The passage begins with 1 Corinthians 9:24- “Do you not know…run in such a way that you might win…”
“For I do not want you to be UNAWARE…- {IGNORANT}…”-{1 Cor 10:1}
We read in 1-4 of GREAT BLESSINGS BESTOWED…
10:5 –“NEVERTHELESS….”
WARNINGS – PRE COUNSELING
In the context of what has just been written. Paul speaks of Great Privileges which the children of Israel experienced and also shows with great privilege comes great responsibility and great testing. These things were written as a warning to us in seeing how Israel fell spiritually despite the great blessings.
- –OVER CONFIDENCE can lead to a lack of dependence upon God and lead to sinning against God.
THE IDOL– IS CONSTRUCTED FROM WITHIN US… WE ARE TEMPTED FROM PERHAPS WITHOUT INITIALLY- LIKE EVE…BUT IT CAN ONLY STIR UP SOMETHING THAT IS WITHIN US….
- – A LOW ESTIMATE/VIEW OF GOD CAN LEAD TO SINNING AGAINST GOD
- Nathan comes to David” Why have you Despised the WORD of the Lord…”
To despise His Word is to Despise Him ….”Why have you despised Me” God says in the same passage
Times of temptation are tests of Love and Loyalty. Temptations are part of life. They are specifically designed not to make us fall but to be used as opportunities to strengthen us. Not to destroy us but to develop us- James 1:2-5; Rom 5:3-5
THREE THINGS TO REMEMBER IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION TO SIN AGAINST GOD
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THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO ME- PERSPECTIVE
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man…”- v 13
I am not the only one who has ever gone through this, or is going through this. The temptation is to believe the lies that “No one understands.” Temptation is not unique to any one of us alone. Others have gone through exactly the same trial as we have and they have come through it triumphantly by Gods Grace.” The design of the apostle is to comfort and encourage the Corinthians, and to keep their minds from despondency. He had portrayed their danger; he had shown them how others had fallen (cp 1Co 10:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12); and they might be led to suppose that in such circumstances they could not be secure. He therefore tells them that they might still be safe, for their temptations were such as human nature had often been subject to, and God was able to keep them from falling.
Think of it this way – Trials/temptations are part of human nature and we all experience them. To be sure, each of us has his or her besetting sin or susceptibility to temptation but none of us are immune to these “intruders”. They are part of our fallen human condition.
Jesus as the God-Man also experienced the temptations common to man…
For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (He 2:18–note)
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (He 4:15-)”{preceptaustin }
Temptation- {Peirasmos,}- “trial” or “temptation.”
The word temptation speaks of a “test” or “prove”. It is neutral. It is not sinful. God allows trials and orchestrates trials as a way of developing us and purifying and maturing us- Read James 1:2-5, 1:12. The context determines HOW IT IS Used and TRANSLATED. It can be used to spiritually Build us up, Or Trip us up – Satan uses the same opportunities to appeal to our flesh to tempt us to sin against God . Just as he attempted to entice the Lord Jesus in the Wilderness to act independent of the will of His Father.{Matt 4} So he uses our times of testing to entice us to sin. If we respond in obedience to God in the test it results in praise to Him and an evidence of righteousness. The test affords an opportunity to prove and demonstrate faithfulness to God. If we choose to respond in disobedience to His Word then it is a temptation to evil and sin- Read James 1:13-15. And we choose to sin because we allow the temptation or solicitation to evil to entice us and then we chose to disobey God and give birth to sin against God.
The phrase “common to man”- is one word in the Greek;
It is speaking of “that which is human, characteristic of belonging to mankind., all people.” It is not SOME SUPERNATURAL TEMPTATION… it is common, human experiences. They are “common” NOT UNIQUE to us.
Circumstances differ but not temptations.
Heb 4:15- Jesus was tempted in all things… and because of that He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted”- { Heb 2:18}
Look at the Temptations that the children of Israel went through
1.- IDOLATRY—Ex 32:6. Idols represent false gods…any concept of “God” that is not true to His Word.. is IDOLATRY. Idolatry is to make a “god” of your own imagination and worship it, other than the One True and Living God.
