1 Corinthians 10:16
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
The cup and the bread show that to partake is to have communion in the sense of real union with that which is partaken of. The cup of blessing stands in contrast to the cup of suffering that Christ took from guilty humanity, for as substitute and surety He bore the penalty and wrath due to sin in order to give the cup of blessing in its place. The warning against idolatry connected with this truth applies to all time and is specially adapted to the needs of the present day.
Because communion means union, joining in idolatrous practices creates union with the enemies of God. In this warning idolatry means not only the worship of idols but also selfishness, love of ease, and the gratification of appetite and passion. Mere profession of faith in Christ and boastful knowledge of the truth does not make a person a Christian. A religion that seeks only to gratify the eye, the ear, and the taste, or that permits any hurtful self-indulgence, is not the religion of Christ but is in harmony with the spirit of the world and opposed to the teachings of Scripture. Festivals and scenes of amusement in which professed members of the Christian church imitate the customs of the world and enjoy its pleasures constitute a virtual union with the enemies of God.