1 Corinthians 10

August 5  

Reading: 1 Corinthians 10 

¹ For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, 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 drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.    

⁶ Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil 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 rose up to play." ⁸ We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. ⁹ We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, ¹⁰ nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.    

¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. ¹² Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.    

¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. ¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with 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 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?    

²³ "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. ²⁴ Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. ²⁵ Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. ²⁶ For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." ²⁷ If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience-- ²⁹ I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?    

³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ³² Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, ³³ just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 

The first part, the warning, reminds the reader of the opening six chapters of the book of Hebrews. Do not think that just because everyone thinks that they are part of the people of God, like Israel, that we are all safe from temptation, sin, and the judgment of God. Notice the thrice repeated “all” in verses 2-4. The emphasis is that all these Israelites were part of God’s special people. They were until they refused to walk in obedience to God, and then “they were overthrown in the wilderness.” (vs. 5) Therefore, the same is true for us who are now in Christ. (vs. 11) Therefore, the warning against pride in verse 12. Therefore, the reassurance in verse 13 that God makes a way for us to escape temptation. 

What temptation? In the next section, Paul instructs us to avoid both the temptation to participate in idolatry (vss. 14-22) and the temptation to fail to build up our brother or sister in Christ. (vss. 23-33) The two are important and to be held in tension. Just what is Paul saying? 

We do not have as much of a problem in our society with meat offered to idols, but I have had the opportunity to apply Paul’s reasoning with drinking alcohol. We do have a problem with that. In fact, an entire subculture has risen up in American culture around alcohol. It is idolatrous. Partying (involving drinking) and drunkenness is a dangerous environment for Christians and must be avoided intentionally. We do not want to “be participants with demons” or “provoke the Lord to jealousy.” (vss. 20-22) 

However, if you personally have not had a problem with drinking and drunkenness (one needs a clear view of oneself), you might be in a situation where you are invited to have a glass of wine or a beer at supper with a friend, assuming that friend has not had a problem with drinking or drunkenness. Fine. At least it is fine until that friend makes the drinking a test of your devotion to Christ. (vss. 28-29) At that point you put the glass down and you are done. We do this to communicate to everyone that obeying the Lord is more important to us than pleasing people or having our fun.