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)
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“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
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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)
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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 forceful
Too pleasing
Too ego-boosting
Too appealing
Too satisfying
Too self-exalting
Too stimulating
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Too attractive
Too fulfilling
Too promising
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)
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“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)
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“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)
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