One Bread, One Body: Flee Idolatry Through Covenant Fellowship

Those who share in Christ at the Lord’s table must flee idolatry.

The Lord’s Supper proclaims the gospel of Christ’s sacrificial death and unites believers in the blessings of His redeeming work. Through His body given and His blood shed, the church participates in the grace of the new covenant and remembers the salvation accomplished at the cross.

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as a covenant meal that proclaims His sacrificial death and unites His followers in remembrance and fellowship.

Paul commands believers to flee idolatry and explains that participation in the Lord’s Supper expresses real spiritual fellowship with Christ and with His people.

After warning about the dangers of temptation and recalling Israel’s failures, Paul addresses the immediate concern of idolatry within Corinthian culture. The issue involves participation in pagan temple meals and sacrificial feasts. Paul contrasts such participation with the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, where believers share in the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice. This comparison demonstrates that worship participation reflects spiritual allegiance.

Corinthian society frequently held communal meals associated with temple sacrifices. Participation in these meals was both social and religious, often tied to honoring specific deities.