Idolatry is worshiping anything or anyone other than God…- 1 Tim 3 says, “…in the last days…men will be lovers of …self….” Self-love is idolatry for we were created to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Anything that takes our first allegiance away from God … is an IDOL…Success, fame, selfish ambition… etc…
While many in the Western world would be too “sophisticated” to bow down before idols of stone or wood… yet we often are found bowing down before the idols of success… materialism.. money… prestige…sports…power, acceptance…seeking the glory from others… education, academics…
EZ 14:3- The sin of Idolatry is – a sin of the heart. As God said to Ezekiel concerning the leaders in Israel – “ These men have SET UP their Idols in their HEARTS and have put right before their faces the stumbling bock of iniquity.”
In the Bible, we find “idols”…
- Some were made of stones or wood
- Some are demons- 1 Cor 10:20-21…idolatry in our worship…how? Developing philosophies that are not True…
2. – SEXUAL IMMORALITY- V 8
“Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty three thousand fell in one day.”
Idolatry and sexual immorality were closely related in ancient religions… In Corinth they had 1000 ritual prostitutes… who were used and it was common. Immorality is a choice…not a chance…David when he sinned against GOD by committing adultery, it began as he …Looked, Lusted, Lost it.
Psalm 119:9- Tells us to Guard your mind… Flee…
3.- TEMPTING GOD – Numbers 21 is the story behind the reference…in 1 Cor 10:9
“Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.” – 9
God had provided manna to eat and food to drink- but they were not Satisfied- Dissatisfied- with Gods Provision…They wanted more variety and complained…they Questioned Gods Goodness, they had no concern for pleasing God but merely Looking out to please themselves. It was no longer Good Enough- They were discontent… with Gods Provision
Phil 4: Paul wrote of how he had learned to be content, satisfied. Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Tim that- “Godliness with contentment is great Gain…”
Some of the Corinthians were pushing God… with their “liberty”…how far they could go…they were risking severe punishment…The Lord sent fiery serpents to the Israelites
- MURMURING; Complaining against Gods Sovereign will for our lives.
“Nor Grumble, as Some of them Did, and were destroyed by the serpents.”
Murmuring is a sin against Gods Sovereignty… Contentment has to do with Gods Honor-
MURMURING IS EVIL
1 Sam 6:9 “for he has done us this great evil”- what was it?
1 Kings 11:6- Solomon did evil in the sight of
2 Chron 12:4- And he did evil BECAUSE…”
neh 9:28- they again did Evil before You
Psalm 41:5 my enemies SPEAK evil- Evil speaking
Psalm 52:1 Why do you BOAST in Evil
Psalm 30:19 You Give your Mouth to EVIL
Ps 140:2 You PLAN evil things
Prov 15:28 of the wicked pours forth evil
Prov 17:20 – A perverse yongue falls into Evil
Eccl 9:3- This is an evil I have seen
Jer 52:2- he also did EVIL in the sight of
Phil – Do all things without Murmuring or Complaining…
- PRIDE- “lest you fall”
“NO THESE THINGS Happened to them as an EXAMPLE, and they were written for our Instruction, upon whom the end of the ages have come. THEREFORE let him who THINKS he stands take Heed that He DOES NOT FALL.” – v11,12
“These things;” What does this mean? Judgement, Happened as an example, Secondly the one who thinks he could not choose to do likewise needs to take heed…for pride can blind us all to our own sinfulness.
The Corinthians nor anyone else were to think they were above doing as the Isrealites had done
- Don’t put a novice into a place of leadership –“lest he be tempted…”
- 1 Cor 7 – Speaks of a husband and wife’s sex life and the warning concerning physical withdrawal except for an agreed season- Lest…they give the evil one the opportunity to tempt them.
“TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL”
What goes before a fall I said to one of our children when they were young- “Spring,” They replied… well in the Spiritual realm… Pride goes before a fall
Prov 16:18- Pride goes before a fall…” Consider the lives that are recorded and for our instruction to learn from them also…
- Samson
- The Israelites… Gods chosen people- thought they could sin and God would give them a pass “just because.” They did not take into account His Holiness and Righteouss and Just character…They were Not Exempt… and they found out!!!
