Flee Idolatry

EmmanuelWhiteOak

11 minutes ago20 min read

January 19, 2025|Flee Idolatry

John-Daniel Cutler

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This morning we continue looking at the issue raised by the Corinthians on food offered to idols that begins in chapter 8.

Chapter 8 introduced the idea of food offered to idols and the danger of harming a weaker brother in the faith with food with our freedoms

chapter 9 dealt more with the freedom and rights to eat, and more importantly, the willing suspension of our rights for the gospel

chapter 10 first part deals with the implications for eating it as part of a temple worship- not okay

chapter 10 second part deals with the meat itself and when and how one is free to eat it- depends on the circumstance and conscience

This complexity of such a simple issue is important for us to remember as the apostle Paul goes on to address difficult topics like head coverings and spiritual gifts. He has laid the foundation for us by reminding us that it is not about us, that we do not always have to exercise our freedoms, in fact, sometimes it can be harmful to either a brother or us, and that we must allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us according to the purposes of glorifying God in everything we do.

Part of the issue that Paul is going to address today, is that while the food itself is fine and we are free to eat if it does not violate our conscience, we are not free to participate in pagan worship or idolatry. As Will explained in his treatment of chapter 8, Many people at that time could not afford meat and only had it at these feast to the different gods that were worshiped in Corinth. These gatherings to eat meat sacrificed to idols were very commonplace in the city and had played a major role both socially and religiously. To not go to these meals and temples would cause you to become excluded from many forms of public and social life. To not partake in these events was a clear way to set yourself apart from others and risk persecution and your livelihood. This is no small matter for these believers here in Corinth, and you can see why this has become such a contentious issue in the church. Yet Paul is going to remind them that, by the very definition, to be a Christian is to pursue a different kind of life. We are not at liberty to dabble with the idols of the world or to participate with unbelievers in a way that gives credence or endorsement of their lifestyles and their worship. The word Paul uses to exhort the believers in Corinth is a strong one. He says, flee from idolatry. Paul has previously told them to flee sexual immorality.

The idea of fleeing is running away from something with urgency and purpose. To escape is also one way to translate the word. There are things in this life that the Bible speaks of fighting by standing firm and there are things that we fight by fleeing. Idolatry and sexual immorality are two of those that believers are exhorted to flee from. Whenever Paul tells believers or as in the case of Timothy to flee something, he always includes something to pursue. That is to say, we are not just running from something, we are running towards something. In our text today, the Apostle Paul is going to give us four essentials in our fight against idolatry and our pursuit of holiness. Let’s read the text together and then go back through it to focus on each one of these four essentials. If you haven’t already, open your bibles to 1 Corinthians 9, at verse 24, picking up where we left off last week. We will have it on the screen, but let me encourage you to read it in your bibles or your electronic devises, because it is a lengthy passage.

1 Corinthians 9:24–10:22 (ESV)

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Paul begins with an illustration that would be well known to the Corinthian believers. His language choice refers to the Isthmian games that were held at Corinth. Similar to and only slightly smaller than the Olympian games. They were under Corinthian control for most of the games history. Every Corinthian would have been familiar with the language of running, crowns, and boxing, as they were all an integral part of the games. This leads us to the first essential in our fight against idolatry.

COMMITMENT TO THE COURSE

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (ESV)

Paul’s first imperative, or command is, run. His illustration sees all Christians as runners in a race. He says, don’t you know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. To win an athlete must not only run his or her hardest, they must compete according to the rules of the competition. Both of which requires intense self-control. What they eat, when and how they train, what things they do not partake in is often as important as the things they do. Then during the race, if they violate the rules, they will be disqualified. In the recent history of our own olympics men and women have been stripped of their medals because of rule violations. Paul essentially says, do you see the effort and focus the athletes put into winning their race, they do all of that to receive a perishable wreath. The winner would be crowned with a pine wreath or laurel. How much more Paul says, should we discipline ourselves to run the Christian race, seeing that our crown is imperishable?

