Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites had many spiritual blessings, yet they continued to lust after evil things. Paul warns the Corinthian believers that the judgment of God fell on their ancestors because of their lust and that the judgment of God will fall on them, too, if they continue in lust.
Paul pointed out the sins of their ancestors were set out in Scripture as a warning to them. Many were sexual, such as fornication and idolatry (which included sexual sins as a part of their religion.)
Then Paul explains that the act of partaking of communion is a symbol of the unification of the partakers with each other and with Christ. Similarly, eating meat sacrificed to idols unifies the believers who partake with the pagans, who are actually worshiping demons.
Paul advises the believers that they should feel free to eat this meat if no one has made an issue of it being sacrificed to idols; but otherwise, they should avoid it because they will be unifying themselves with the pagans who are sacrificing this meat to demons."Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils" (1 Co 10:21).
How to make application for today? Believers may go along with certain practices that are really religious in nature, such as evolution; certain environmentalism beliefs (worshiping Mother Earth); certain meditation techniques, as in yoga; astrology, karma and numerous other Eastern mystic beliefs; the power of positive thinking, and others too many to list. "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils...." It is impossible to be unified and in fellowship with God if a person is unified and in fellowship with demons.
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