Participation in the Lord’s Supper

Introduction

How far can a Christian go in participating in the activities of the world, especially in social functions? This question is a constant problem that nags both believers and nonbelievers. Christian liberty vs. license — what a believer is free to do and what he is not free to do — is the subject of this important passage.

I.   Flee idolatry (v. 14).

II.   Judge whether our participation in a function identifies who we worship (vv. 15-22).

III.   Judge whether lawful acts are always permissible (vv. 23-28).

IV.   Judge whether our behaviour and freedom should be determined by another person’s conscience (vv. 29-11:1).

1 Corinthians 10: 15–22   Participation in Social Functions

First, does our participation in social functions identify who we worship? Note six points.

1. Participation in the Lord’s Supper identifies us as a worshipper of the Lord (v. 16). When we partake of the cup and the bread, we declare that we worship the Lord...

•   that we are in communion and fellowship with Him.

•   that we are bound together with Christ by His body and blood.

•   that we have given our lives to Him.

•   that we are committed to His death and purpose.

2.   Participation with other people identifies us with their function or activity (v. 17). Believers who come together to partake of the Lord’s Supper are identified as worshippers of the Lord. Their very purpose for coming together is to partake of the bread as a fellowship of believers. Therefore, they are naturally looked upon and identified as worshippers of the Lord. The point is this: believers who come together with unbelievers in their functions are identified with the unbelievers’ function.

3.   The participation of Israel identified them as worshippers of God (v. 18). When an animal was offered as a sacrifice to God, only a portion of the animal was actually consumed upon the altar. The rest of the meat was always kept and eaten by those who offer and the priest. The very fact that the Jewish worshipper partook of the same meat offered in sacrifice identified him as a worshipper of God. The God to whom he sacrificed identified him in communion and fellowship with God; it identified him as a worshipper of God.

4.   Participation in idolatry is meaningless worship (v. 19). The idol, whatever it is, is nothing. It has no existence, no soul, no spirit, no power, no objective being. An idol is nothing more than the imagination and idea within a man’s mind. It is nothing more than a figment of man’s imagination.

5.   Participation in idolatry is fellowshipping with demons (v. 20). The devil and his angels or demons are behind all idolatry, whether the idolatry of a heathen society or of an educated society. Scripture definitely declares:

Eph 6:12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

2 Cor 11:14-15  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be w hat their actions deserve.

Satan is out to cut the heart of God and to destroy God’s purpose in saving man. Satan does this by turning men away from the Lord Jesus Christ, by enticing men to give their lives to the things and gods of this world. When a person becomes consumed with anything upon this earth, then he has fulfilled the will of Satan: he has turned to something other than God. The man prefers something else over God.

Note what Scripture says: when people make sacrifices (whether animals or self) to something other than God, they are sacrificing to demons. One thing is certain: the offering of their allegiance and commitment is not to God. And it is not to some man-made thing or idol, for idols and things are nothing. They are meaningless as objects of worship. To whom then does a person offer his allegiance? Scripture says to demons. Note the clear statement: “I do not want you to be participants with demons.” In other words, “Flee idolatry.”

6.   Participation in idolatry condemns a person (v. 21). It is utterly impossible to participate in the true worship of God and in the worship of demons.

1 Cor 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.

7.   A person cannot be a guest of the Lord at His table and a guest at the table of idolatrous demons. God will not allow it. Such hypocrisy provokes the Lord. And we are not stronger than He. We cannot escape His judgment if we practice idolatry.

Rom 1:21- 22, 25  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools...They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen.

1 John 5:21  Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

Exo 20:4  “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” (cp. Lev. 26:1)

Deut 11:16  Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.

Deut 16:22  And do not erect a sacred stone, for these the Lord your God hates.

Psa 81:9  You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.

Isa 42:8  “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.” ♣

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