Paul’s Higher Standard

Meditations in First Corinthians

May 31, 2022

Paul’s Higher Standard

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?

1 Corinthians 10:16

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Paul again returns to the theme of eating meat sacrificed to idols. Previously, Paul called the church to the self-sacrificial living that he describes explicitly in Philippians 2:3-4. (Quoted on May 20 & 23) In today’s passage, he is appealing to a higher standard. I remember standing in the courtyard during a break between seminary classes. A couple of the students were smoking. Another student passed by and quipped, “Do you kiss your wife with that mouth?” This is pointing to Paul’s higher standard.

In verse 16, quoted above, Paul reminds the church of the deep spiritual significance in our participation in the Eucharist, or Holy Communion. Paul was asserting that it was repulsive to have something sacrificed to a demon pass the same lips that had tasted the bread and wine of Holy Communion. Paul is quite blunt: you can’t partake at the Lord’s Table, and of the table of demons too. (v.21)

My Takeaway: To the best of my knowledge, I have never been offered food or drink that had been sacrificed to idols or demons. How then do I draw meaning from today’s passage to my life? I recall a quote in my May 26 meditation: “There are some things that we simply cannot agree to disagree on.” Here is another topic in need of serious meditation: Are there places in my life where I am not fulfilling the ways of God so that I can go along to get along?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.