“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.”

Grey areas, so-called, do have black and white truth after all. Remember the discussion back in chapter 8, which begins with, “Now concerning things sacrificed to idols….” The issue there was not to judge people’s freedom to indulge in temple food, nor to judge another’s reservation. Since an idol is nothing, essentially a person can have a free conscience to eat that food. However, that is not the end of the discussion! Idolatry is still wrong!

Arguments about whether certain activities are lawful are inane, for inherently they are based on law, from which Christians have been freed. Rather, the question becomes this: what is the grace-filled reason for engaging or refraining from an activity? What is right and wrong based on Christ and Him crucified?

Paul can definitively say, without contradiction, to the person who claims freedom to eat food offered to idols, “Flee from idolatry.” Not because it is on a list of do’s and don’ts, but because it makes absolutely no sense in light of our new life in Christ. Why would a Christian even want to get close to idolatry or anything that smells or tastes of it? Now, whether or not he is including eating food purchased in the meat market that was previously offered to idols, but not eaten by a Christian in the context of idol worship—that is subject to further discussion. But let no one think Paul is saying the issue should be sniffed at by the arrogant individual who feels he is above others because of his self-believed enlightenment. He should “take heed that he does not fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).

So Paul now refocuses the question by appealing to wisdom and godly judgment (not law). The proper context for this discussion is the Lord’s remembrance meal, and Paul builds on this over the next few verses. The symbolism is important. Paul calls into question their understanding of the Lord’s Supper and its profound significance. Christians today would do well to listen carefully. When we take the wine, we are “sharing the blood of Christ.” Not literally, of course, but we imbibe deeply of His death on the cross. His blood was shed for our sins. When we break bread and eat it, we share in His body that was broken for us. Paul elaborates on this in the next chapter, but here he calls the Corinthians to the symbolism that we have become partakers with Christ and with each other. If the bread and wine are symbolically significant, then food that symbolizes pagan worship is significantly to be avoided. Does that not make sense?

Lord, I do not want to minimize the symbols of Christ and Him crucified.