But I Wasn't Worshipping Their God

I Corinthians 10:13-24


In the previous verses, Paul has stressed how all the Israelites experienced the same things. The ones who sinned had no more temptation than the ones who didn’t. They had no less experience of God’s power than the ones who did not sin. They chose to sin while the others did not. The same is true today.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (I Corinthians 10:13-14)

God can be depended on to prevent us from ever facing anything that we cannot handle through his Spirit. He has provided a way whereby we can bear it. We have no excuse for sin. We can simply turn and walk, or run, away from idolatry. There is no reason to continue to loiter near it. Paul next uses the Jewish sacrifices and the communion service to understand what he is talking about.

“I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 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. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?” (I Corinthians 10:13-18)

When we partake of the communion service, we portray ourselves as accepting the sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood for our sin. Each one who partakes portrays themselves as sharing the same belief. To eat the same bread and drink from the same cup at a party would not signify the same thing at all. Before a Jew could partake of the food from a sacrifice, they had to participate in offering that sacrifice, either as the priest, or as one of the donors. The same lamb or other food could have been eaten outside the temple with no religious significance. The difference is the setting in which it is taken.

Neither the idol, nor the sacrifice to it are evil in themselves. Every form of false religion, on the other hand is a form of devil worship, although most will not be as ready to acknowledge it as one native American medicine man was. A friend of mine, Bernedette, had been raised in a Christian home. In College, their professors encouraged them to go back and learn as much about their religion as possible.

Because her grandfather was a Medicine Man, popularly called a Shaman now, she began to question him about what he believed. His answers were very superficial, and she pressed for more. He refused to give in depth information because she was not really into believing the religion. When she continued to push for more, he told her that the one they worshipped was the one Christians called Satan, and he was forbidden to tell her more about their religion.

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. 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?” (I Corinthians 10:19-22)

Although the idol itself is of no significance, and thus the food offered to it is of no special significance, devil worship is. Several years ago, there was a definite Satan worship movement in our area. One of the authorities said that since there wasn’t any Satan, he didn’t see any reason to worry about it. Somebody pointed out that whether Satan was real or not, the Satan worshippers were killing things to worship him and that was what they were worried about. Though the idols are not gods, people are worshipping the devil through them, and participating in their ceremonies is partaking of the Idolatry.

You cannot believe that God is the only God and worship other gods. You cannot place your faith in Christ’s sacrifice and hedge your bets by also praying to demons. To worship both says that we do not believe he is who he says he is. We are calling him a liar. I wouldn’t dare do that, nor would I want to encourage others to do so by participating and inferring that I do. It would not destroy my salvation, but it might prevent others from being saved. As a Christian, I need to strengthen others, not satisfy myself.

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.” (I Corinthians 10:23-24)
It will provide no real benefit to me to participate in a false religious ceremony, and it will not strengthen the faith of others, so satisfying my curiosity is not a good enough excuse to risk confusing or weakening other’s faith. Other people can’t see what is in your heart, and participation implies that you are part of and approve what is going on..