So, Paul says, switching back to his own example, uses two sports analogies to describe his fight for holiness. I do not run aimlessly- the root of the word aimlessly is the idea of clarity. The idea is running without a clear definition of what the race is and where the finish line is. I do not box as one beating the air- literally, I do not fight the air. For a modern understanding, think shadow boxing. In every rocky style movie there is a moment in the boxers training montage where they are throwing punches at nothing. In ancient Greece, ‘shadow-battle’ was practiced by people who were not very courageous or healthy to prepare them for real combat.

Running aimlessly and shadow boxing. Paul says, he does not run as though he does not have a purpose and he does not fight as though there is no enemy. The Christian life is not practice. But Paul goes further. He says not only do I not live that way, I discipline my body and keep it under control. Literally, I beat my flesh black and blue, I subdue it, take it captive, so that I am not disqualified.

We must ask what does Paul mean by disqualified? Is Paul teaching that we can lose our salvation? Highly unlikely since the apostle Paul clearly emphasizes the security of the believer. However, Paul has already stated in Corinthians that there is coming a day when we will be rewarded for our works that are in Christ and built on the foundation of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (ESV) 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Paul is reminding us that how we live in Christ matters. What we do as believers matters.

When you think about your walk with Christ, are you running aimlessly? Are you just kind of existing? If you fight for holiness, is it more of like a show against an imaginary enemy than it is an actual battle with the adversary, or with the flesh? Two scriptures help us evaluate ourselves. The first is again, the imagery of a race, in which the author tells us how we are to run. Hebrews 12

English Standard Version Chapter 12

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

The author of Hebrews points out that you never see an olympian racer carrying anything that will slow him down or trip him up. In the same way, we must intentionally and through self-discipline, lay aside everything that keeps us from fully pursuing Jesus and set our eyes on Christ, understanding that his example is what it looks like to live in holiness and submission to the Father.

The second scripture is from Ephesians chapter 5. where Paul says.

English Standard Version Chapter 5

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

You cannot fight for holiness in the Christian life if you are living for the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so if you are going to run, Paul says, you must discipline your body, you must make it your slave, rather than being enslaved to it.

Are you committed to the course? Do you have Christlikeness and Holiness firmly fixed in your mind? Are you running towards it with all your might? Are you single minded in your pursuit of Christ? This is what Paul is calling us to. Without it, we cannot fight idolatry and we cannot pursue holiness. Or…

Is the Christian life for you, a one time prayer in an attempt to secure your eternal destination, a casual commitment to attending church? Is it an aimless, purposeless, existence where nothing really changed for you in coming to Christ? This brings us to our next division and Paul’s next essential element for fighting idolatry.

CAUTION FROM ISRAEL’S EXAMPLE

1 Corinthians 10:1–5 (ESV)

Paul is going to use the Exodus and the establishment of the nation of Israel as a cautionary tale for the Corinthians illustrating the danger of being disqualified. I will remind you that boasting in their knowledge. wisdom, and freedom was the issue Paul has been dealing with since the beginning of the letter. To this Paul says, I do not want you to be unaware-literally ignorant.

In all your boasting, I think you may not understand that simply knowing God is the same as belonging to Him. As an interesting side note, Paul uses two terms here that help us understand the church. First, to a mixed audience of both Jew and Gentile, he calls them brothers, and then says our fathers- referring to the nation of Israel. Paul connects the church to Israel here in a significant way.

He goes on to list five privileges of the nation of Israel. They all were under the cloud, they all passed through the sea, they all were baptized into Moses, they all ate the same spiritual food, and they all drank the same spiritual drink. Paul makes a statement informed by the realities of the incarnate Christ, that even then, it was Christ that sustained them, again connected the church with the nation of Israel. However, with all of those privileges and spiritual nourishment, not all that came out of Egypt entered the promised land.

In our next section, Paul is going to highlight the reasons for God’s displeasure, as well as how they were overthrown, but for now I think it is enough for us to stop and consider what Paul is saying. There is a lot we could unpack here, but for our purposes this morning, let’s look at the warning Paul gives.

At its core, Paul wants those in the Corinthian church to consider that not everyone who enjoyed the privileges of passing out for slavery and into the Old Covenant through Moses as intermediary, not all of those whom God miraculously fed and provided water for, were pleasing to God and were therefore laid low in the wilderness.

