Saturday 17 May 2025
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. (v. 14)
Background
To help make sense of today's passage, we need to read the first 13 verses of this chapter. Preceding our reading today are warnings from Israel’s history including about the worship of idols. Paul is reminding the Corinthians again of the responsibility of their freedom in Christ, the danger of complacency and of mixing too readily with the earthly cultures we find or place ourselves in.
Paul’s call is to flee – to run away from or to shun idol worship (as he calls them to flee from immorality in 6:18). There is to be no compromise in our worship (see chapter 8). In developing this line, Paul draws us into the actions of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion) in which we both participate and partake and which signifies our deep and abiding partnership with Christ. If idol worship has the same significance, taking part in it will draw us into the fellowship of evil spirits. We cannot do both and maintain fellowship with Christ (v. 21).
At the end of our week we are drawn to the Lord’s table. We (and the Corinthians) have journeyed through some challenging principles and while we are encouraged to look to others and engage with them in our fellowship and evangelism, our unity and oneness is found in our worship. May you be blessed in your next gathering.
To Ponder:
- What does it mean for you to receive the cup of blessing and how will you approach the Lord’s Supper at your next occasion?
- Is there something you need to flee from to enable you to rest more fully in God? If there is how will you do that?
Prayer
Living God, you are our creator and sustainer. You draw us to yourself and provide us with all we need to find love, acceptance and freedom. Help us to respond to you in our worship, so that, together with all the saints, we may glorify your holy name. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd David Newlove
David is Co-Superintendent in the North Cumbria Circuit. He is also an agricultural chaplain and the Mission Area Lead for Cumbria for the North West England District.