1 Corinthians 10:6-13

1 Corinthians 10:6-13

These examples became for us in order that we are not ones who desire evil just as they indeed did desire.  Do not become idolaters, just as some of them were, as it has been written, “The people sat down to eat and to drink and stood up to play.”  Do not commit sexual immorality, just as some of them committed sexual immorality and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.  We should not put Christ to the test, just as some of them put Him to the test and they were being destroyed by snakes.  Do not grumble in complaint, just as some of them grumbled in complaint and they were destroyed by the destroyer.  And these examples happened to them, and it was being written for our instruction – into whom the end of the ages has come in finality.  Therefore let the one who thinks to stand watch out lest he should fall.  A temptation has not taken hold of you except those common to mankind.  God is faithful.  He will not allow you to be tempted above that which you all have power, but He will even make a way out with the temptation – in order to have power to endure.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

As Paul continues to talk about that wicked generation, he tells us a truth.  Those chapters in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are all given to us as an example to us.  They are given to us so that we can learn from them.  They are given to us so that we can see their sinfulness and choose not to go down that same path.  The question that we have to ask ourselves is whether we are willing to listen and learn from them or not.

How easily do you learn from the examples of others?  Do you avoid sinful behavior just by seeing other people fall into it?  Or are you a person who has to learn the hard way – that is, by making your own mistakes?  Are there certain types of sinfulness that you personally can learn to avoid from seeing the mistakes of others and other types of sinfulness that you can only learn to avoid the hard way?

Second Thought:

If we look at the specific examples about which Paul writes, we can see some important themes rise up to the surface.  The first one is idolatry.  Human beings are idolatrous.  Ancient human beings loved worshipping all kinds of gods – and especially loved worshipping their own creations of what those gods looked like.  Modern humans may not create physical idols, but we are still great at worshipping the effects of our own hands, aren’t we?  The next is sexual immorality.  Can anyone argue that human beings are not sexual beings and often controlled by such passions?  The third example Paul brings out is that human beings like to test imposed boundaries.  What parent or teacher has not been tested by children and youth?  Do we not test God all the time with what we can and should not do?  And then there is the example of grumbling.  What human being is not an expert grumbler?  This is a great list of significant ways that human beings fall into behavior that is contrary to how God desires us to live.  I especially love Paul’s reminder to the Corinthians.  They – we all – are not tempted by extraordinary temptations.  We all face temptations that other people face every day, too.

Which of the points on this list are areas where you struggle?  When are you likely to struggle with the various examples that Paul lifts up?

Third Thought:

This last verse is an oft-quoted verse.  However, in this particular way that Paul quotes it he tweaks the emphasis.  Paul isn’t saying that God will not give us more than we can bear.  Rather, Paul is saying that God will not permit us to be tempted in areas which we are powerless to defend ourselves.  He will not allow us to be tempted above that which we have the power to resist.  Now, of course, Paul doesn’t mean that we can resist sin in our humanity.  Paul knows that in order to resist sin we must rely upon God’s strength.  But that is the key.  When we struggle and fall into sinful behavior, it really is our fault.  God will give us the ability to resist.  He is powerful enough to do so.  He gives us access to it!  But we fall because we try to do it on our own power, or we don’t believe God is strong enough to allow us to resist, or some other reason such as these.  When we fall to temptation, it is truly our own fault.  The blame lies at our own feet.  Thank the Lord that He is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love!  He forgives, even when He sets us up for success and we fail anyways!

Where do you struggle with temptation?  Is your struggle because you enjoy it and don’t want to tap into God’s power to overcome it?  Is your struggle because you are trying to resist it on your own ability rather than God’s?  Is your struggle because you don’t know how to access God’s righteousness in order to resist temptation?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22