1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Spirituality
1/25/04 D. Marion Clark
Introduction
Let’s review the issue being addressed. The Corinth Church is abusing a correct doctrine, which is that we are free in Christ Jesus from having to observe regulations and restrictions in order to find favor with God. What Paul wrote to the Colossians, he no doubt taught the Corinthians:
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism…20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh (2:16-23).
They like this teaching, and they are more than willing to exercise their freedom in the flesh, particularly when it comes to eating! Now, Paul is having to temper their freedom with exhortation to show responsible care for their brothers and sisters (as in chapter 8). Furthermore, he needs to warn them about a lax attitude towards living an obedient life to God. Let’s see what he has to say.
Text
I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea…
Paul has talked about the importance of finishing the race to the goal of inheriting our heavenly prize. He even points to himself as one who cannot rest on his laurels or credentials as an apostle, but must keep himself under discipline so as not to be disqualified. Now, then, he turns to the Israelites who journeyed in the wilderness as an example of those who did fail.
He points to certain incidents that put them under the category of being identified with God’s covenant people. They were all under the cloud. He is referring to the pillar of cloud that represented God’s presence with his people. All passed through the sea. This is a reference to passing through the Red Sea. The point so far is that all the people went through the same experience.
Now, what about it? Verse 2: all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. What an interesting perspective. Consider these events together as a baptism. By them, the people left their bondage and entered into a new life identified as God’s covenant nation. That is what baptism signifies: entering into an identity as belonging to God.
Paul says they were baptized into Moses. What does he mean? They were baptized into the covenant that was mediated by Moses. In a sense, Moses is the Christ of the old covenant. He saved the people from bondage; he mediated a covenant for them. Again, Paul is merely making the case that all the Israelites did indeed go through the experiences that qualified them as members of the covenant.
Next: 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. Here are the incidents of eating manna (spiritual food) and drinking water that came from a rock (spiritual drink). Paul compares them to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper with its spiritual food and drink. The next verse makes clear that he is thinking of the sacrament.
For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. In a sense, the Israelites were partaking of Christ. In this week’s devotions, I will introduce the term “theophany.” “Theo” is the Greek for “God,” and “phaneim” means “to show.” Thus, a theophany is a visible representation of God. The pillar of cloud and fire is a theophany. Paul is saying that the rock also was a theophany, specifically of Christ.
Again, his point is that all the Israelites possessed the credentials for being identified with God. They had undergone baptism, and they participated in communion. He even contends that they were identified with Christ. Even so, these spiritual experiences did not save them.
5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. They perished along the journey. They did not complete the race begun. Only a few of the adult generation who left Egypt entered into the Promised Land. They failed, not because they were not hardy enough, but because they had disobeyed God, and he brought judgment against them.
Lesson
In the next passage, Paul will present the forms their sins took. He will then use these examples to warn the Corinth saints what not to do. Right now he is concern with a certain attitude. Here it is.
I belong to Christ’s church. I have been baptized, and I partake of the Lord’s Supper regularly. These things identify me as belonging to Christ, and, as we know, in Christ I am free from salvation by works. I certainly do not have to worry myself with laws like my Jewish brethren worry about, and the others with their weak consciences. Too bad they cannot enjoy life like I do. I wonder what will be the featured dish at Diana’s temple tonight. Those temple folks know how to party!
Paul warns them of putting their confidence in the wrong place, in this case, the sacraments. It is true that the sacraments are intended to confirm our salvation. They are visible signs of belonging to God’s covenant. Christ has given them to us to strengthen our faith and confidence in him.
And that is just the point. Their intent is to strengthen our faith in Christ so as to trust him to carry his good work to completion in us. They are not to be used to give us a false confidence that we belong to Christ even when we will not obey him. They are the cups of cold water handed to the marathon participants running to win their prizes; they are not refreshments for those who drop out and enjoy the sights of their surroundings.
This is a good time to present the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Our Confession presents it this way:
Those whom God has accepted in his Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere in it to the end and be eternally saved (WC, ch. 17, par. 1).
Ephesians 1:5 tells us that God “predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Can God failed to attain his purpose? Can he choose whom he will save, and they fall through the cracks?
Philippians 1:6 says, “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Can God fail to complete his work? Does he lack the knowledge or strength to finish what he has begun?
Or consider what Jesus says in John 10:27-29: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” Was Jesus wrong? Was he unaware of just how strong Satan is or how strong the attraction of the world really is?
Of course, the answer is “No” to all these questions. Christ and God know exactly the struggles one faces. That is why Christ even now serves as our priest interceding for us. That is why the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf, and why he has been sent to empower us. That is why, furthermore, we have been given the sacraments to encourage us in our weakness. And they encourage us by speaking to us of our hope in Christ. “Look,” they say to us. “Christ has sanctified you by his blood. This water signifies how he has cleansed you of your sins. See the bread and the cup. Taste and drink these elements that are signs to you of Christ’s body and blood given for you. Know that his sacrifice is effectual. It has obtained once and for all forgiveness for your sins. As you partake of them and they become a part of you, so Christ is in you and you in Christ.”
