1 Corinthians 10:12-22

1 Corinthians 10:12

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

 

Now the warning comes to the church and to individual Christians. Paul just finished telling them that the things that happened to Israel were examples to the church. He is now telling them that they should be careful, because they may think they are strong in Christ, yet they are babes in Christ, and if they do not guard themselves, it will be possible for them to fall into sin. This verse is not speaking of the ability to lose salvation since that is impossible if one is truly saved. Sometimes Christians can feel so superior to others because of education or something else which they pride themselves on, but Paul is warning that it is possible to fall into sin from any position.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

 

Temptation - Testing

 

I would like to offer two biblical explanations for this verse which are both compatible to our lives according to the Scriptures.

 

1) First, God will allow a Christian to be tested in their walk but God will never allow a test in the life of any of His children which would cause them to fall into sin. God is well aware of the weakness of the flesh. Therefore, God will always make a way of escape from the test. Whenever we face any kind of test in our life, simultaneously there will be a door with an exit sign over it. Christians do not need to succumb to any sin if we look for that escape. The word “no” exists in the language for a reason!

 

2) The second truth in this verse is that the test that every human being must go through is the test of the final Judgment of God. The only way a human can escape the Judgment of God is to find a substitute to take their place at the Judgment seat on the last day. The way of escape for the Elect of God is the Lord Jesus Christ who already experienced the judgment of God on behalf of His Elect on Calvary. The Christian’s way of escape is the Lord Jesus Christ and because of Him, we do not have to stand for any type of judgment on the last day. So therefore, we will never tested for our sins because they are all gone. (Col 2:14 KJV) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:14

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

 

Flee - Escape or shun

 

Paul now warns them to flee idolatry. Corinth was a very idolatrous city and they were to completely shun the idolatry that many were probably involved in before they became saved. Based on verse 13, Paul was saying that idolatry was escapable because God had given them a way to escape it. Obviously, some were probably still partaking in it a little bit but the Bible warns to flee it. Run as fast as you can from idolatry or else it will bring a person back into sin, then they have to face the chastisement of God.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:15

I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

 

Paul knows there will be those who will neglect his warning and that is why he says he is speaking to wise men. (Prov 9:8 KJV) Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Only the wise in Christ will want to make sure their Christian walk will be on the straight and narrow. In every church there will be those who live on the broad road and the narrow road. Those who walk the broad road and accept everything normally wind up as leaders and those who walk the narrow way are normally escorted out. Nevertheless, we are to walk in the narrow way and leave the results to God.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:16

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?

 

Communion - Fellowship

 

Here Paul speaks about the true fellowship the believer has in Christ. He will be speaking later about the Lord’s Supper, but here he speaks of it in principle. Paul warns them that there can never be true fellowship with idols or false religion. The only true fellowship the Christian has is with Christ and that came through His sacrifice on Calvary. (1 John 1:3 KJV) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. This fellowship being spoken about is not merely an outward gathering but it is speaking of the intimate fellowship we have with Christ. Notice the wording that Paul uses the word “we” in both statements. He is speaking of only those who are truly saved and not mankind in general, especially false churches which try to make outward communion as intimate as inward communion. The Roman Catholic Church gets their adherents to believe they ingest the body of Christ through transubstantiation, which is an outright heresy. The communion of Christ is not physical but spiritual through regeneration only.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:17

For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

 

Paul now makes an application. He says there are many Christians and there will be millions more to come before the last day, yet, even though we are all scattered throughout the world, we are one bread and one body. We are unified in the Lord Jesus Christ and because of the Lord Jesus Christ. The metaphors, body and bread, both denote that there are many different ingredients to make up bread and many different parts to the body, yet in the aggregate, they become one unified essence when all the parts are added. If you leave one ingredient out of bread, it will affect the taste and texture. If you leave parts out of the body, it will affect its operation, or it may not be able to live. Both of these entities need every part to create the final product. He then says we are all partakers of the one bread who is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. (John 6:35 KJV) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:18

Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

 

Paul now references ancient Israel. Whenever they partook of the sacrifices, they became identified with those sacrifices. This is what Paul is driving home that Christians are identified with the body of Christ. In ancient Israel, when a sacrifice was made, the one who offered the sacrifice and the priest who did the sacrifice partook in the sacrifice. Paul speaks here of the physical aspects of it. The Christian partakes of the sacrifice of Christ but in a more intimate way, via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Christians are identified with the sacrifice of Christ. It was through His sacrifice that we became part of His body for eternity.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:19

What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

 

Paul was asking two rhetorical questions here. He was asking if an idol was anything and if the sacrifice made to them were anything. Remember, Paul spoke about the idols as being nothing. He wants to make sure that those in the church who still attended idolatrous gatherings would understand that sacrifices to idols and idols were nothing. Idols were just the imaginations of men set to faces. Paul was not speaking about idols being of any truth.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:20

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

 

Here Paul sums up his argument that Christians should have nothing whatsoever to do with pagan sacrifice. All pagan sacrifice are sacrifices to Satan and not to God. We are warned to stay away from all idolatry which is ultimately the worship of Satan. Christians are told to flee idolatry because if a person is saved and still dabbles in false religion, then they will paying homage to Satan. Satan has no authority over the true Christian. Each Christian is victorious over Satan because of being in Christ. False religion and idol worship are always the same as Satan worship, but the methods are just dressed up.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:21

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

 

Here is the great dichotomy! If you are a true Christian you will completely steer clear of any false religions or false teachings. A true Christian cannot be a worshipper of Christ and be in the camp of Satan at the same time. Either you are sold out to Christ or to the world, there is no in-between. You belong either to Christ or to Satan. No true Christian has any right to be mixed in with false teachings or false religion. If you are a true Christian, how can you live a lie? Christians have been redeemed from the camp of Satan and we have no business going back for any reason.

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:22

Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

 

Ancient Israel provoked God with their desires for false religions and they paid the price. (Deu 32:21 KJV) They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. Since they provoked God to jealousy, he was going to provoke them with another nation. No Christian should ever tempt God by walking in false teachings. The Lord Jesus Christ bought us with His blood and we belong to Him. We are not free to do anything we choose or to believe anything we want. A true Christian will walk after the teachings of Scripture and avoid all areas which will cause God to chastise them. Christians must never think they can do what they want because basically that is saying that they have control of God, instead of the other way around. We must never invent teachings which contradict Scripture just to appease the flesh. I am convinced that the reason such confusion exists in Christianity today is because of the invention of all types of flesh-appeasing teachings which now permeate Christianity whose source is man and not God.

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