Judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? (1 Cor. 10:15–16)
For many people, taking Communion is one of the most meaningful experiences in all of Christianity. Communion is a celebration of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. By eating the bread and drinking the cup, Christians publicly affirm that we are members of the eternal, worldwide body of Christ.
Paul’s warnings against idolatry in 1 Corinthians 10 are from a discussion about eating meat offered to idols. Christians had different points of view about whether this practice was acceptable. In chapters 8–9, Paul insisted that Christians can decide for themselves what seems best in matters like this. In today’s verses, Paul offered additional guidance. He compared the eating of food offered to idols to taking the bread and wine of Communion. If taking Communion is a way of identifying with the body of Christ, then does eating food offered to idols identify us with those idols? Paul didn’t provide a one-size-fits-all answer, because the answer would differ depending on the situation. He wanted them to think for themselves.
While Christians today are rarely asked to eat meat offered to idols, we are often challenged to decide whether to embrace various cultural expressions or movements—from “Christian nationalism” to social justice movements. A key question is whether such activities align us with “the table of demons” or reflect our “participation in the blood of Christ” and “the body of Christ.”
Exercise your freedom in Christ wisely.
Kevin R. Scott is a pastor, author of ReCreatable: How God Heals the Brokenness of Life, and editor for Wesleyan Publishing House. He lives with his family in middle Tennessee.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
