I Corinthians 10:1-13 Jesus Christ is the final revelation of God, the only way God will ever deal with men again. Men must now approach God by faith in Christ. Go to now, ye that say, To day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain (James 4:13) Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah (Deuteronomy 6:16). There was the sin of murmuring and complaining and grumbling. Some of the believers in Israel were always complaining and murmuring against God and Moses (Numbers 14:2, 36; 16:11, 41). The result was judgment and punishment by the destroyer, that is, an angel sent by God to execute judgment. They perished in the wilderness and never saw the promised land. (Exodus 14:11; 15:24; 16:2; 17:3; Number 11:1; 14:27; 20:3; 21:5). Thought 1. - How many believers grumble and gripe? How many became dissatisfied With the direction God gives through His leaders? With the food God gives through His leaders? With the way God guides through His leaders? With the words God gives to His leaders? How many voice their complaints to others? The warning is clear to the believers of God s church. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer (1 Corinthians 10:10) 1
Do all things without murmuring and disputings (Philippians 2:14) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men s persons in admiration because of advantage. (Jude 16) And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? (Exodus 15:24). I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed (Psalm 77:3). The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord (Psalm 19:3). Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? (Lamentations 3:39) Temptation: the point is unequivocal receive the warning. The things that happened to the believers of Israel are examples and warnings to us. We must heed them for three reasons. 1. The end or climax of the world (age) has come upon us. Since Christ, believers are living in the last age or period of human history. This simply means that Jesus Christ is the final revelation of God, the only way God will ever deal with men again. Men must now approach God by faith in Christ. This age is what is known as the age of grace, grace being the way God now deals with men. The age of Christ or of grace is the last age of human history. Therefore, since we are living in the last age, we must heed the warning example of Israel. 2. A person can fall, especially if he begins to think that he stands, that is, if he begins to feel safe and secure. Note this verse, for it is a 2
straightforward warning that is usually neglected and ignored: Let him that thinketh he standeth [is safe and secure] take heed lest he fall. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others (Luke 18:9) And if any man think he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. (1 Corinthians 8:2) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall (I Corinthians 10:12). For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself (Galatians 6:3) Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? (Proverbs 20:6) He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered (Proverbs 28:26) Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shalt I know the loss of children: but these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me (Isaiah 47:8-10) 3
3. There is a way to escape temptation, but to escape temptation the believer must know three great truths. a. All temptation is common to man (anthropinos). The word means a human temptation that falls to the lot of man. This is an amazing promise. Think about it. No temptation Is superhuman Is unique Is beyond man s capacity to handle Is terrifying in any sense of the word Every single temptation that attacks the believer is common to all men. All men face the same temptation. This means a wonderful thing: some men have already overcome it. Yes, many fell, caved in to the temptation; but some demonstrated the will and energy to overcome it. b. God is faithful: He limits the temptation. He does not allow a temptation to confront a believer that is Too enticing Too appealing Too attractive Too forceful Too satisfying Too fulfilling Too pleasing Too self-exalting Too promising Too ego-boosting Too stimulating Too arousing God knows what we can bear and how much we can bear; therefore, He limits every single temptation within our limits to overcome it. God is faithful. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord (I Corinthians 1:9) Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9) 4
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him (2 Chronicles 16:9) Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reaches unto the clouds (Psalms 36:5) I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations (Psalms 89:1) He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (Psalms 91:4) c. God provides a way to escape. He always makes an escape route, a way out of the temptation. He always gives us the strength and energy to walk through or over the temptation or else to turn and flee from it. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19) And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Romans 16:20) 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 (I Corinthians 10:13) For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted (Hebrews 2:18) 5
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne (Revelations 3:21) The way of the righteous is made plain (Proverbs 15:19) And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left (Isaiah 30:21) And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them (Isaiah 42:16) Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters (Isaiah 43:16) 6