July 5, 2017
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Reading along with us in 1 Corinthians? Here’s today’s reading:
1 Corinthians 10 (ESV)
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil 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 rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it… Continue Reading
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Learn from the past it is important
31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:31-33
We look for ways to justify our decisions, even our sin. But whatever I do, let it be done to the glory of God, and suddenly so many of those justifications are seen for what they are — idolatry.
I read this chapter again today and had another thought:
“‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
My liberty should be secondary to love for my neighbor. Hmm…thinking and meditating on this today.
It sounds like the Corinthians were trying to walk the fence between faithfulness and freedom in Christ. Paul is clarifying to them that there is not a “fence”; you are on one side or the other. You can’t participate in the Lord’s Supper AND participate in idolatry…..or any other activities associated therewith.
Yes, I was talking to Scott about this stuff last night because he and I often come up against these types of things in our own ministries outside of LHCC. Music is a big one! The different convictions people have around music — including music in the church — make my head spin.
He said we have to consider who Paul was writing to. This was a church that had taken their freedom so far, they’d become an immoral mess. He also talked about, as leaders, “long term plans” with “short term strategies” for leading people who are stuck. For example, how do you lead a church where women have been taught to always wear dresses and men to keep their hair cut short? It was a good discussion!
But I’m still stuck on what constitutes “flaunting.”
Ugh! So easy to let things distract us from being in the word! Good thoughts at the beginning here to show the role the Old Testament plays in our lives. Don’t make the same mistakes they did! I like the references here as well to events in the book of Numbers as well. And how comforting it is to know that when similar evil comes along to tempt us in the way it did them, there are three things we can count on: everyone faces it (so we are in this together), we can always handle it (with God’s power), and God will always provide a way out.
And it is interesting how Paul uses the Old Testament example of idol worship to return to the issue of food sacrificed to idols to make sure in our freedom we not only don’t cause someone to fall, but also don’t end up getting ensnared by our freedom. And a great reference point for that is the glory of God, not our comfort or pleasure.