“The Fine Line” • 11.11 & 18.12 • Calvary
Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- We've noted that the Corinthians were a group
of people that were divisive in nature. Their devotion to worldly wisdom had
led to their defilement, having given themselves over to sexual sin.
- Beginning in chapter 8, we have noted that they
had a difficult time with discernment. Their liberties had created a great deal
of controversy.
- We've learned along with the Corinthians that
they were to assess liberty through the law of love, not knowledge and that
they were to live in light of the opportunity to win people to Christ.
- The chapter before us concludes Paul's
thoughts and leaves them with a sincere warning: Your rights can ruin you and
ruin others!
Text
• I Corinthians 10:1-5 : "Moreover, brethren,
I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all
passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and
in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the
same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them,
and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well
pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness." :
The word "moreover" let's us know that Paul is continuing, in this
case, illustrating his thought.
- He had been concerned with being disqualified
and they were to be concerned as well. The Corinthians were were not the first
people that God ever delivered. Don't forget the people of Israel!
- These were their Fathers in faith who lived
under the cloud, referring to the very presence of God that began visibly
leading them in Exodus 13:21.
- These had seen the Red Sea open and had
walked on the dry sea floor according to Exodus
14:22. They were baptized, initiated into and identified with Moses, likely
referring to the Law.
- Each of them, over 2.5 million people had
eaten manna from heaven every single day, with a double provision for Sabbath
on Friday, for 40 years.
- Exodus
16:35 tells us that it didn't dry up until they came to the border of
Canaan!
- When it came to their thirst, they all had
access to the presence of Christ, the Spiritual Rock that sustained them, Paul
telling us, that followed them.
- The Jewish people held to a tradition that
there was some floating rock with a spiget on it! In reality, this likely
points to the presence of the Angel of the Lord that was promised in Exodus 23:23.
- What benefits they had! What a wonderful
testimony, and yet, with an entire generation of them, God was not pleased.
Paul says "with most of them!" Really, only two of them!
- When they refused to believe God about His
ability to bring them into the promised land, they were judged. For ever day
that they had to believe in God's ability, there was a year of judgment.
- For 40 years, the people of that generation
died and were buried in the wilderness, until a new generation was raised up. That
generation was not shackled to the unbelief of their parents.
- Those children had a chance to believe and
they did. God kept His promise and brought them in, albeit 40 years after the
fact. Why is Paul telling us this? Look at verse 6.
• I Corinthians 10:6-11 : "Now these things became our examples, to the
intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do
not become idolaters as were some of
them. As it is written, 'The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.'
Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day
twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also
tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also
complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened
to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the
ends of the ages have come." : God allowed history to be recorded
and remembered for their understanding and ours as well.
- It does not matter how you start or how
privileged you are, God is still Holy and His people must also be Holy!
- The people of Israel provided the Corinthians
with a type to observed. They were examples of an extremely blessed and gifted
people who had fallen into ruin!
- The exiles from Egypt had knowledge. The
Corinthians had knowledge. They had God's presence in a cloud by day and a
pillar of fire by night. The Corinthians had God's Spirit as well.
- The people of Israel could not have been
given a greater set of advantages, and yet, that first generation failed to
enter into the Promised Land!
- When you read the Old Testament or join us as
we study it together, we are looking at a standing impression left by others,
usually negative in nature, left by God for our benefit.
- Why? So that we would not repeat their sins,
specifically that we would not lust after, literally, so that we should not
crave evil things.
- He lists off 4 of their cravings that they
gave into beginning first with idolatry. Their idolatry came near the end of
the 40th day of Moses' time on Mt. Sinai.
- Exodus
32 records a sordid scene where Aaron requested that the people give him
their gold in order that he might make an image for them. A full cultic
ceremony ensued.
- Their worship included the horrible acts that
were displayed for them in Egypt, revealed by the words that "they rose up
to play." We need to be careful of idolatry.
- Any person, any thing, any idea that takes
away from the pre-eminence of Christ in your heart, is by definition, an idol.
