Withstand Temptation and don’t be an Obstacle to the Church of God

FROM: JULY 25 @ 31, 2017

TOPIC: "Withstand Temptation and don’t be an Obstacle to the Church of God" I Corinthians 10:32 I Corinthians 10:31, 32 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God..." Paul addresses the subject of the meat offered to the idols. He warns them about the excess of confidence of some Corinthian Christians. The brothers of Corinth had their point of view; they thought they were already baptized, they were already united to Christ and were participants in the communion of the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper. It was like saying, "We are in Him and He in us; we are safe! We can eat meat offered to the idols without doing us any harm." But, Paul wants to make them understand the danger of the EXCESS OF CONFIDENCE! What happens in the Church of Christ that can bring great problems? It is precisely that: THE EXCESS OF CONFIDENCE! This can happen to those who have been blessed with "the greatest privileges." To teach you, here in Chapter 10 Paul returns to the days of Moses when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. With that example, the Corinthians should understand that they should be careful. The apostle points out that very wonderful things occurred to the Israelites (Vs. 1-5), and yet they failed the Lord. They had the cloud that showed them the way and protected them from the dangers. (Exodus 13:21 "By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.") They were led in the middle of the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:22 "...and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.") Paul tells them about the manna (Exodus 16:35) and the rock that gave them water (Exodus 17:6). These experiences had given the Israelites a perfect union with Moses; it was like saying that they were baptized (I Cor.10:2). How many privileges they had! But in spite of everything they failed God tragically and failed to fulfill their mission; they did not give what was expected of them. This was a great warning from Paul for the Corinthians, and now it was their duty to love and serve the Lord without falling and failing as it happened to those people in Moses' time. Paul points out to them that in spite of so many privileges and favors from God to them, the Israelites surrendered to temptations and sinned in many ways. This happened when Moses went up to Mount Sinai and because he took so long they persuaded Aaron to make them a golden calf (1 Cor.10:7) to worship (Exodus 32:1). God punished them (Exodus 32:35 "And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made." Again, when they were sent to Canaan to acknowledge the land, ten of them murmured against God (1 Cor. 10:10) and they presented a lousy report to the people; and God's judgment dictated that all that generation would die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:30-32). Also, thousands died because of God's punishment when the people began to fornicate (I Cor.10:8) with the daughters of Moab (Numbers 25:1-4). On another occasion they became discouraged and openly murmured (1 Cor.10:9) against God (Numbers 21:5-7). We see that those who enjoyed the greater privileges of God were not far from the temptation. Paul reminds them, a special privilege, IS NOT A GUARANTEE FOR SECURITY!

I Corinthians 10:12-14 “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” The apostle warns us about temptations and failures. Temptation and idolatry! We do not have idols as such, but someone’s god or idol is that to which he devotes all his time, thought and energy. The god or idol is what begins to replace worship, prayer and the Word, etc. The temptation of sexual freedom is something that only a passionate love for purity can save the believer from impurity. There is also the temptation to tempt God. Consciously or unconsciously many haggles with the mercy of God; in the back of their minds is this idea: “Nothing will happen to me; God will forgive me.” At our own risk we forget that there is a sanctity of God, that there is a unique love in Him. There is also the temptation to gossip. There are many who look at life with a gesture of disgust and not of complacency. He who lives with displeasure murmurs of everything, criticizes, demands and always has a “but.” Different to the one who lives pleased, who enjoys what is owned and does not covet what belongs to others. There is need for vigilance, those who feel secured should watch not to receive a violent stroke when falling (Vs.12)! Beware, you could be conquered by temptation even when you still feel so safe and confident! Earthly life is a risky business and we should ALWAYS BE CAUTIOUS! How is temptation? Unexpected. You should be completely sure that the temptation will come. Temptation means a “test.” It is something designed not to make us fall but, SO THAT WE SURPASS IT AND COME OUT STRONGER THAN WHEN WE ENTERED! Any temptation that can come upon us will not be anything new (Vs. 13). Others must have already resisted it and become successful. Many must have gone through temptation before; well then, go ahead, that we will also get through it! When we are going through a very difficult situation, let us think that others have gone through it and that by the grace of God they have resisted it and conquered. GOD ASSURES US THAT WITH THE TEMPTATION THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY OUT! For those who love God and do not want to fail Him because of His holiness, temptation is like passing through a gorge (deep, narrow, steep-walled mountain pass), struggling not to fall. To escape from temptation is as if we were in a war surrounded by the enemy and suddenly we discover a way out. No one has a reason to succumb to temptation, because together with it there is a way out. And that way out is not to surrender, nor to retract from it but, A WAY TO CONQUER WITH THE POWER OF THE GRACE OF GOD! (W. Barclay) Amen.