Beware of Temptation
After a brief hiatus in chapter 9, we are back to the subject of eating meat sacrificed to idols. In chapter 9, Paul used himself as an example to show the church at Corinth why it is so important to think of others before yourself. He showed them that he had the right to be paid by the church, but, because he wanted to build them up instead of blow them up, he didn’t exercise that right. Now, he continues to show them why “everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful,” and he begins with a bit of a history lesson.
Vs 1-13 Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did. Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play. Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead. Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes. Nor should we complain as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.
One thing we need to realize, not everyone at the church at Corinth would have necessarily been knowledgeable of the intricate history of the nation of Israel. They may have been somewhat aware of some things but, because it wasn’t their own history, it was probably a surface understanding at best. It is like most of us. We know our own history because we study it in school, but we are only slightly aware of another culture’s history. So, Paul gives us a condensed history lesson and puts it through a spiritual lens. Let’s break it down. Paul first shows us that God blessed Israel every step of the way through the wilderness. The Shekinah glory of God led them through the desert by cloud and fire. They passed through the Red Sea on dry land. He supplied them with manna (bread) and water from a rock. All of their needs have been met by God. Paul then gives us the Messianic context of these blessings. The cloud they followed and the sea they passed through represents baptism. As believers in Christ, we have been baptized and now have God’s Holy Spirit living within us. We have walked from death (one one side of the Red Sea) into life (now we are on the other side). We understand the bread and the wine in the context of Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. His body broken for us. His blood spilled for us. Through His sacrifice, we have life eternal. Paul also uses the example of Israel as a warning to us. They had all their needs met, God, the creator of all things, was leading them to a new hope, yet they still complained and strayed. They had hope, yet they fell to the temptations around them – idolatry, impatience, testing God… Even with all the blessings that came their way, they were still not satisfied so they looked for other ways to fill their “needs”. They were tempted and, instead of turning to God, they followed their own desires. So here is the warning – “whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.” This statement is a blow to those who are prideful! So you think you are strong and can face everything without God? You don’t think you need Him? I can tell you, you will not get to far without Him. We may think we are strong and we have all the knowledge and wisdom we need to walk this life by ourselves, but Paul’s warning tells us otherwise. If we remember the warning Paul gave them from chapter one of this very letter – don’t stand on your own wisdom. Pride does come before the fall, and temptation can entice us.
The wonderful thing is, where there is a warning, there is a promise – No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” The Greek word for faithful is pistos, which means faithful and reliable. This reminds us that when temptation comes your way, and believe me it will, God will be faithful and reliable. He will always make sure you will be able to withstand the temptation. We don’t have to wonder “if” God will come through. He will because He is reliable. Here is the rest of the promise: “He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.” This is a GREAT promise!! But let us be sure, this promise doesn’t leave things open to those excuses we love like, “the devil made me do it” or “I just couldn’t help myself.” There is a way to bear the temptation and there is a way to walk away from it. As long as we rely on God how is faithful and reliable, he will show us the way so we can continue on His path.
Vs 14-22 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for all of us share that one bread. Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar? What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Now, because of this, we can flee from temptation. We have a faithful and reliable God to turn to and His Holy Spirit is with us to guide us. The only excuse we really have for being enticed away by temptation is… the person we look at in the mirror every day. And after that explanation, Paul is ready to give his answer to the question they have about eating meat sacrificed to idols. So here it is: We must remember the bread we break and the wine we drink is Communion. We share together in remembering the blood of Christ shed for us and His body broken for us. We participate in it. It is not just a cup of wine or a loaf of bread. It is a representation of His body and blood. In the same way, meat that was sacrificed to idols is a representation for those who sacrifice it of the demons they worship. To be sure – this in no way makes the idol they worship anything but the material it was carved out of. That idol is still nothing. So if Paul is not talking about the idol what is he talking about? The heart of the person sacrificing the meat. It is about their motivation, where their heart is, and that is something else all together. Because that person is worshiping this idol, they are participating with demons. Their understanding of what they are doing, their motivation is what we need to be aware of. And so Paul says it again in the next section:
Vs 23-33 “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, for the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged by another person’s conscience? If I partake with thanks, why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for? Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, so that they may be saved.
I think this is the third or fourth time Paul repeats this phrase: everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up. Sometimes, the things that are “permitted” blow it up. He is very clear here – we are not to seek our own good, but the good of others. Put away your own “rights” for the good of others. In the case of eating meat sacrificed to idols, Paul emphasizes our need to remember – the meat itself is not the issue, it is the atmosphere of fellowship with demons. Since the idol is nothing, the meat itself is not “infected” by demons. It is all about the heart of the other person. If you are in fellowship with someone who is an adherent to idol worship and they point out that the meat they are serving was associated with idols don’t eat the meat. Why? Because it may cause that person to stumble. At this point, it is obvious they feel you should not eat it or they wouldn’t have warned you. This is not the time to get into a debate with the person, it is a time to respond in love and grace. This is why Paul said in the previous chapter – I become all things to all people. He says it again here: give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, just as I also try to please all people in all things…so that they may be saved. And so, this is why our freedom is judged by another person’s conscience. We are to be looking out for them before we partake in our “freedoms” so they might be saved.
The bottom line is this: “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.” We think of others before ourselves because it glorifies God. We give up our personal freedoms because it glorifies God. We sacrifice our rights because it glorifies God. Everything we do should be because we desire to glorify God. Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. In all things we ask the question, “what is going to further the kingdom of God? What gives him the glory?” If we ask this question, then we will walk as Christ walked. We will look out for others and hope that by doing this, some may be saved.
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