AM July 30th 1 Cor 10

July 30^th            1 Corinthians 10            Warnings from Christ

1: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2: And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3: And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4: And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5: But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6: Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7: Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8: Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9: Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10: Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11: Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12: Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Paul gives a warning of judgment to the believers who live in unconfessed sin. He reminds them that while all Israel escaped from Egypt yet they perished in the wilderness. They all were under the cloud and they were all baptised in the sea and they all drank from the rock which is Christ yet they were over thrown in the wilderness. Why? Because God was not pleased with them. The story of the children of Israel is written so that we might learn from their example. Not to copy them but to fear the Lord and refrain from sin. Paul says flee lust, idolatry, revelling and fornication. When the children of Israel sinned against the Lord 23,000 died in a single day. We must not tempt Christ as the children of Israel did when God sent serpents into the camp. Nor must we murmur against the Lord as Israel did. We must learn from these things. Those who think that they are standing in relation to God must be careful to watch out in case they fall. Paul says that there is no temptation that comes to a man that is unique to him. We all face exactly the same pitfalls. But God is faithful to us and he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. And he will with the temptation give us a way of escape so that we will not fall in sin. Temptations are allowed by the Lord as a test of our moral character but God deliberately restricts temptation in such a way that it does not overwhelm but is just sufficient to test us. If temptation was too easy to resist then the temptation would be pointless and if it were too great then we would effectively have not option but to sin So God moderates temptation so that the believer is faced with a temptation that he can face in the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.