Earlier the Corinthians had written to Paul asking
about eating food offered to idols. Some of them were eating meals that were
offered during festivities in the temples of pagan gods. To them this was part
of their normal social life and were oblivious to any danger. They even argued
that their knowledge that there is only one God free them from the petty rules
and regulations of ordinary religious life. They might even feel immune to any
harm in participating in pagan festivities since they had been baptized and had
eaten of the Lord‘s supper. So what can really happen?
In chapter 8 Paul broached the issue of the
weaker brethren and mentioned that they could be led astray by the wrong
examples set by those who considered themselves strong. The knowledge of the
strong may become the stumbling block for the weak. Then in chapter 9, they
were told very indirectly to yield their rights for the sake of others. Now in
chapter 10 Paul gave a more compelling reason why they should not participate
in the festivities of the temple or eat food offered to idols. He showed that
it would not only endanger the weak but also expose those who practice them to spiritual
dangers.
In verses 1-14, in his call to them to flee
from idolatry, Paul cited the experience and the folly of the Israelites. They
had divine guidance during their journey in the wilderness. They moved by the
indications of the divine cloud. They also experienced divine deliverances. They
all miraculously passed through the sea. They also shared the same divine identification.
Like the Christian baptism which signifies a break from the past to a new
journey with Christ, the Israelites also broke from their past into a new
journey led by Moses. In baptism, Christians would be immersed in water, the
Israelites were immersed under the cloud and through the water of the sea. Besides,
the Israelites also had divine provision. God supplied their need for food and
water. Paul’s point was this, though they had all these privileges yet they all
fell into sin and they all died in the desert and almost all of them did not
enter the promise land.
Paul told the Corinthians that what had happened
to the Israelites in the wilderness was an object lesson for them. The
Israelites’ experience should warn believers to watch their lives carefully and
not to trifle with God. From verses 6 -11, Paul highlighted the flaws of the
Israelites so that believers would not emulate them. They should not crave for
evil things (verse 6), or be idolaters (verse 7), or practice immorality (verses
8), or put the Lord to a test (verse 9), or be grumblers (verses 10). Paul told
them that what the Israelites had experienced was for the instruction of
believers, people of God’s new era. Paul
warned in verse 12 that people who believed that they could not fall into those
flaws he had listed were in danger and need to be careful. It was precisely
those who had such thinking that would be exposed to such dangers. They become
careless and complacent.
While the dangers may be lurking,
verse 13 tells us that no one need to fall into it. Why? Paul gave us four reasons: (1) There is no temptation that
is specially designed for anyone because every temptation is common; (2) God is faithful; (3) God will never allow us to
be tempted beyond what we can bear at our level of maturity; and (4) God will not allow a temptation
to come our way without providing a means to escape.
God is gracious. He had brought us out of our
past to experience a rich life with Him. From the experience of the Israelites,
let us take heed of the warnings. Let us also rely on God’s marvelous promise
in verse 13. He is faithful and he will see us through.
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