idols. Paul said in a previous message, Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. ...for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. (I Corinthians 8:4, 8)
It's almost like the old motto, "don't ask, don't tell". But Paul went on to say that if the Christian had a meal with a non-believer, and if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? (I Corinthians 10:29-30) Paul was saying that even though we as Christians know food is just food, and as long as we partake with thanks, we're fine with God, because “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness."
But our witness for Christ is never to cause someone else to stumble. But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. (I Corinthians 8:9) We established in a previous lesson, "Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) And the answer is, Yes we are! We shouldn't participate in the idol worship of the world because of the world's conscience, not our own. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:16-17)
No matter what we do or who we're around, we should always represent Christ in such a way, ...that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 4:11) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (I Corinthians 10:31-33) Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (I Corinthians 11:1) Our goal should always be to lead others to Christ, and not just satisfy our personal desires! To God be the Glory! AMEN
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