How are we supposed to process this as members of the New Covenant? I certainly think we are supposed to see the continuity of God’s dealing with Israel and the Church, otherwise why would Paul say these things were written as both a pattern and for our instruction, or warning?

While there is not a one to one application between God’s dealings with Israel and God’s dealing with Christians, there are certainly connections to be made. This is where understanding Paul’s theology and thinking can be helpful for us. In Romans Paul says that, Romans 9:6b “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. Paul makes a distinction between those who are physical Israel and those that are spiritual Israel. What cause God’s displeasure with the people of Israel that did not enter the promised land?

As we will see in a minute, their rebellion looked different at different times, but in essence, Paul calls it all idolatry.

The privileges they experienced as a people did not guarantee them right standing with God. There were some that although they were part of the group God was calling to himself as his people, did not respond in faith and therefore, in the end did not enter the promised land, but rather died in the wilderness. Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to evaluate their lives for any signs of idolatry and for them to examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith, or simply attached to people who are. If we had to summarize what Paul says is essential for us in our fight against idolatry, it would be that we need to be cautious that we don’t presume that just because we are included in the church that we actually belong to the church.

Which brings us to the next essential element Paul presents. Not only do we need to be committed to running the Christian race with singleness of heart, not only do we need to be careful that we do not entertain idolatry in any form and thereby prove that we may in fact not belong to the Lord, but we need to…

CONSIDERATION OF IDOLATRY

1 Corinthians 10:6–13 (ESV)

The prohibition don’t become idolaters as some of them were is emphatic in the Greek and becomes the paradigm for three exhortations: (1) do not commit sexual immorality (cp. Nm 25:1–18, esp. v. 9), (2) do not test Christ (cp. Nm 21:5–6), and (3) do not complain (cp. Ex 12:23; Nm 16:41–50). In all three of these OT examples, God judged and destroyed the people for their sins.

F. Alan Tomlinson, “1 Corinthians,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1825.

Remember the Corinthians motto was “all things are lawful” or “everything is permissible”. It wasn’t the issue of the meat that was the problem, it seems that there were some in Corinth that thought they could be both pleasing to the Lord and participate in the activity of the pagan temples, because of their knowledge that Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 8:4 (ESV) 4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” Those things are true, and we will see Paul’s instruction on the food in next weeks sermon, but how they were participating in idol worship through eating the meat in the temples and as a part of pagan worship seems to be the problem. What they viewed as inconsequential, Paul points out by using the example of the Israelites at various times, was idolatry.

Remember they were participating in these feasts, either so that they would not be shunned socially or so they would not miss out on eating the lavish food served at these feasts. In both instances, Paul wants them to examine their motives and whether they are actually falling into temptation.

Paul gives four examples of Israel’s idolatry, and while we don’t have time to dig too deeply into them, I think it would be beneficial to quickly look at each one.

7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” Paul quotes Exodus 32:6. This is when the people at the foot of the mountain, when Moses was delayed on the mountain, asked Aaron to make them gods to go before them, and they fashioned a golden calf and worshiped it, saying “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt! Refusing to trust God to continue to deliver them, they took matters into their own hands, and fashioned gods like those of the Egyptians.

8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. Here Paul refers to an incident recorded in Numbers 25. While the nation of Israel was living on the plains of Moab, they began to intermarry and include the gods of Moab into their worship. Here, rather than obey God and keep separate from the people of the land, they allowed their lust to lead them into idolatry. Wanting more and different than God had provided for them.

9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, This event comes from Numbers 24, when the people spoke against God and Moses, because they grew impatient, saying, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” At this time, God had already brought water from a rock twice and had given them manna to eat every day. But rather than trust that he would continue to provide, they not only spoke against God, but called his miraculous manna, worthless food.

10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. This is a summary of God’s indictment on those that refused to enter the Promised Land at Kadesh Barnea. The whole generation that saw God’s miracles in Egypt were not allowed to enter the promised land and died in the wilderness because they rejected God’s plan and wanted to go back to Egypt.

