Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)

There Is No Other God But One

Idolatry is the height of foolishness for anyone to engage in. For all the wisdom of man, he makes himself a fool to take an inanimate object and make it his totem to worship. The prophet Isaiah wrote about the foolishness of human reasoning in cutting down a tree, using some of the wood to cook his food, and then fashioning the rest into an idol. He then bows down to the idol seeking deliverance and guidance. Idols never speak. They never move on their own. The difference between the one true God and an idol is that God created man, but man creates his own god in idolatry. How does something created by the fashion of a man’s hand become a god to rely on or deliver from trouble?

The early church faced a world dominated by idolatry. In every Roman city, idols flourished and temples abounded in great numbers. Some cities, like Laodicea, were centers of imperial worship with the coveted recognition of temple-wardenship. Philadelphia was known as the “Little Athens” because it had numerous temples and festivals dedicated to pagan deities. Idolatry was woven into every fabric of society in the Roman world of the early Christian era. The Christians faced a daily barrage of idolatry, facing persecution for not being part of the worship of idols or emperors. John addressed these challenges in the Revelation. Pressure from the idol worshippers would bring a heavy price against the saints of God.

Idolatry is the reason Israel was rejected as the people of God. When Israel conquered Canaan, the Lord warned them against adopting the ways of the nations around them. They did not listen. During the days of the Judges, idolatry plagued the hearts of God’s people with a vicious cycle of rebellion, relief, and restoration. After the death of Solomon, Israel fell headlong into idolatry, leading to the destruction of the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom taken into captivity by Babylon. In principle, the captivity was meant to cure Israel of idolatry. The early church faced a pagan world filled with idolatry. One of the trials for the saints was the influence of idolatry. It was a challenge for those who once served idols to see the purity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul would write extensively, helping the young Christians learn that idols were nothing and that there was only one God and one Lord, Jesus Christ.

For those who have never lived under the influence of idolatry, the experiences of the early disciples are hard to see. Eating meat offered to idols bothered some of the saints who once worshipped idols. Paul wanted the Corinthian disciples to make the distinction that there was but one God, and He is the only true God. There is no other God but the one God. The concept of “one God” was a foreign idea to the pagan world, accustomed to the multitude of gods and lords. Jesus was the Son of God, and there was only one Father. There is only one God. He is the Father of the saved. All things consist in Him, and the Christian must live for the one true God. There is only one Lord Jesus Christ. The pagan world accepted many lords. In the church of Christ, there was only one Savior and Lord. All blessings are in Christ Jesus. Life is found only in Jesus Christ.

The radical doctrine on only one true God rattled the theocracy of the pagan world. Believing there was only one God and one Lord flew in the face of emperor worship, idolatry, where the worship of many, many gods was accepted. The first-century Christians proclaimed that there was only one God, rejecting gods like Diana, Roma, Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and thousands more. If a man stood on the street corner and pronounced there was one God, he would be assaulted. The Roman world embraced idolatry, with its multitude of gods and lords. Paul reminded the saints that there is only one true God.

The message of monotheism (belief in one God) is not accepted in many parts of the world. Buddhists follow the god Buddha, among others. Hindu followers worship the gods Ganesha, Shiva, Krishna, and many others. In Shinto (Japanese), the gods are referred to as “kami.” Many religions and their offspring worship one form of a god or another. In Christ, there is but one God. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. No man can take the role (like the Catholic Pope). Revering the Pope as “God on earth” is idolatry at its core. The Bible teaches only one God. There is only one God. Whatever men create is false gods with no power. Eternity is not filled with the gods of this world but the one true God who made all things.