seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Corinthians 10:1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things 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 got up to indulge in revelry.”[a] 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ,[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is 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? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You 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. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[f]
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
- 1 Corinthians 10:7 Exodus 32:6
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
- 1 Corinthians 10:26 Psalm 24:1
This is from the easy English site.
Paul described four different occasions when the Israelites sinned. They are a warning to all Christians. God will punish those who do not obey him.
1. The worship of idols
While Moses was up the mountain, Aaron made a gold idol in the shape of a young cow (Exodus 32:1-6). Many of the people worshipped it. As a punishment, the Levites killed three thousand people. Other people died from a disease (Exodus 32:28, 35).
2. Sexual sins
‘They got up to dance’ was a way to describe wild behaviour that included sexual sins. Paul must have thought also about the time when the Israelites had sex with women from Moab (Numbers 25:1). This led them to worship the gods of the people from Moab. Because of a disease that followed, 24 000 Israelites died (Numbers 25:9). Paul said ‘23 000’. Perhaps the other 1000 did not die on the same day. Or perhaps the number was between 23 000 and 24 000 and is given approximately in each place.
3. Testing the Lord’s patience
The Israelites began to complain about the manna that God had given to them and the lack of water. They said that Moses had brought them out of Egypt to die in the desert. Poisonous snakes then bit the people and many people died (Numbers 21:5-6).
4. Complaining
The Israelites complained against Moses as their leader (Numbers 4:1-38). They complained because Moses had spoken about God’s punishment of Korah and those who followed him (Numbers 16:41). This time, many people died from a disease. Then God said that only Joshua, Caleb and the very young people would enter the promised land (Numbers 14:20-31). All the rest would die in the desert. Paul used words from Exodus 12:23 when he spoke about the ‘angel of death’.
The Christians in Corinth had complained about Paul. When they did this, they were complaining about God. Paul was warning them by these examples. They must be careful. If not, they would fail to receive what God has promised to Christians.
When the Israelites shared a meal after a sacrifice, they became united in their worship of God.
When pagans offer a sacrifice, they are not offering it to a real god. The Christians at Corinth had agreed that idols do not really exist. But they were wrong to think that they could therefore share a meal in a pagan temple. It was not just a social occasion. Paul gave two reasons why they were wrong:
1. To share a meal in a pagan temple united them with pagan guests. Therefore Christians would appear to believe that the god of the pagans was real.
2. People were really worshipping non-human evil beings (usually called ‘demons’) when they worshipped idols. So because they were sharing a pagan meal, Christians were becoming partners with demons. These Christians had shown by their actions that they were carrying out the purpose of demons. They were doing the demons’ work because they were destroying the Faith of other Christians . They were preventing pagan guests from knowing the proper faith. It is not possible to worship Christ and also to worship demons.
The Christians at Corinth are emphasising their freedom to act as they choose. But not everything that they are free to do will be good for their faith. It will not help their Christian faith to become strong. And Christians should think about what is best for other people rather than for themselves.
I think this chapter can be used to keep my path straight no matter what I am facing. Paul has laid out four ways I seem to fall down the most. Let me restate these four things Paul has pointed out here..... idol worship, sexual sins, testing God's patience and complaining. Oh brother... I am condemned early this morning. So here's my confession.I've never been one to put things in front of God, on purpose anyway..... I'm not into being greedy for money.... I have a card I use for purchases and I've had the same $5 in my purse for months. I don't have a fancy home or clothes. I sold my car a long time ago. It wasn't fancy. Money just doesn't matter to me. I have, on occasion put family in front of God.... but that was only for an instant.... and I think He appreciated my concern.
I think we make way too much about sexual sin and we are throwing away the souls of many many many people. If the Prostitutes in the Temple of Aphrodite were good enough for the church in Corinth.... then why aren't they good enough for the church in Lusby? Yes... I admit... I did speak out about how the public schools were teaching a book like "Sally has two moms" to first graders.... but I was wrong and ignorant.... IMHO..... Sexual sin hurts the sinners..... that's how it is defined..... why would I want to hurt someone on purpose.... that can't be fun.... right?
Testing God's patience. OK.... we all know what it's like to get on someone's last nerve..... we've been in quarantine or close to it since March this year.... our children are home 24/7.... we're out of money and patience..... and that's our last nerve.... hanging out there..... that's how God feels now too..... raw... ready to send someone to the switch bush..... that's testing patience.....
Complaining..... After months and months of quarantine conditions worldwide..... complaining has been commonplace. No one seems to be satisfied..... geeze I would think God would get a little tired of us always wanting things to change.... but only if that change is exactly what the stupid, ignorant human desires.
IMHO.... everyone is acting like rotten children. IMHO..... we all have so much to be thankful for.... and being thankful and appreciative is respectful.
I challenge anyone who has complained in the last few months.... to say something nice to everyone they meet today...... and if they feel just a little better for it.... then continue tomorrow..... life will get a lot better... even if only for a few minutes.... because making someone smile is a good thing.
Please say something nice to someone today.... and relish that good feeling you get.... then repeat......
Please say a prayer for me and my family..... a lot is going on.... and I have eye surgery again tomorrow morning. TIA