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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Co_8:4-6
4Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
1Co_8:4 "we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world" There is a word play on the connotations in these versesbetween the Hebrew concept of "know" as personal relationship (cf. 1Co_8:3; Gen_4:1; Jer_1:5) and the Greek connotation of "know" as facts about something or someone (cf. 1Co_8:1-2; 1Co_8:4).
In the OT idols were "empty" or "vain." They were not gods at all (cf. 2Ch_13:9; Isa_37:19; Isa_41:29; Jer_2:11; Act_14:15; Gal_4:8). Paul, later in 1 Corinthians, asserts that demons use people's superstitions and idolatry (cf. 1Co_10:20), but there is no reality to idols!
▣ "there is no God but one" This is the theological affirmation of monotheism (cf. 1Ti_2:5-6). According to biblical revelation there is only one true God (cf. 1Co_8:6; Deu_4:35; Deu_4:39; Psa_86:8; Psa_86:10). Often the OT speaks of other "elohim" (i.e., spiritual beings), but none like (i.e., in the same category, cf. Exo_20:2-3; Deu_32:39) YHWH (cf. Exo_15:11; Psa_86:8; Psa_89:6). The Jewish prayer called the Shema from Deu_6:4, is the Jewish affirmation quoted daily and at every worship service asserting the uniqueness and oneness of YHWH (cf. Mar_12:28-29).
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1Co_8:6 "yet for us there is but one God" This is the theological affirmation of monotheism. See note at 1Co_8:4.
In the history of religion there have been several categories of beliefs about deity.
1. animism, spiritual beings are related to natural processes or objects
2. polytheism, the existence of many gods
3. henotheism, many gods, but only one god for us (i.e., tribe, nation, geographical area)
4. monotheism, the existence of only one God (not the High God of a pantheon)
This text asserts the existence of many spiritual beings (cf. 1Co_8:5), but only one true God (cf. 1Co_8:4, see hyperlink at 1Co_8:4). For those in the Judeo-Christian tradition there is only one creator/redeemer God who exists in three eternal persons. See Special Topic at 1Co_2:10.
▣ "the Father" This is a wonderful intimate, personal, familial title for deity. It emphasizes God's immanence. This aspect of God can only be known by His self-revelation, not human philosophy or discovery.
Although this familial title appears in the OT sparsely (cf. Deu_32:5-6; Isa_63:16; Isa_64:8; Jer_31:9; Jer_31:20; Hos_11:3-4; Mal_1:6; Mal_2:10), it was Jesus, the Son, who fully revealed this astonishing, intimate, metaphorical analogy (cf. "our Father," Mat_6:9; Mat_23:9; Eph_4:6; Abba, Mar_14:36). See Special Topic at 1Co_1:3).
▣ "from whom are all things" This is affirmation of God as creator (cf. 1Co_11:12; Rom_11:36; 2Co_5:18; Col_1:16; Heb_2:10). See hyperlink at 1Co_15:20.
▣ "and we exist for Him" God made the world as a stage for humankind to have fellowship with Himself. Once the results of human rebellion (cf. Genesis 3) have been overcome in our salvation and restoration through Christ, we understand our intended purpose. Once the image of God in mankind is restored through Christ then the intimate, personal fellowship of Eden is restored.
▣ "one Lord, Jesus Christ" The title "Lord" reflects an OT translation of YHWH, which is the Hebrew verb "to be" (cf. Exo_3:14, see Special Topic at 1Co_2:8). The Jews were afraid to pronounce this holy name lest they take it in vain, therefore, they substituted the Hebrew term Adon or Lord.
Calling Jesus Lord (i.e., kurios is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Adon) is a way of affirming His deity and oneness with YHWH (cf. Php_2:11). The concept of oneness is also significant (cf. Eph_4:5; 1Ti_2:5).
Although Paul does not use Theos (i.e., God) for Jesus in this context, he does use it of Jesus in Act_20:28; Rom_9:5; and Tit_2:13 and Theotçtus in Col_2:9. There can be no doubt that in Paul's mind Jesus is divine. Paul was a strict monotheist. He never qualifies how one God can eternally exist in three personal manifestations, but that is the obvious conclusion. See hyperlink at 1Co_2:10.
▣ "by whom are all things, and we exist through Him" Jesus was the Father's agent in creation (cf. Joh_1:3; Col_1:16; Heb_1:2). This was the role of personified wisdom in Pro_8:22-31. Wisdom is feminine in Hebrew (cf. Pro_8:1-21) because the noun "wisdom" (BDB 315) is a feminine gender noun. In this passage we see the tension between our affirmation of monotheism and the NT revelation of the Trinity. See Special Topic at 1Co_2:10.