Idolatry is alive and well, and we must be careful of it!
- On another occasion, at Baal Peor, the people
of God, on the border of the land of Canaan, fell prey to Balaam's sensual
suggestion that Balak send his women to seduce the men.
- Numbers
25 records the scene which came to end when Phineas the priest executed one
of the leaders of this action, in the act of sexual immorality with a Moabite
woman.
- This stopped God's anger, but 23,000 men died
as a result of this foray into sin. Remember, sexual immorality is covered by
the Greek word for "porn!"
- Paul mentions next the danger of tempting
Christ, as some of them also tempted.
- Two things to take note of here. First, the
word "tempt" which means to put God's character to proof. "Prove
who you are by doing what I want." This is a very relevant problem today!
- It often proves our idolatrous notions, the
first of which is often the "God is my genie" thought!
- Second, notice that the people of Israel
tempted God the Father, but the equal sin is to to tempt Christ the Son! There
is no distinction. To offend one is to offend the other.
- In this case, Paul refers to the story of Numbers 21 where the people complained
that God had given them nothing but worthless bread, the Manna, to eat.
- God responded by sending serpents their way
to destroy them! They threw a tantrum based on what they felt that God should
give them in that moment and it came back to bite them!
- We are not to complain or murmur as they did.
There are 8 major references to complaining or murmuring in the Pentateuch. God
is never pleased with that.
- When did God send the destroyer? The only
reference to the destroyer was when He sent the destroyer to execute all of
Egypt's firstborn.
- All of these things were historical events
and are instructive, reminding us that we serve a living God that we are to
fear, to reverance, to respect!
- God preserved these stories for our
admonition, to counsel us that we might be wise given the time that we live in,
the end of the age.
- When Jesus asceneded back to heaven, that
began the last days in the mind of God and thus, here in the words of the
Apostle. How much more is this applicable to you and I today?
• I Corinthians 10:12,13 : "Therefore let him
who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has
overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will
not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." :
Therefore. Because this was the case with the Israelites. Understand the
precariousness of your position. Your exercise of "freedom" had
better not be a cover for vice!
- Paul has written this to the Corinthians saying,
"You glory in your strength and you stand on your knowledge." Do you
know more than the people of Israel?
- Do you have more strength or gifting than
they did? This is why they were to take heed. It was possible for them to fall
as well!
- Notice closely the words: Let him who THINKS
he stands. What does that speak to you? Confidence. Pride. This man needs to
immediately rethink his position!
- How much more are we susceptible to pride,
given the power of God's covenant with us?
- These temptations that grounded the people of
Israel were just as real to them. What am I to do? How can I hope to stand
against them if they did not?
- They are to understand first that these
temptations that they were facing, were such that were common to man. It is
what any person faces.
- The Corinthians were not seized by a
specialized temptation. Nothing that you face today is any more severe or
unique than that which has ever faced another human being!
- The Corinthians faced similar struggles, but
God would be a reliable help to them, giving them just what they are able to
handle.
- The temptation does not originate with God,
but neither does He let an unlimited amount come your way. Nobody is ever able
to say that God allowed more than was possible to handle.
- It's important to be clear on this point.
Temptations cannot be handled in the power of your own resource. Your flesh is
powerless to resist.
- But because God is faithful to give you aid,
you are able to withstand temptations with His resource at your disposal. Part
of that is recognizing the wisdom that He affords to you.
- With every temptation, God will create, from
the word "poieo," an escape route! I love that the word is so
specific. It does not say that He will reveal a way of escape. He will create
one!
- Let me remind you though that the escape
route is for escaping! He will make it, but you must take it! The goal is not a temptation free life, but a
saint that can lift a little more for a little longer!
- The word "bear" means to be able to
sustain a weight load. That is our faithful God!
• I Corinthians 10:14-17 : "Therefore, my
beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise
men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not
the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion
of the body of Christ? For we, though
many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread." : On
account of God's faithfulness to allow common temptations but provide divine
measures of escape, flee from idolatry!
