Persevere and resist idolatry

I. In the letter to the church at Corinth Paul changes from his dissertation about freedom in Christ and self-control, and then takes a serious note.

His first letter to the church at Corinth is a troubled letter, trying to help them with matters of the church, its eccleisology (which means theology as applied to the nature and structure of the Christian Church). Instead of the instruction to help with the Grecian life of a believer, he then takes a Hebrew tone from history. This reminder would have sent chills down those from the tribes of Israel, and a history lesson for the new Gentile believers.

A. Last week CH Yoo spoke about the Temptation of Christ

In that Christ was tempted so may we, but we must rely on Christ and act accordingly to avoid resulting sin

2. Knowledge of the word and getting the word into us helps thwart temptation

B. Relying on our faith and not producing works of faith, may make us more vulnerable to temptation

Proverbs 16:18 “ Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Prov 28:14 “ Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”

II. Scripture:

1 Corinthians 10:1–13 ESV

1 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.

III. Background

This passage from the apostle Paul comes in three sections. It gives the past of the experience of their Hebrew forefathers, then it turns to the present with application for all believers in Christ, then continues his warning …with an encouragement.

A. Israelites were protected by God as they were ‘passed over’ and escaped oppression.

1. They were not just followed by the cloud and led by a pillar of fire, but when God was present in the midst of the whole assembly in His tabernacle, his cloud was over them.

Exodus 13:21-22 “ And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”

Numbers 9:15-22 “ On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. 18 At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until mo…”

2. They were led out from slavery and through the sea to escape Pharaoh's grip by a mighty miracle, and God’s blessing.

Psalm 66:6 “ He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him,”

Psalm 77:16–20 “ When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled. 17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. 18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. 19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

Psalm 78:13 “He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.”

3. The Israelites went through barren places without much life at all. They were fed by the hand of God daily with bread from above, and visitations of doves miraculously.

Exodus 16:4 “ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.”

Exodus 16:12 “ “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ””

Exodus 16:15 “ When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

Exodus 16:35 “ The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.”

Psalm 78:24-25 “ Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, 24 and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. 25 Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.”

4. They were led through long stretches of wasteland and desert relying solely on God. When they were thirsty more than once they were given water to drink from a rock. Paul alludes that the spiritual Rock followed then and that the Rock was Christ. Yet they still failed.

Exodus 17:6 “6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.”

Numbers 20:11 “11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.”

Persevere and resist idolatry

1 Corinthians 5. The Negative Example of Israel in the Wilderness (10:1–13)

Paul rehearses the facts of Israel’s disobedience because these things serve to warn all who crave the same kinds of evil, including idolatry (10:7), sexual immorality (10:8), testing Christ (10:9), and grumbling (10:10).128

IV. Let us not desire evil as they did; do not be Idolaters

A. Self indulgence abounds today; narcissism in self life, social life, entertainment.

B. This is about not only temptation, but the aptness of God’s people to stay NEAR temptation.

*an old saying attributed to an eastern philosopher Confucius: “If one truly does not want to enter the room of temptation, than one must stop sitting at it’s door”

Matthew 6:13 “13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Matthew 26:41 “41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Mark 7:20-23 “20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Ephesians 6:13 “13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

James 1:12 “12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

V. Let us avoid sexual immorality; do not put Christ to the test in grumbling

A. The reference of 1 Corinthians 10:8 is from Numbers 25:1-9 when the people were living in Shittim (previously known as Abel-Shittim)... but the coarse joke of decadence to what the city sounds like may fit aptly here.

1. They indulged in sexual immorality personally and as a people bowed to false gods, idols.

1 Corinthians 6:9 “9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,”

2. A plague was begun among the people and by the time it stopped twenty four thousand had died

B. The people of Isreal were constantly known as a “stiff-necked” people. Their grumbling was a dishonor to God.

Sometimes God blessed them in spite of their attitude (Protection [escaping Pharaoh], food [manna, meat], and etc. yet many times God punished them for their grumbling with pestilence, death, and even oppression by enemies.

Deuteronomy 6:16 “16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.”

1 John 5:21 “21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

1 Corinthians 5:11 “11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”

God is faithful- if we follow Christ and persevere we can resist evil

1 Corinthians Chapter 10

St. Paul, therefore, reminds them that these temptations were not superhuman, but were such as men had resisted, and such as they could resist. God is faithful. He had called them (ch. 1:9), and since he knew “how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2 Pet. 2:9), he would surely perform his side of the covenant, and, if they did their parts, would stablish and keep them from evil (2 Thess. 3:3). Also. The mode of deliverance shall be ready simultaneously with the temptation. A way to escape; rather, the way to escape. The way to escape is different in different temptations, but for each temptation God would provide the special means of escaping it.

Ephesians 6:12 “12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Revelation 2:10 “10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Luke 22:32 “32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.””