What does the bible say?
1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Corinthians 8
Food Offered to Idols
1In your letter you asked me about food offered to idols. All of us know something about this subject. But knowledge makes us proud of ourselves, while love makes us helpful to others. 2In fact, people who think they know so much don't know anything at all. 3But God has no doubts about who loves him. 4Even though food is offered to idols, we know that none of the idols in this world are alive. After all, there is only one God. 5Many things in heaven and on earth are called gods and lords, but none of them really are gods or lords. 6We have only one God, and he is the Father. He created everything, and we live for him. Jesus Christ is our only Lord. Everything was made by him, and by him life was given to us.7Not everyone knows these things. In fact, many people have grown up with the belief that idols have life in them. So when they eat meat offered to idols, they are bothered by a weak conscience. 8But food doesn't bring us any closer to God. We are no worse off if we don't eat, and we are no better off if we do.
9Don't cause problems for someone with a weak conscience, just because you have the right to eat anything. 10You know all this, and so it doesn't bother you to eat in the temple of an idol. But suppose a person with a weak conscience sees you and decides to eat food that has been offered to idols. 11Then what you know has destroyed someone Christ died for. 12When you sin by hurting a follower with a weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13So if I hurt one of the Lord's followers by what I eat, I will never eat meat as long as I live.
1 Corinthians 10:15-33 (Contemporary English Version)
15I am speaking to you as people who have enough sense to know what I am talking about. 16When we drink from the cup that we ask God to bless, isn't that sharing in the blood of Christ? When we eat the bread that we break, isn't that sharing in the body of Christ? 17By sharing in the same loaf of bread, we become one body, even though there are many of us.18Aren't the people of Israel sharing in the worship when they gather around the altar and eat the sacrifices offered there? 19Am I saying that either the idols or the food sacrificed to them is anything at all? 20No, I am not! That food is really sacrificed to demons and not to God. I don't want you to have anything to do with demons. 21You cannot drink from the cup of demons and still drink from the Lord's cup. You cannot eat at the table of demons and still eat at the Lord's table. 22We would make the Lord jealous if we did that. And we are not stronger than the Lord.
Always Honor God
23Some of you say, "We can do whatever we want to!" But I tell you that not everything may be good or helpful. 24We should think about others and not about ourselves. 25However, when you buy meat in the market, go ahead and eat it. Keep your conscience clear by not asking where the meat came from. 26The Scriptures say, "The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord." 27If an unbeliever invites you to dinner, and you want to go, then go. Eat whatever you are served. Don't cause a problem for someone's conscience by asking where the food came from. 28-29But if you are told that it has been sacrificed to idols, don't cause a problem by eating it. I don't mean a problem for yourself, but for the one who told you. Why should my freedom be limited by someone else's conscience? 30If I give thanks for what I eat, why should anyone accuse me of doing wrong?31When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God. 32Don't cause problems for Jews or Greeks or anyone else who belongs to God's church. 33I always try to please others instead of myself, in the hope that many of them will be saved.
I remembered Jason Tan’s sermon titled “Victory in the Lord” mentioning about Hungry Ghost Festival backdated on 28th August.
ReplyDeleteJason explained idols such as ancestors (dead beloved ones) are not real gods, behind them is the Satan.
I would like to highlight these (NIV) verses below:
1 Corinthians 10:21 – “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.”
Paul briefed clearly idols are not real gods, behind them are live demons receiving worship, for the Satan only. He gave us hints about participation in idol food sacrifices & the Lord’s Supper. Participating in idol food sacrifices relates to the fellowship with the Satan behind those idols. Too, participating the Lord’s Supper relates to the fellowship with Christ. We cannot worship Satan and Christ and together.
1 Corinthians 10:22 – “We would make the Lord jealous if we did that. And we are not stronger than the Lord.”
This causes God much jealousy….. because of our trust in idol feasts (food offerings).
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 – “Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.”
We are sharing to eat bread and drink wine. It is God’s blessings that we are ONE in the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:14 - "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."
AND
1 Corinthians 10:31 - "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
This lesson promotes that, as partakers of the Lord’s Supper, we should avoid idol worship and remember the unity between us and Jesus through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit for our Heavenly Father’s glory.