1 Corinthians 10 – Peaching about idols….

I’ve noted in past studies that we of the gentile believers were given specific instructions on some specific rules to observe. These were first presented in Acts chapter 15.

Act 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Act 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

Act 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Act 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Those words were repeated by mouth v27, by writing v29, by reading v31 and by exhortation v32.

Act 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

And again referred to in Chapter 21…

Act 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

When we look at today’s chapter we see Paul discussing the unity of the body of Christ being broken by lack of separation from pagan customs.

1Co 10:16 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?

1Co 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

1Co 10:18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

1Co 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

1Co 10:20 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.

1Co 10:21 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.

1Co 10:22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

Btw he also comments strongly warning on fornication…

1Co 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

So in this chapter Paul is confirming what he mentioned in Acts 21:25, was actually being taught.

So the question is how does this apply today?

Perhaps at a minimum, retaining a high regard for the remembrance of the truth about Christ in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the wine in Christian communion, avoiding all past and present forms of idols and pagan practices, and fleeing formication in all it’s contemporary forms.

And as Paul ends v31 ….do all to the glory of God. Which the Westminster Catechisms capture as our chief end.

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/1Cor.10