Principalities & Powers, #5

Posted by owner on March 2, 2010

The fifth in a series of studies of references to demons in Paul’s Epistles

Behind the Scenes

“Do I mean that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you participants with demons” (1 Corinthians 10:19,20).

Background

It was frustrating. Some folks in Corinth liked steak. And the best stakes were sold at the meat markets behind pagan temples. Of course, the meat had been offered to pagan deities. But these folks know that the gods pagan worshipped weren’t gods at all. Confident that non-existent deities couldn’t pollute meat offered to them, other Christians didn’t agree. To them the pagan gods and goddesses they had worshipped were far too real, and they wanted nothing to do with them. Naturally, each side was critical of the other. The steak eaters looked down on the doubtful. How could they imagine the old gods had any influence at al?. The “no steak for me” group wondered, how could a real Christian have anything at all to do with meat that had been dedicated to a pagan deity?

In responding to this situation Paul first sets the theological dispute aside. When people argue theology, he suggests, there’s a prior issue. And that prior issue is love. We have to make sure that our disputes don’t shatter the unity of the Spirit, and we do that by making sure that even in disagreement we do nothing to hurt one another. So, meat eaters, be so sensitive to the conscience of those who are offended at eating temple meat that you’re willing to give up that porterhouse for their sake. And you others, don’t condemn those who are enjoying a sirloin. Start by showing love to each other, and in that context the Spirit will teach each of you.

The theological issue

When Paul does get to the theological issue. he commends both sides. It’s certainly true that the gods the pagan’s worship don’t exist. But it’s also true that there are evil spiritual forces that masquerade as the deities. And those forces, which are very real, are demons. And it’s not wise to have any kind of involvement with demons.

It’s not that meat is the issue. If your conscience doesn’t bother you because you know the deities pagans worship are unreal, have a steak. But if your conscience does bother you and you can’t separate the steak from the gods the meat was offered to, don’t eat it. But any Christian, if out to dinner and the host announces that the meat dish has been dedicated to this god or that goddess, then definitely don’t eat . . . . for the sake of host’s conscience.

What it boils down to is, don’t dabble with demons. And anything, in any culture, that’s associated with demons is something believers should stay away from.

The underlying reality

In the extended passage in 1 Corinthians where Paul discusses the dispute over steak he emphasizes an underlying reality. And that is that demons are real, and that the believer is to have no association with demons.

Today the issue that led to disagreement in Corinth is irrelevant for most of us. Meat is no longer sold behind pagan temples after being sacrificed to pagan deities. And very few of us are invited to banquets where we’re told the main dish has been dedicated to a god or goddess.
There is, however, an analogous situation that is totally relevant to believers in our culture. And that is in the area of the occult. Today far too many Christians are apt to glance at their horoscope, or to visit a tea room and “just for fun” have their palms or the tea leaves read. Research by The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life shows that 1 in 4 Americans believe there is “spiritual energy” in such things as crystals, and the same number claim to trust in astrology. And these figures include many who attend evangelical churches.
I’m writing this in Los Angeles, where I’m doing a radio program promoting one of my Freedom Workshops. Before flying here I went on the internet to check www.MeetUp.com to see how many and what kinds of occult-oriented groups are meeting regularly within 25 miles of Glendale, where station KKLA is located. Here’s what I found.

• There are 222 “Channeling and Mediums” groups. Among them,
Spirit Circle at Indian Springs Ranch, 16 members
Modern Mystics in Pasadena, 114 members
Great Goddess Circle, 147 members

• There are 102 “Channeling and Psychic Development” groups. Among them,
The Psychic Adventure, Sherman Oaks 97 members
Psychic Development of Santa Monica, 191 members
Behind the Veil [keltic shamanism] 62 members

• There are 324 Sorcery, Wicca, Meditation and Magic groups. Among them,
LA Pagan and Witches network, 557 members
Pasadena Witches MeetUp group, 191 members
San Gabriel Valley Witch and Wiccan , 130 members

• There are 40 Paranormal exploration MeetUp groups. Among them. SoCal Remote Viewing Group, 57 members
The Psychic Medium Collective 350 members

And this is the tip of the iceberg.

The tragedy is that just as in the first century demons were behind the deities pagans worshipped, so demons are behind and are active in every form of the occult. Paul’s conclusion, “I do not want you participants with demons,” is especially relevant today.