NOTES for Co1 8:5-6

In Gospel times there were many religions in the pagan world. And Paul, of course, knew this very well: he had been born in Tarsus, a pagan city. In his life he had to see many different gods and cults. He does not try at all to deny their existence. He only gives them the proper assessment. "So-called gods," he says of them. And he adds: in the world there are many gods, and many lords as well. But God with a capital letter is one. In this way the apostle defines the attitude of Christianity, and of monotheism in general, toward paganism.

Christians, like other monotheists, look at religious life quite realistically. It is senseless to deny what is real for a pagan. In the end, gods are produced not by nature, but by man. It is man who creates gods for himself in his own image and likeness. And makes these gods his lords. Although it appears to the pagan himself that his gods exist for his sake. That they protect him and help him. But in practice it turns out that he cannot live without these gods.

The gods created by human imagination really do become his lords, his masters. Not imaginary, but entirely real. And only the true God, the one with a capital letter, frees man. This is not surprising: fallen man will not create for himself gods who could free him from himself. That would most of all resemble trying to pull oneself out of a swamp by one's own hair.

The true God is another matter: man did not create Him. On the contrary, He created man. And only He can save the man He created and free him from sin. But man does not always understand this. Fallen man is still more accustomed to his own gods. They may not always be able to help, but they do not demand the renunciation of a fallen yet familiar and habitual world. The true God, when He saves, will lead a person into His Kingdom. There is no other way to help a person. And here one will have to decide on serious change. Or remain with one's gods, with one's sins, and with one's masters.