1 Corinthians 10:11-13
God is Faithful
May 5, 2024
Chapter 10 begins with the note, “Brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples…” The price of education is climbing . . . but I submit that though the price of education is high, the price of ignorance is far more expensive. What you don’t know will cost you! How many of us have taken our cars in for repair or had a service technician out to our home only to find out that the needed repair is something we could of done on our own. Simply put, “What you don’t know can cost you.” It is our own ignorance that hurts us in the end. Webster defines IGNORANCE as “lacking knowledge, education, training, or being uninformed in a certain area.” I submit that the Price of Education is not to be compared with the Price of Ignorance! In verse 1 Paul teaches that Jesus has always been in our lives… always been in our history… Do you not know that the same Jesus that you call on and believe in today is the same Jesus that led our fathers, the children of Israel out of Egypt? This same Jesus that baptizes you with the Holy Ghost today is the same Jesus that baptized our fathers in Africa’s Rea Sea. This same Jesus that is the Rock of your Salvation today is the same Jesus was the Rock of their Provision in the wilderness. He says, “I want you to know that the Rock that followed our fathers is Christ!” The plan for salvation did not start 2000 years ago! The plan for salvation began before the foundations were laid Ephesians 1:4 he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. When Paul says “ALL!” - ALL were under- - -ALL passed through- - -ALL were baptized- - -ALL did eat- - - ALL did drink BUT MOST did NOT please God! “But with MOST of them God was not well pleased” (V.5) and were overthrown in the wilderness. WHY DID GOD ALLOW THIS TO BE RECORDED IN HISTORY? Because He is Faithful, He loved us so much that He allowed His chosen to be our example!
The Chosen
God used real people, His chosen people… for us, no fairy tales, no bedtime stories! Paul says, “These Things” became our example so that we would not do as they did! Verse 11 says, Now these things happened for our example and were written for our admonition, (that means our warning!) upon whom the ends of the ages have come. There is no time to waste, we must heed this warning today. We are living in the last days. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly; He died that our sins would be forgiven and cast into a sea of forgetfulness; He rose that we would be set free from sting of death and victory the grave and He is coming back for the church as that we may be with Him where He is. Why are These Things recorded in history? – Because God chose you! It was written for You! But know this - Salvation is not a barrier to Temptation! On the contrary, verse 12 teaches that Satan is more likely to attack the Christian that the unbeliever. After all, he already has the lost person! He loves nothing better than causing one of God’s children to fall into sin. However, temptation, while it cannot be avoided, can be overcome! How? Because God is Faithful! While it is hard to endure temptation can be used to help us grow in Jesus. I believe every believer needs and wants to know how to turn temptation into triumph. All people are subject to temptation. Even Jesus, was tempted in the wilderness. We are daily assaulted with a wide range of temptations. We all have one area where we are particularly susceptible. It is not a sin to be tempted. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Sin enters the picture when temptation is surrendered to. Our greatest danger is to think we have arrived at a place where we are above sinning, verse 12 says, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. When our pride tells us that us that we cannot fall, then we are headed for a huge one! Why doesn’t God just kill the devil and remove the attraction for sin? Without opposition, there is no victory! God has not called us to a life of ease, but to one of victory. A victory that we cannot enjoy until we have faced evil and overcome it.
The Common
Verse 13 says it is “Common” - Do not think your temptations are so great, they are just like the ones we all face. They are just common, run of the mill, garden variety temptations. We all get the same ones from the same sources. There are three primary sources of temptation: 1 John 2:15 says, If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. In the Bible, the word for world means “system or order.” The Bible speaks of this system called the world and says that it is evil. It is possible for believers to become so worldly that they fail to stand out for the Lord. We are to be different and distinct. We are not to allow the world to force us into its mold, Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The Lust of the Flesh: This refers to physical cravings and desires related to our bodily appetites. It encompasses things like hunger, thirst, sexual desires, and other sensory pleasures. When these desires become excessive or lead us away from God, they fall into the category of “lust of the flesh.” The Lust of the Eyes: This pertains to visual desires—coveting what we see. It includes longing for material possessions, wealth, beauty, and anything that captures our attention through sight. When we prioritize these desires over spiritual matters, they fall into the category of “lust of the eyes.” The Pride of Life: This represents excessive self-centeredness and arrogance. It’s the desire to elevate ourselves, seek recognition, and assert our independence from God. When our pride leads us away from humility and dependence on God, it falls into the category of “pride of life”. These three aspects highlight the tension between worldly desires and our relationship with God. The passage emphasizes that these desires are not aligned with the Father but are characteristic of the fallen world.
The Challenge
The way of escape is not to run from it but to bear it! Things we run from often find a way of catching up with us. That’s why God tells us to resist the devil or flee idolatry. Either stand strong or move away from it. James 4:6 says "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. I don’t know what temptations you may be dealing with in your life. However, I do know that if you are breathing, you are battling! Our greatest resource in the face of temptation is a close relationship with Jesus Christ. My challenge to you is that you bring your need to Him. Whatever, the need, the trial, or the temptation and lay it down before the Lord and expect Him to help. And because He is Faithful, He has promised us a way to escape temptation. We don’t need to run away scared; we need to resist and get out of the way because we have the victory! Paul said that "Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Grave (Hades), where is your victory?" The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. How did Jesus do it? How did he give us the victory that Paul is speaking of? Oh, He died on Calvary’s Cross that we might live. Why did He do it? Because God is Faithful! Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
