Christians Interacting With Pagans.

1 Corinthians 10:16-22 NLT
¹⁶ When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. ¹⁸ Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?
¹⁹ What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? ²⁰ No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. ²² What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?

Examine the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 10:16-22 NLT
¹⁶ When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 

Communion:

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NLT)
²³ … On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread ²⁴ and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”²⁶ For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

¹⁷ And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. 

Communion: “to have in common, to participate and have partnership with.”

A picture of unity.

Worship

• The collective worship of Christians at the Lord’s Supper is a picture of unity and worship as Believers all eat from one loaf of bread.

The common bond to all Christians, celebrated at communion, is the gift of salvation, adoption into the family of God, paid for by the blood of Jesus.

Our relationship with Jesus needs to be taken seriously.  This is not designed to be a causal relationship.

¹⁸ Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?

A similar picture of unity and worship was when the people of Israel ate the sacrifices at the altar.

The Israelites messed up.

 ¹⁹ What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 

This issue is not about food.

It is not the food that is significant.

²⁰ No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God.

It is the recipients of the food that is significant.

This is about relationships.

• An offering to an idol is an offering to demons.

And I don’t want you to participate with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too.  

• The Corinthians were eating at the table of demons when they participated in pagan feasts.

• When we participate in the evil behaviors of the world we are eating at the table of demons.

• Christians must flee from all forms of idolatry.

 Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)
¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

John 17:15 (NLT)
¹⁵ I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.

• Christians are in a spiritual battle.

• Participation with demons is unthinkable.

• Participation in any form of idolatry is unacceptable.

Who would do this?

King Solomon

1 Kings 11:1-11 (NLT)
Solomon’s Many Wives
¹ Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. ² The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. ³ He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.
⁴ In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. ⁵ Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁶ In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he refused to follow the Lord completely, as his father, David, had done.
⁷ On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a pagan shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁸ Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.
⁹ The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. ¹⁰ He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command. ¹¹ So now the Lord said to him, “Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants.

 Who would do this? We all did.

We did live in sin.

Ephesians 2:2 (NLT)
² You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

We were taken out of this lifestyle.

Colossians 1:13 (NLT)
¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

We are being renewed.  The process is not complete.

Ephesians 4:21-24 (NLT)
²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

We are in a battle.

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NLT)
The Whole Armor of God
¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

²² What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?

1 Corinthians 11:27-28 (NLT)
²⁷ So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.²⁸ That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 

• Examine yourself.

Now our idols are things like pride, money, popularity, hobbies, careers, fame, status, education, houses, cars, and the like.

Are any of these causing you to eat at the table of demons?