MAIN IDEA: Worship creates or expresses communion. Because we belong to Christ and commune with Christ, we cannot commune with rival powers. Therefore, we must flee idolatry.

I. FLEE FALSE WORSHIP - vv. 14-15

Idolatry is disordered worship.

Idolatry occurs when worship goes wrong concerning:

1. The object of worship - worshiping the creature rather than the creator (Rom. 1:21-25)
2. The manner or means of worship - attempting to worship the true God in a way He has not appointed.

Principle: God cares both whom we worship and how we worship Him.

II. THE LORDS TABLE IS COMMUNION WITH CHRIST - vv. 16-17

John 6:53-57; 1 Cor. 11:23-29

III. EVERY ALTER HAS A COMMUNION - v. 18

Three Sacred Meals

Israel's alter - participation in Yahweh's sacrificial worship

Pagan alter - participation with demons

Lord's Table - participation with Christ

Principle: A sacred meal establishes or expresses communion with God or spiritual power who's table it is.

IV. BEHIND THE IDOL IS A DEMON - vv. 19-20

Ps. 106:36-39

V. YOU CAN HAVE ONLY ONE COMMUNION - v. 21

VI. THE LORD IS JEALOUS FOR HIS PEOPLE - v. 22

Gal 5:19, 1 Sam 18:6-7, 12, 2 Cor 11:2, Deut 32:21, James 1:13

PAUL'S ARGUMENT AS A CHIASM

Chiasm: A literary structure in which ideas correspond in an inverted pattern (A-B-C-D-C'-B'-A')

A. Flee idolatry - v. 14

B. Cup and bread: participation in Christ - vv. 15-17

C. Israel: participants in the alter - v. 18

D. Idols are nothing, but pagans sacrifice to demons vv. 19-20a

C'. Do not become participants with demons v. 20b

B'. Lord's cup/table vs. demons' cup/table - v. 21

A'. Do not provoke the Lord to jealousy - v. 22

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

18 Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.

Sermon Outline

1. Scripture text

Paul addresses Christian freedom, the body, sexual purity, and the call to glorify God as those who have been bought at a price.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

2. Introduction: A Hard-Hitting Section of Scripture

The church is invited to meditate on God's Word and allow Scripture to bring light to difficult arias of life.

Psalm 1:2; Joshua 1:8-9

3. Main Point: We Belong to God

believers belong entirely to God in body, mind, and spirit, and this in truth is liberating rather than stifling.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

4. Understanding 1 Corinthians 6:12-14

Paul distinguishes temporary, morally neutral acts like eating from sexual conduct, which carries deep and lasting spiritual significance.

1 Cor. 6:15-17; Prov. 4:23; John 15:5; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; Isa. 26:3

5. Members of Christ: 1 Corinthians 6:12-17

Believers are physically united to Christ, making sexual immorality a direct offense against that sacred union.

1 Cor 6:15-17; Prov. 4:23; John 15:5; Phil 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; Isa. 26:3

6. Application: Thoughts Lead to Actions

What we dwell on in the heart and mind will inevitably show itself in our behavior and fruit.

Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 10:5

7. The Command: Flee Sexual Immorality

Rather than trying to overpower temptation, believers are commanded simply to run from it entirely.

1 Corinthians 16:18; Proverbs 5

1 Corinthians 7:1-7

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

12. “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16. Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17. But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

18. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20. you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1. If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2. Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3. Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4. Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5. I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6. But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

7. The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8. Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

1. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this?

3. Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus, 5. hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.

6. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough? 7. Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.

9. I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10. I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11. But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

12. What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13. God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

1 Corinthians 5

18. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

1 Corinthians 4:18-21