What is to be our response? “Yes, yes, truly my hope is in Christ. Surely my strength is in him. He has won for me the victory. Praise God, I will finish the race come what may.” And then we continue to persevere.
Our hope for persevering is founded on the promises of God who cannot fail and who cannot lie. And what is it that we continue to persevere in? Let’s go back to those verses that spoke of our salvation being secure. Philippians 1:11 tells us that the “good work” begun in us is the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. We are to bear righteous fruit in our lives such as love, peace, joy, faithfulness and goodness (cf. Galatians 5:22, 23). Paul goes on in Ephesians to say, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (2:8-10). Jesus, who said that no one can snatch his sheep out of his Father’s hand, also said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints should not be confused with the cheap statement of “once saved always saved.” Many people make that statement as a defense of their not living right before the Lord. “I’ve been baptized.” “I walked down the aisle.” They place their hope in a one-time act which has not produced long-term fruit. Because they can display spiritual credentials, they show little concern for sin and little interest in living the life of disciples. “We are free in Christ to live as we so enjoy.”
What they are demonstrating is that they never were saved. Using the terms of Jesus’ parable of the four soils, the seed of the gospel never took root in their lives as evidenced by them not producing fruit of true disciples. Those who truly belong to Christ will persevere. Those who do not belong to him will drop out.
How then do you know if you belong or not? Wouldn’t it be terrible to hear in the end, Jesus say, “I never knew you; depart from me”? Here is the three-fold test given in 1 John.
First, are you convicted of sin? 1 John 1:8, 9 says, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I've had people come to me worry that they are not saved because of their sins. Conviction of sin is a sign that either the Holy Spirit is moving you to conversion or that you are already saved.
It is those who feel little or no conviction of sin whose salvation is questionable. Do you feel that you are a pretty good person who merely needs Christ's help to be saved? Yes, you admit you have your share of sins, but they are not all that bad. You do, after all, have your good points that God should notice. At least you are not as bad as certain other folks. If that is how you feel, then you should question your salvation. We are not saved if we lack true conviction of sin, and if we rely even partly on our goodness for extra credit.
But to be convicted by sin; to struggle with sin, even the same besetting sin - far from being a proof against you, is testimony that God's Spirit is at work in you. Christ has won for us redemption from our guilt. He has covered us with his righteousness. The Holy Spirit has given birth to a new nature in us. Nevertheless, the remnant of the old sinful nature remains and will trouble us all our days until we are released into glory. We can, and should, grow more and more into Christ's likeness. We should bear fruit of the Holy Spirit. But even such maturing means that we will become even more sensitive to sin within us.
Second, do you love Christ’s people? 1 John 2:9, 10 says, Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
Jesus says in John 13:35, By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
Do you love the church of Christ? Do you care for Christ's Body? There are those who profess faith in Christ, but will not be part of a church, claiming churches are filled with hypocrites. Yes, the church is filled with hypocrites because it is filled with sinners. But where in scripture is anyone ever told to dissociate themselves with all churches? To disavow fellowship with one's brothers and sisters in Christ is to disavow fellowship with Christ himself.
Just as with sin, though, the issue is not about whether Christians ever dispute with one another or rub each other the wrong way. Because we possess sin, we will have troubles. Sin takes advantage of our differences, causing us to misinterpret expressions, and letting our peculiar faults get the better of us. Nevertheless, we are burdened when there is friction. We do not write one another off. We desire to be loving when we do not love. And whether we feel love or not, we will come to the aid of one another when needed. That is where Christian love is shown for what it is. We will love in deed even when we do not feel the love in the heart.
Third, do you hold to right doctrine? 1 John 4:6 says, We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Ultimately, what you believe about Jesus Christ reveals whether the Holy Spirit is in you teaching you. If you have not the Spirit of God in you, then you will think in one of three ways. One, you may outright reject what you have heard preached. You consciously reject the gospel and teachings of Scripture. Two, you think you heard, but you didn't. If asked to give the reason for your hope in your salvation, you will still speak of your hope that God will find you good enough. You will still regard the gospel as Christ doing his part, and you still needed to do your part to finish the work. Three, you will know the right answers, but they are not really your answers. You can say the right words that you have been taught, but they have yet to penetrate your heart. You still have yet to love Christ. For to know him - to really know what he has done for you - is to love him.
Well, how did you do? Did you pass the test? Are you comforted or worried? Here is a hint. If you belong to the Lord, then to the Lord you will go for comfort. You will draw your strength from the assurances that come from God's Word.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). Such words will give you a sense of peace.
If not; if you remain troubled; or worse, if such words have no effect on you, then do what you must to get such peace. Jesus said, Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened (Matthew 7:7, 8). Is there anything more meaningful to ask for than reconciliation with your God? Is there anything of greater interest to seek than your eternal security? Anything of greater value than what lies behind the door of salvation? Do what you know you must do.
