1 Corinthians 10:19-22
Ps Paul Cheng
~6 min read
But some of the Corinthians might be thinking, “Well, Paul, I thought you have been stressing to us that an idol is nothing, and now you are telling us that it is wrong to eat meat offered to those idols because of what we believed in, identified ourselves with, and we fellowship with. Are you not contradicting what you have said, does that mean that those idols are real?” (c.f. 1 Corinthians 8:4) Thus, Paul went on to bring in the second point that idolatry was demonic in nature!
2. Idolatry is demonic in nature
Verse 19, What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? Most certainly not! The things sacrificed to the idol had no spiritual power or nature, neither the physical idol itself for it had no spiritual power. Those things were nothing in themselves. Idols were not real, but that was not the end of the story, because it was what those idols represented that was critical.
What the idols represented was demonic! Verse 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.
One has to bear in mind that the devil is behind every false religion. He is the spiritual force behind all idolatry. Whenever the people believe that an idol represents an actual god, Satan the devil is happy, and he is the one who encourages the people to engage in false religions. Though there is never a god behind an idol, there is always a spiritual force, and that force is always evil and demonic. Therefore, one cannot simply say, “It doesn’t matter, since the idol is nothing. It does matter because whenever the people sacrifice; they are sacrificing to devils, or demons.”
One must understand that demons can demonstrate certain powers. Many of the claims by cultic, demonic, fortune-telling and pagan religions are false, but some are true. Have you ever heard people say, “But the things that they say will happen, and those things did actually happen!” Indeed, some of their predictions may come true through the work of demonic forces. Demons are not all-powerful (only God is all-powerful), but they have sufficient power to perform certain wonders and make certain predictions come true to keep the superstitious worshippers deceived as they continue to worship those idols. That is why it can be so difficult to share with our unbelieving pagan relatives, because they would be saying, “But those things that the fortune tellers said, did come true. Those things that the temple mediums said, did come true.”
Satan is the prince of this evil world system, and he rules this world with the help of his demons. His aim is to have more and more people deny the one living and true God, and one of his ways is to make them worship those false idols.
That is why the Christian must have nothing to do with the idols. Verse 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. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 6:24, “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.” It is impossible to do that, both at the same time. It must be either one or the other!
Christians are not immune from the influence of demons. When we are not careful, or willingly ignore God’s Word, or play the fool, we are opening ourselves to the demonic influences.
a) In Acts 5, when Ananias and Sapphira lied and pretended to give to the Lord, and the Apostle Peter said to them, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” b) In Ephesians 6:12, the Apostle Paul stressed on the on-going spiritual warfare, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The only way one can overcome this spiritual warfare is to put on the whole armour of God; to equip oneself with the loins of God’s truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, and to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. c) In 2 John 1:10-11, the Apostle John said, If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Never bid him God speed means never show him hospitality. For example, there is a false teacher who is coming to town, and he needs to have a place to stay, and you have been approached. You may think, “Well, what is wrong with showing some form of hospitality.” Well, the Bible says, “When you show hospitality to those people who promote false teaching, you are fellowshipping with their evil deeds!” d) When one hinders the Lord’s work, he is being influenced by the demonic forces. Jesus rebuked Peter when he tried to hinder Him from going to the cross, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Dear friend, everyday of our lives, we would be challenged by the decisions we have to make and the issues of life, and we have to be careful not to be influenced by the demonic forces.
3. Idolatry is offensive to God
Verse 22, Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
How could God who loves us with a perfect love not be jealous of His love? God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to come into this world, and Jesus suffered, died and shed His precious blood to save us from our sins. And God sent His Spirit into our hearts to wrought conviction that we might believe in Him, and be transported out of darkness into His marvellous light. How could He not be jealous of us? For thou shalt worship no other god: (why) for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14, emphasis mine). God will surely guard His love very strongly, and He is not willing to share our love, adoration and devotion with anyone, not with the world or any false gods.
An idol may not just be a physical statue one sees in some of the homes. It can be something one puts in his life in place of God. It can be something or someone that takes precedence in his life which otherwise should be the place of God.
Perhaps, you have come to church because of someone; whenever that person is in church, you are there, and whenever that person is absent, you will not attend. Has that person not become your idol? Or you have placed your job and other priorities in life over the worship of God, perhaps your children’s education, (your son or daughter is taking VCE and therefore you will not attend church because you bring them for tuitions), and you say to yourself, “Well, God will understand.” God does understand and He knows that something else has taken over His place in your heart, and if you are a true child of God, He will do all He can, to remove that thing, so that He can be the “President” in your life. Why? Because He is a jealous God and He will not share your love for Him with anything or anyone else.
Finally, the Apostle Paul ends with a rhetorical question, “Are we stronger than He?” Most certainly not! The idolater will not get away with it, and go unpunished. No one can escape God, not even His own children. If one is a true believer, he is saved and will not lose his salvation. But he will not escape God’s chastisement if he engages in any sort of idol worship.
Dear friend, have you placed anything or anyone in the place of God in your life? For example, your job, your priorities in life, your children’s education, your ambitions, aspirations, hobbies and worldly pursuits? God is a jealous God because He loves us perfectly, and He is not willing to share our love for Him with anything or anyone else. We must flee idolatry because it is inconsistent with our beliefs, it is demonic in nature and it is offensive to God!
With love in Christ, Pastor Paul Cheng