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Fighting Temptation and Sin - 1 Corinthians 10:1-22
Today we are going to talk about the first part of 1 Corinthians 10. This passage has many historical references, and it shows how important it is that we are educated in the Old Testament as the Corinthian Christians evidently were, for the Old Testament supports the New Testament. First we will read the passage, then we will review the stories behind it, and then we will return to this passage once again.
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Many years ago, Israel was enslaved in Egypt. God delivered them using Moses and ten miraculous plagues. Pharaoh set them free, and they set off toward the Promised Land. God appeared as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, leading them to freedom. But Pharaoh had a change of heart and sent his army after them. The people of Israel found themselves trapped against the Red Sea or the Sea of Reeds, unable to cross, with the army swiftly approaching. God moved his cloud down to earth behind Israel, blocking the army from reaching them. Then God split the sea, water rising up in a heap on both sides, and the Israelites walked through the sea on the dry ground. When Israel was safely across, God allowed Pharaoh to pursue them through the sea and sent the waters rushing back into place, drowning Pharaoh’s army and delivering Israel. This story is known as the Exodus.
As they traveled through the wilderness, Israel needed food. God made a bread-like substance called manna appear on the ground every morning for the Israelites to eat, and He also sent quail. When they ran short on water, God told Moses to strike a rock with his staff, and water gushed out of it, enough to quench the thirst of all of Israel. Tradition outside the Bible held that this rock, or the water from the rock as a stream, then followed Israel through the wilderness.
Despite all these miracles, Israel refused to trust God and turned to idolatry, and so God declared that not one of the adults who had left captivity in Egypt would enter the Promised Land, excepting only Joshua and Caleb, who had shown themselves faithful.
Again and again, Israel turned from God. While Moses was with God on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments and the Law, Israel persuaded Moses’ brother, Aaron, to make for them a golden calf to worship. “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry
Later, Israel began going after Moabite women and worshipping Moabite gods. God sent a plague in punishment, and 24,000 people died in that plague; perhaps Paul was saying that 23,000 were in one day of this plague.
Israel also complained against God, and God sent snakes to bite them, from which they died. Paul adds that God sent a destroying angel after them, using the same terminology as the angel of death in the plagues of Egypt.
Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 10 again.
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
In Paul’s brief history of Israel, he starts with two important concepts. The first is baptism, in which he compares the Israelites’ salvation by escaping through the sea to baptism, a central piece of our salvation. We do not believe that a person is saved by being baptized; however, baptism is a part of salvation. All Christians are commanded to be baptized. It is part of the salvation process to publicly declare with your speech and through baptism your faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus and your allegiance to Jesus Christ as your Lord and King.
Second, Paul writes about God’s provision of manna and water, which he calls “spiritual food” and “spiritual drink,” drawing an allusion to Communion, also known as the Lord’s Table, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, and “the bread and the cup.” Paul speaks overtly of Communion later in this passage. Worth a note is the symbolism he puts in sharing a common loaf of bread: one loaf representing one body of believers.
Why is Paul telling this story? Just as the Chosen People, Israel, went through baptism, ate and drank spiritual communion, and experienced the mighty wonders of God, so have the Chosen People, the Elect, the Corinthians. Despite these spiritual experiences of God, Israel sinned and chased after demons, false gods, and despite their “Chosen” status, God destroyed them: they were un-chosen. Even while Israel as a nation remained, these people did not. Paul’s warning to Christians is the same: your baptism, participation in Communion, and experience of the mighty works of God, even miracles or your own salvation, will not save you from God’s wrath and destruction if you turn away from Him.
Here Paul is writing about idol worship, which is the same as demon worship. But do not let down your guard saying, “I don’t worship idols.” Remember that Israel’s sins included sexual immorality of all kinds: this was also demon worship. Remember that Israel’s sins included complaining against God: this was also demon worship. Every sin is a rejection of God in favor of self and the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of demons. James writes in James 3, “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” Furthermore, Paul writes to Timothy, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
But these things are not a condemnation of you. They are a warning, and Paul writes here a verse that is very significant to me:
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Temptation is a part of life, because we live in sin-filled world, but God’s got your back. God will never let you be tempted too much. He always makes sure that you are strong enough to handle it. He also always provides a way out: you never have to sin. We were all created in the image and likeness of God, and that means that we were all given the godly ability to choose right from wrong. It was God’s plan for mankind, starting with Adam and Eve, always to have free will, as He has free will, and to have the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but always, like Jesus, to choose Good. The Tempter lied to Adam and Eve, telling them that they could not have the Knowledge of Good and Evil and be like God unless they ate from the Tree. In reality, had they chosen not to eat, they would still have had the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but they would have chosen Good and actually been like God, without sin!
Every opportunity to sin is an opportunity to not sin and to be like God.
But we all sin. Every single one of us sins. We all follow the pattern set by our parents, Adam and Eve, of choosing ourselves over God. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” We all die because we all sin. You do not die because Adam and Eve sinned. You die because you sinned. This death is both physical and spiritual: our bodies decay and die, but our spirits are eternal, either living forever in relationship with God or dying forever in separation from God. Every sin separates us from God. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When Jesus died, “He died for us so that . . . we may live together with him.” Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all people, and He died in our place, fulfilling the consequence of our sin, which is death. Then Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death forever and bringing life to all who trust in Him. “If Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.” God “has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” Your broken relationship with God is now fixed. Your sins no longer follow you. You are free to live a life of righteousness with Him.
Do you want eternal life? All you have to do is believe in Jesus. To “believe” means to place your life in His hands. You believe by “repenting” from your sins, which means to turn away from them and run to God your Loving Father. You repent by “confessing” your sins to God and pledging allegiance to Him, your new Master, Lord, and King. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
You can do this today!
Now, for all of you who believe, know that temptation will come but God has made you like Him and entrusted you with the freedom to choose Right over Wrong. He will never let you be tempted too much: He will always help you through it. Stand firm! Don’t let sin win the day!
And when you sin, quickly confess your sin, seek God’s forgiveness, know you are forgiven, and do not stay in your sin. Stand firm again! Again I say, don’t let sin win the day!
Satan will try to make you feel guilty. He will make you feel alone. He will tell you that you are horrible, that you are abnormal, and all kinds of other mean things. Listen to me now: this is important. This is a significant difference between Satan and the Holy Spirit.
When God the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, He always tells you exactly what the sin was, exactly how to repent, exactly what to do, and offers clear forgiveness and reconciliation with Him. Always. 100%. No questions, with complete clarity.
Satan is the opposite: he gives nebulous feelings of guilt or worthlessness, he does not offer forgiveness, nor reconciliation. He is unclear, and he is blaming.
Know the difference. Pay attention to this, and you will notice Satan’s attacks. When he attacks, reject him and pray to God. Ask God if there is a sin, and if there is, deal with it with Him, through Jesus Christ. God is stronger than Satan, and you are, too, when you have Jesus in your heart.
In conclusion, do not think that your past holiness, spirituality, or experience will prevent your destruction if you sin. All sin is idolatry, self-worship, and demon worship. God un-chose the Israelite adults who turned away from Him, and He can un-choose you. But He doesn’t want to. He gives you the strength to withstand every temptation, and He always offers forgiveness. If you do not know God yourself, turn to Him today, and experience the wonder of His love toward you. And if you do know Him, the Holy Spirit lives in you, and He is not condemning: learn the difference between His voice and Satan’s voice, and you will do well. God loves you, and He is on your side. All you have to do is choose to be on His.