“Be Reminded Of The Supremacy Of Christ!”

‘Be Reminded Of The Supremacy Of Christ II!”(I Cor.81-6).
A common expression that some people use in friendly chat is “I know, right?” What exactly do you know?
A contention arose at Corinth concerning food offered to idols. It seems like each person was claiming to have knowledge of what the solution should be. In addressing the issue Paul said, “The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God…”
E. Balaji Idowu, one of the pioneers of African theology said a shortcoming of missionary activity on the African continent was that they spent more time fighting African idols and gods while spending less time propagating the gospel. The African landscape may be inundated with idols and gods but they have a clear distinction between God and gods. In his book, Olodumarè – God in Yoruba Belief, Idowu argues that the Yorubas have only one Supreme Deity, Olodumarè, and all the other gods are his messengers.
This is in line with the five-tier ontology according to John S. Mbiti. This ontology is anthropomorphic. At the apex is God the creator, provider and sustainer of his creation. Below him are spiritual beings. These include the spirits of ancestors and the spirits created as spirits. These spirits provide the link of interaction between God and humanbeings. Humanbeings are third on the ladder. Below humans are animate things and at the bottom are inanimate objects. Humanbeings are intentionally in the middle as all the others, from God down to the inanimate objects are there to serve humans.
What this means is that gods/spirits – including idols can never be equated to God. As we have noticed, gods and spirits are messengers between God and humans. The spirits are below God but above humans.
Now if a humanbeing carves an idol out of wood as a representation of God or gods, that piece of wood cannot be equated to God. If a rock, a deep or lake or a grove is considered a shrine, those objects cannot become rivals to God who created them.
True knowledge comes only when we love God and devote ourselves in seeking him more and more.
The world is a global village. People are constantly on the move and as we travel around we cannot ask to know whether the food or drinks we buy are prepared by Christians. We cannot ask whether the beef we buy was first dedicated to an idol or to a god.
The person who is Godcentered does not spend time on such trifles. Otherwise we become like the child who, because his father was a hunter vowed to eat only the hindleg of any meat his father brought home. Everything was fine until the day his father brought home a python and they had to feast on it for a whole month.
So therefore my friend, “about food sacrificed to idols: “We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’), yet for us there is but one God, the Father from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”
Unfortunately as Paul puts it,“Not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God…”(I Cor.8:7-8).
Bottom line my friend: Yesterday we stressed on the Supremacy of Christ over esoteric fraternities. Today we stress the Supremacy of Christ over idols, spirits and gods. Food that come from their shrines are not taboos to us as long as we love God in Christ and seek his counsel daily. But we are not compelled to eat such food as if it adds anything to our salvation.
Prayer: Holy Spirit turn our hearts from vain glory and to focus on our love for God in Christ Jesus. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.