NOTES for Co1 8:5-6

In gospel times there were many religions in the pagan world. Paul, of course, knew this perfectly well: he had been born in Tarsus, a pagan city. In his life he had to see many different gods and cults. And he does not try at all to deny that they exist. He only gives them the corresponding evaluation. "So-called gods," he says of them. And he adds: in the world there are many gods and many lords. But God with a capital letter is one. In this way the apostle defines the relation of Christianity and of monotheism in general to paganism.

Christians, like other monotheists, look at religious life quite realistically. It is meaningless to deny what is reality for a pagan. After all, gods are produced not by nature, but by the human being. A person creates gods for himself in his own image and likeness. And he makes these gods his lords. Although to the pagan himself it seems that his gods exist for him, that they protect him and help him. In reality it turns out that he cannot live without these gods.

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

The true God is different: He was not created by man. On the contrary, He created man. And only He can save the human being He created and free him from sin. Only a person 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 that he abandon a fallen yet familiar and habitual world. But the true God, in saving, will lead him into His Kingdom. A person cannot be helped otherwise. And here one will have to decide on serious change. Or remain with one's gods, one's sins, and one's masters.