“1 Corinthians 10”

Friday, March 10, 2017

Paul ends Chapter 9 by encouraging the disciples to compete for the prize, an imperishable crown (stephanos) of victory.

This chapter begins by reminding them of some Hebrew history. Paul refers to a number of Old Testament accounts to show the Corinthians that if they did not continue to be obedient to the Lord’s will, they could fall from God’s favor.

The specific sins and Old Testament examples of them are as follows:

• Verse 6 – Lusting for evil things (Numbers 11)
• Verse 7 – Idolatry (Exodus 32)
• Verse 8 – Sexual immorality (Numbers 25)
• Verse 9 – Tempting God (Exodus 17)
• Verse 10 – Complaining (Exodus 16; Numbers 14)

These stories are preserved for us in God’s holy word as warnings about sinning against God to help us realize that He hates all iniquity. Just as many of them fell from God’s grace, we can also if we persist in sin.

In verses 14-22, the apostle points out to them that Christians cannot be partly in the church and partly in the world. They cannot rightly take part in the Lord’s table and also in the table of demons (or sin). God is never satisfied with part of our hearts; He demands the entirety of our being. James refers to those who try to hold the world with one hand and God with the other as “adulterers and adulteresses” (James 4:4).

He returns to the idea that Christians need to be aware of their influence on other people and refrain from certain activities that might cause others to stumble into sin themselves.

Paul also reminds them of the one overriding purpose of all Christians. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (verse 31).

--Roger Hillis

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