When we think of the command ‘do not be idolaters’, many of us may think we are okay because we don’t have any tiny statues in our house that we make offerings to. But Paul makes it clear that failure to trust God, to embrace his limits and provisions, his timing and his plan, is actually idolatry, a rejection of the one true God in favor of self.

Which is why Paul’s exhortation is especially powerful. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. The Corinthians were sure that they could entertain idolatrous practices and because they didn’t believe that the idol was real, they could both please God and participate in idolatry. Paul’s warning is watch out. Which brings us to our last essential element in our fight against idolatry, finishing where we started. Flee from idolatry, which Paul is going to tell us why it is so important as well as why it has not place in our lives. The last essential element is to understand our…

COMMUNION WITH CHRIST

1 Corinthians 10:14–22 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul takes us to the Lord’s table and asks us to judge for ourselves if we can truly belong to Christ and practice idolatry. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

These elements that Christ gave us in the ordinance of the supper, do they not represent our union with Christ through his body broken for us and his blood poured out for us?

Paul again refers to the Israelites, and asks us to consider that those who eat the sacrifices, are they not participants in the altar? Part of the offering process for many of the offerings was that part of it was eaten, either by the priests or levites, or by the one who brought the sacrifice. Their participation in eating was part of the worship. Do you understand Paul says, the act of eating in a worship setting, is part of the worship. You cannot separate the two.

Now, he does not want the Corinthians to misunderstand, the idols themselves are not real, they do not represent real gods, but make no mistake, whenever anything other than God is worshipped, you can be sure that behind that worship is demonic activity. Paul says the pagans sacrifices are offered to demons and not to God. Therefore, the Corinthians who are eating in the temples and in these feasts are drinking the cup of demons and eating at the table of demons. If they do not stop, Paul warns that they are in danger of provoking God and inviting judgment on themselves, a judgment they are not strong enough to handle.

How to we stay focused on Christ, how do we flee idolatry, how do we pursue holiness? By constantly reminding ourselves of our unity with Christ. By wholeheartedly worshipping God. One way we do that is through the observance of the supper. Now, we do not believe, like some that the elements are changed and in any way themselves offer us anything necessary for our salvation. However, just because something does not directly impact us, does not mean that it does not impact us. By regularly coming to the table as a body, we are reminded of not only our unity with Christ, not only of the price he paid to redeem us, but that we belong to his body, individually members of one another. We remind ourselves and one another that apart from Christ we were hopelessly lost and not only do we need him for salvation, we need him ever day, every moment of the day, for in him we live and move, and have our being.

Every time we gather as a body, every time we partake of the supper, it ought to be a reminder that there is no room in our lives for idolatry. Don’t miss what Paul says, you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons, you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Paul is not saying that you shouldn’t or it isn’t good if you do, he says you are not able to. There is no half way with Christ, either you have all of Christ and Christ has all of you, or you have none of Christ. Conclusion- If you and I are going to flee idolatry and pursue holiness, Paul says we need to be committed to the course, we need to take caution concerning our walk, we need to resist idolatry in all its forms, and we need to stay focused on our unity with Christ.

As we come to the end of our time together, here is my invitation to you. Paul obviously did not think that the Corinthians were beyond hope or he would not have spent so much time trying to show them the incompatibility of belonging to Christ and practicing idolatry. If through our time together, God has shown you idols in your life that are keeping you from pursuing Him, as painful as it is, that is a sign of the Lord’s discipline. No Father lets their child continue down the wrong path, confess your sins, turn from your idols, repent and turn to Christ this morning.

If you have never come to Christ, know that it is not too late. The invitation of Christ is to come to his table, to be covered by his atoning work on the cross, and become participants of his salvation. If you have questions about what that looks like, we would love to talk to you this morning.

May we all leave here this morning with a heart on fire for Christ and a desire to run the race with endurance that is set before us. Let us pray.

Flee Idolatry

COMMITMENT TO THE COURSE

CAUTION FROM ISRAEL’S EXAMPLE

CONSIDERATION OF IDOLATRY

COMMUNION WITH CHRIST

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