June 11, 1 Corinthians 10
Winston Churchill said, “Those that cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” A few decades before him, George Santayana, put it this way: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” About 55 A.D., Paul wrote the same message: “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”
All Israel was redeemed from Egypt and led out by Moses. But most of them died in the wilderness, because of idolatry and immorality. They accused Moses and God of bringing them out to kill them in the wilderness. Because of their grumbling and complaints, God destroyed many of the Israelites he had delivered from slavery. Paul used their example to warn the
redeemed to be careful about falling into sin through similar temptations. With the warning came a precious promise—God will not permit temptation greater than our ability to withstand, and will always provide theway of escape from it. Everyone is tempted, but Christians have God’s faithful word that they can endure and escape it.
We usually make a wider application of these words, but they were first applied to the Corinthians’ quandary about eating food offered to idols in the ubiquitous idol temples of their city. Paul used the Lord’s Supper to show that all who partake of the one bread are one body. He said the Israelites who ate the sacrificed offerings were participants in the offering. That, Paul told the Corinthians, was the problem with going to the idol temples to eat. It was not that the food or the idol to which it had been offered were anything, but by eating what had been offered to demons, they became participants. We put ourselves in danger of falling into the sins that destroyed the
Israelites when we think we can handle the temptation. Our jealous God does not want his people who eat the bread of forgiveness and drink the wine of redemption at his table to also sit at the table where demons are revered.
Beyond personal jeopardy, there was also the matter of influencing others. Paul said there was no need to fret about every bite of food at a dinner or from the market. The issue was not the food. But if they were warned that the food had been sacrificed to an idol, Paul said not to eat it, for the sake of the one who warned them. When God’s glory means more to us than our liberty, and the salvation of the people around us means more to us than satisfying our appetites, it will be easier to avoid needless offense.
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament,
Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—June 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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