1 Corinthians 10
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, 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 were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
Because verse one begins with ‘for’ we know that Paul is continuing his thoughts from the end of Chapter 9.
In Chapter 9, Paul talked about running so that he could win, and disciplining his body so that he would not be disqualified. He now shows that it is indeed possible to be disqualified. He does this by pointing to the Israelites of Moses’ time, and how they got disqualified. And then he says that what happened to them was for our instruction. That is, it could also happen to us.
The Israelites experienced lots of spiritual things. They saw the might power of God and experienced His protection as He delivered them from the Egyptians. They saw God’s provision for them in the desert. In short, they were ‘qualified’ or included among the people of God – just like the believers of today.
5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.
But they did not behave in a manner that pleased God.
How does Paul conclude that God was not pleased with them? He does so by observing that God did not let them enter the Promised Land. In other words, they were disqualified.
For us today, the Promised Land is salvation from sin. That is the promise of the New Testament – He shall save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). That is why in verse 4 Paul links their spiritual drink with Christ.
Paul’s point is that believers today can get disqualified and not received the promised salvation.
6 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.
What happened to them can also happen to us. That is, we too can be disqualified. Not just last, but disqualified. If you are last, you at least finish the race and enter the Promised Land, but if you are disqualified, you don’t finish the race, and you don’t enter into the Promised Land.
Why did they get disqualified? It was because they craved evil things: good food, good recreation, good sex, quick results (Num 21:4).
7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY."
8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.
9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.
10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
If we crave to satisfy our flesh then we too cannot please the Lord (Rom 8:8).
Idolatry is to give more importance to anything other than God. The point that Paul is about to make is that we should not do things or get attached to doing things just because they give us pleasure, or because others do it. This is because we can then get so attached to things that if God deprives us of them we grumble against God.
Whatever we do, we have to ensure that doing those things will not put us against God.
The Israelites grumbled whenever they didn’t get to do what they wanted when they wanted. They didn’t discipline their body. As a result, they displeased God. Paul realized that and didn’t want to make the same mistake. That is why he disciplined his body so that he wouldn’t displease God.
11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
The stories in the Bible are for our instruction, not for our entertainment. We have to see how God dealt with the people there and realize that God will deal with us in the same way too.
Some people think that in Christ we are always well-pleasing to God. That is not fully true. It is true that our sins are paid for, but only as long as we are disciplining our body according to the will of God.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
You may think that God is pleased with you, but are you coming to that conclusion after having evaluated yourself in the light of Scripture?
People who believe in eternal security should consider what Paul is saying here. They think that their salvation is secure no matter what they do because the once made a statement of faith in the past. That is, they think that they stand. Paul’s warning to this is that they should take heed to what he is saying here.
13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
You cannot grumble and complain that the situation you are in was too hard for you. This is because God will never put you in a situation that you cannot endure.
However, you can put yourself in a situation where the temptation is too great. But then, that’s your fault, not God’s fault.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.
16 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?
17 Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.
18 Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar?
19 What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 {No,} but {I say} that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.
21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?
Don’t do things that you know are in opposition to God, or things that you know that God does not like. God will react strongly against you if you do that – even if you are a believer, and even if you have been a faithful believer in the past.
In the particular case mentioned in this chapter, just because the food set before us is tasty we should not eat it if we know that it is sacrificed to idols. This is because God is not happy if we knowingly eat food that is sacrificed to idols.
Some Christians celebrate local demonic festivals along with their neighbors who celebrate them. Some Christian parents allow their children to trick or treat at Halloween even though they know the demonic origins of Halloween.
Some Christians celebrate Christmas on Dec 25th even though they know that such a celebration originated from the winter solstice and the worship of the sun. Some Christians celebrate Easter with Easter bunnies and Easter egg hunts even though they know that the bunnies and eggs are symbolic of fertility and in honor of Ashtoreth, the goddess of fertility, from where Easter originated.
Some people listen to demon inspired music or watch demonic movies or wear demon-exalting clothing.
Will God be pleased with such people?
It may be good for such people to meditate on this chapter.
23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.
24 Let no one seek his own {good,} but that of his neighbor.
We can’t excuse ourselves by saying that there is no law against doing such things. Just because there is no commandment for something that doesn’t mean that you can do it. In addition to ensuring that what you do is not offensive to God, you have to also ask whether what you’re doing is negatively impacting others.
25 Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake;
26 FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS.
27 If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience' sake.
28 But if anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat {it,} for the sake of the one who informed {you,} and for conscience' sake;
29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other {man's;} for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience?
We have more liberty in private, but when we are among others we have to think about how our action will be perceived by those around us. And we must be willing to constrain ourselves to do things that will not cause others to fall.
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;
33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the {profit} of the many, so that they may be saved.
One may ask, "If I’m eating food sacrificed to idols with thankfulness to the true God, why should those who see me doing that speak evil of me?" Paul’s answer is that we must not merely do things because they are lawful and give us pleasure. We must think of whether what we are doing will further the kingdom of God, will please God, and will not offend others.
Do all things to please God.
Do all things to glorify God.
Do all things for draw all men to God. Give no offense to anyone.
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