1 Corinthians 10
Warnings From Israel's History
1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
6Now these things occurred as examples[a] to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Do 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 pagan revelry."[b] 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.
Idol Feasts and the Lord's Supper
14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16Is 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? 17Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
18Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21You 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. 22Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
The Believer's Freedom
23"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. 24Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."[c]
27If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake[d]— 29the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? 30If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Footnotes:
[a] 1 Corinthians 10:6 Or types; also in verse 11
[b] 1 Corinthians 10:7 Exodus 32:6
[c] 1 Corinthians 10:26 Psalm 24:1
[d] 1 Corinthians 10:28 Some manuscripts conscience' sake, for "the earth is the Lord's and everything in it"
3 comments:
Paul teaches us to learn from our past and not to repeat the sins of our parents since their sins often meant death.
One verse that stands out to me is verse 21 "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannnot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons." How often do we try to straddle the fence? Paul clearly teaches that we must live our life for the Lord at all times. Guys I pray that I continue to grow in the Lord and stay on his side of the fence.
God Bless,
LT
I Cor 10
One of the verses I recite to myself comes from this ch.
v 13 - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.
Words to live by eh!! I have probably said this before, but I think we have really lost some of that healthy fear of God mentality in our modern society. When push comes to shove, how many o us start to rely on ourselves and not God. Paul never ceases to amaze me especially with his commitment to do whatever it takes to try to save a few more souls.
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Father God, help us all to remember to find our strength in you. We are nothing with out you and need to be reminded way to often. Help us to live lives that honor and glorify you and do not cause others to stumble.
In Christ,
cas
2 of my favorite reminders arise in this chapter LT and cas hit on both of them. 1st-
21You 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.
I have found some of the most maturing lessons and growth have occurred to me when conciously living this passage. There are certainly nights when I get off work around 11 or 12 and the guys are headed for a quick drink and I know my wife and son are asleep at home and wouldn't notice a half-hour, and while I'm willing to admit that its only a simple drink and would never be anything else, the wonderful feeling of knowing I did the right thing overpowers me as I pull into my driveway at home. It's certainly gotten easier to eat at the Lord's table as my family has blossomed in age, size and in the Lord, because eating at the Lord's table sometimes mean you eat only with Jesus, but those are the times we mature the most.
2)13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.
Amen, I can (always in retrospect) laugh and think that the God must have something really, really, really special in store for me after some of the trials I have faced. And I recognize that its the same for everyone else, he always pushes us to our limits, whatever that may be. It's kind of the corrolary to "to whom much is given much is expected"--"to whom much is expected, many trials will be given".
Father, help us to happily, willingly, and continuously pick up our cross, sling it across our back and walk tall forever singing your praises. You have given us work to do, a mission, a purpose, help us to do it in a way to glorify You.
Amen
In christ,
crb
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