Beleive Christ And Live

1 Corinthians 10:9 KJV 1900

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

“Neither let us tempt Christ”; this is significant for us today if we are Followers of Christ

The compound word is very significant, “to tempt out” (ἐκ); tempt thoroughly; try to the utmost. It is used of tempting or testing Christ

Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 3 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 240.

Jesus uses the same word in resisting the devil.

Matthew 4:5–7 KJV 1900

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Luke 4:9–12 KJV 1900

9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

The Psalmist helps us with the understanding of what Israel did in the wilderness.

Psalm 78:14–18 KJV 1900

14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, And all the night with a light of fire. 15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink as out of the great depths. 16 He brought streams also out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers. 17 And they sinned yet more against him By provoking the most High in the wilderness. 18 And they tempted God in their heart By asking meat for their lust.

Lust is dangerous and must be kept in check.

James 1:13–15 KJV 1900

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Tempting Christ is close to denying Him.

The Israelite’s were not hungry they just lusted for more.

Exodus 17:2 KJV 1900

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?

Exodus 17:7 KJV 1900

7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

Numbers 21:5–8 KJV 1900

5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

Christ came to give us everything we need.

Matthew 10:7–10 KJV 1900

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

We Must Not Tempt Christ But We Must Believe Him And Live