- Wait! I thought that He was powerful enough
to help us bear under the weight of temptation? Yes! When a temptation comes
your way and you are unsuspecting, God will carry you through!
- But we are to do our jobs as well by fleeing
that which would ensnare us! Paul writes this as a command that was to be
obeyed immediately! Run now! Escape now from this!
- Why is Paul telling them this? The
Corinthians were facing a dire spiritual condition that does not ask how close
one can get to Jesus, but how close one can get to sin!
- Their overconfidence in their position and
gifting had actually led them to being fooled about what was freedom and what
was vice! They were moving or even had moved back into idolatry!
- "Idolatry isn't that big of a deal to
us?" Oh, I beg to differ! Our world is built on presenting idols to us as
viable distractions, obscuring the vision we are to have of Christ.
- Consider the recent political season where
political saviors were paraded before us with promises of what they are going
to do to change our straits.
- How devasted are we when they fail, not only
to win, but when we are left to pick up the pieces of our own psyche that have
run headlong for that which only Jesus can provide!
- When the dust settles, we fall back to the
fact that God is on the throne, when that should have been our position all
along! There is some recent idolatry!
- For the Corinthians, this was a very
prevalent problem, as the idol Temple remained a relevant social institution. Under
the guise of Christian liberty, some were still participating in idolatry.
- Here was something for them to consider. The
cup and the bread. Were these not symbols of the body of Christ to them? They
are symbols.
- The bread does not become the body nor does
the juice become the blood. Yet, the reality behind the symbols joins our
hearts and minds to Christ, who we intend to honor.
- When we partake of the communion, we are
drawing close to our Savior and each other. The bread that we take is the same
as it represents what we are all united to: The body of Christ.
- He provides another illustration of this same
principle in verse 18.
• I Corinthians 10:18-22 : "Observe Israel
after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the
altar? What
am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is
anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they
sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship
with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you
cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke
the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?" : National
Israel sought to draw close to God, through the implements of the Altar.
- The NLT puts it like this for us: "Think about
the people of Israel. Weren't they united by eating the sacrifices at the
altar?" They sought unity together and with God through the
Altar.
- Paul's point is that there was a widely
accepted truth that people accepted and still accept today. There is a reality,
a substance behind symbols, as people approach in faith.
- Is Paul stepping back on what he has already
said? Paul clearly established in chapter 8 that the idol, even the parts of
communion or the altar or a sanctuary, were not intrinsically anything.
- Away from church, crackers and juice are just
that. The altar during non-sacrifice hours was a very fancy piece of furniture.
This building can be anything during the week!
- It's the people who provide the context and
the atmosphere. They give it the significance. Those who have come to sacrifice
to the idol are being met spiritually by demonic forces.
- This returns Paul to his history lesson with
Israel, as Moses makes note of the fact that Israel by turning to false gods,
had in fact, brought their sacrifices to demons! (Deuteronomy 32:15-17)
- In the same way that you and I take communion
and experience fellowship with God and each other, the person who worships
idols is communing with demons posing as gods!
- In that environment, there was no reconciling
the two. The cup they drank from united them to Christ, but at an idol's
temple, that same cup united them to demons! There is no co-existence!
- Paul is not affirming the power of a given
object, but the atmosphere created around the object, which can open even the
most resolute of hearts to influence given enough time.
- When we put ourselves in an environment that
glorifies the demonic principles of the world, self-indulgence and the worship
of pleasure, we can eventually gain a sympathy for the world.
- Before long, our communion with the world
brings a communion with demons, creating a fellowship with the world that would
provoke God's jealousy.
- God is not jealous as we understand the
concept. Paul uses the word to express an idea that we would understand. Are we
allowing an opposing suitor to court our hearts?
- Are we stronger than He? Paul means to say
that our human knowledge and strength does not match the command of the Father
for complete consecration to Him!
