A. There is only one, the living and true God.
6 “This is what the LORD says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. (Isaiah 44:6)
so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. (1 Kings 8:60)
4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 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. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)
19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. (1 Cor. 10:19-20)
Thoughts: There are two trains of thought about idols in scripture. One is that idols are nothing at all but pieces of wood (1 Cor. 8:4). The other is that idols and other gods are demonic, and there are indeed spiritual powers or beings behind the idol but not for good. Once when I was in Cuba I spoke to a vudu priest (they called it African religion there). He told me that they believe in a high and holy God, but that there are other gods not quite as powerful that pave the way between us and Him. Christians recognize angels, demons, and other powerful spiritual beings but do not worship them. Calvin spoke of anything that claims first love in our heart (money, work, sports, even family members) can become an idol for us. We should remember that the Lord alone is worthy of our worship.
Prayer: May I give my heart and soul to you alone, O Lord.
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