•
I Corinthians 10:23-26 : "All
things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful
for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat
market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for 'the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.'" : Many of them parroted Paul's words "All things are lawful
for me."
-
By the way, when this is your first response about a given "freedom"
it tells everyone that you are not as free as you think you are!
-
Becoming defensive is a sure sign that you know that you are wrong about your
rights!
-
I can do everything. Christians are free from any legal relationship with God.
Doing or not doing does not enhance or take away from our position before Him,
but it hurts our possession!
-
The Corinthians had taken a stand on this premise: It won't hurt me! But the
real question should have been, "Will this HELP me!?" "This
doesn't break me down, but does it build me up!?"
-
Does your freedom free you to walk with God, to help others that you love to become
established with God?" Let no one seek his own, but the well being of
others!
-
We would hear it like this: Seek not your own good! Seek other's good! Let that
be your priority. Is that your priority? He gives them an example beginning in
the market place.
-
Eat whatever is sold there and don't question it. The Bible tells us that it's
all HIs in Psalm 24:1 and 50:12 for example.
-
Paul tells the Corinthians, "When you go to the market, don't ask for the
religious history of the meat that you are taking home!" Just take it home
and thank God for it! Meat is just meat.
•
I Corinthians 10:27-30 : "If any of
those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat
whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. But if anyone says to you, 'This
was offered to idols,' do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and
for conscience’ sake; for 'the earth is the
Lord’s, and all its fullness.' 'Conscience,' I say, not your own,
but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s
conscience? But
if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I
give thanks?" : Paul sets up a second
scenario involving dinner with an unbeliever. Remember earlier that Paul had
enjoined them not to eat in the pagan temple.
-
Here he presumes that an unbeliever would invite a believer to dinner and he is
fine with the concept. We should have relationships with unbelievers.
-
For Paul, it's not the company of an unbeliever that is at issue. It's the
endorsement of a lifestyle that a Christian has to be mindful of.
-
Enjoy the food unless they tell you that the food you are about to partake of
was offered to idols. At that point, they were not to eat of it for the
conscience of the one who has told you.
-
He has told you of the meat's origin because he believes that you would think
that it was wrong to eat of it. He is an unbeliever who feels that it's wrong
for a Christian to partake.
-
A modern example might be related to alcohol. Your host says, "You
probably don't drink because of your beliefs, but we drink in our house."
A Christian should abstain.
-
Why? For that person's sake, confirm what he or she feels in their conscience,
knowing that God is using even that person's conscience to convict them of His
reality.
-
Abstain so that they are served, they are esteemed, even if you know better!
-
Paul imagines the response: "Why should I be judged by another man's
conscience? I'm in the right here! I gave thanks. I'm good." But this is
Paul's point.
-
God is glorified in that moment when you invoke your right abstain. It shows
that person with the conscience that somebody does respond to God in the way
that he believes!
-
Yes, he is wrong. Yes, he lacks knowledge. But yes, you are participating with
God in helping him to see the reality, the only one he is concerned with at the
moment, embraced by God's man!
-
To partake in the presence of such conscience would cause evil to be spoken of
God for the sake of food!
•
I Corinthians 10:31-33 : "Therefore,
whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews
or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in
all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be
saved." : This is the bottom line. Whatever
you do or do not do, do that to bring glory to God!
-
One commentator illustrated it by doing a commercial for his favorite bottled
water. In essence, that is the act of glorifying God: Bring attention to Him by
what you do!
-
Give no offense. In this context, be careful of your freedoms before religious
people, unbelievers and family in Christ. Paul did this before them wanting
them to profit, ie. be saved.
-
He sought to have men gain from watching his life. What would they gain? Look
at the next verse. They got a living breathing representation of what Christ's
life was like!
Conclusion
• I Corinthians 11:1 : "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." : Are you doing your best imitation? How we handle liberty is the key to our successful imitation!
• I Corinthians 11:1 : "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." : Are you doing your best imitation? How we handle liberty is the key to our successful imitation!