Self Confident Christians become less dependent upon God and are setting themselves up for a fall. Sin crouches at the door when temptation knocks.
- Peter- was confident in himself and made a great declaration of his allegiance to the Lord,- I will die with you… ready to go to prison… SELF RELIANCE…
- Samson…taught he was invincible… He PLAYED AROUND WITH SIN and it like a viper bit him and caused his downfall and reasons for the heathen to rejoice and boast
PRIDE; Nebuchadmnezzer- looked over the great cities he had build…” and boasted, intoxicated with pride.
V 13 – “No Temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man…”
Temptation
That which moves us to sin. God cannot be tempted (James 1:13). But we can be tempted by our lusts (James 1:13-15), money (1 Tim. 6:9), lack of self examination (Gal. 6:1), and the boastful pride of life (1 John 2:16), to name a few.
We are commanded to pray to be delivered from temptation (Matt. 6:13) for the Lord is capable of delivering us from it (2 Pet. 2:9).
“OVERTAKEN” =Has overtaken you – “has laid hold of you” (Berkley, Wuest), “has seized you” (NIV), “has waylaid you” (Moffatt), “has overtaken you and laid hold of you” (Amplified), “has you in its power” (Weymouth). As you can see, some of the translations render the Greek verb lambano (eilephen) in such a way that it paints a picture of an emotion or urge that suddenly attempts to seize a person’s mind, will and emotions, so that he or she might be led astray from the right way. The picture is as occurs in a war, when the enemy seizes or grasps us and attempts to hold us fast.
“Overtaken-(lambano) means taken hold of, grasped, seized and in so doing bringing under one’s control. In some secular uses lambano meant to be taken by violence, seized or carried off (as prize or booty). It was also used of passions, feelings, etc meaning to be seized by them (cp Lk 5:26), and such a nuance could apply in the present context.
Paul uses the perfect tense which emphasizes that they had not only been solicited by temptation but seized and overcome and that this temptation was now “holding them fast” as Edwards phrases it (1 Corinthians 10:13 Commentary).”{preceptaustin commentaries}
“NO TEMPTATION” – Temptation – neutral word…our RESPONSES REVEALS WHETHER IT Is A Proof of righteousness or inducement to evil. IF WE RESIST IN God’s Power- Matt 4… it is a test that proves we are faithful… if we do not resist…it becomes a solicitation to evil
“WAS WRITTEN FOR OUR instruction”- The word speaks of WARNING… It is counsel given to a person to change behavior in light of Judgment…
NONE OF THE ABOVE TEMPTATIONS ARE UNIQUE TO US…OTHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM AND DO GO THROUGH THEM…
But does God still Judge- Surely that was Old Testament- But Look in Corinthians – “some of you… sick…dead…” God uses His church to Judge and His leaders are to Warn His People- Matt 16:
Unruly behavior that is tolerated in a church is a sign of weak leadership at worse or Neglectful shepherding and or people who do not love each other enough or the Lord to seek the welfare of His fame and the welfare of the other person
RECAP;
1.- IT’S NOT UNIQUE TO YOU.
Gods Perspective- An Opportunity to show Loyalty to Him
In times of Temptation Paul writes
Secondly…
2. – GOD IS FAITHFUL -.PROMISE
“God is Faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…”…
IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION – THERE IS A PROMISE
In times of temptation or proving. We must remember the Character of God.
GOD IS FAITHFUL
– He is Faithful and True
- -God is Faithful
1 Cor 1:9 “God is FAITHFUL who has Called you into Fellowship with his Son”
1 Cor 10”13 – “God is faithful”
2 COR 1:18 “…God is FAITHFUL…” This is Who He is. He is Always and forever the same. He is Reliable, He is Trustworthy. He can be counted upon…
B.-Gods Word is Faithful
Rev 22:6 – “..These words are Faithful and True.”
C.-Gods Promises are Faithful
Heb10:23 – “He who Promises is Faithful”
-Gods Son is Faithful
Heb 3:6 – “Christ was Faithful as a Son..”
Rev 19:… FAITHFUL And TRUE…”
God is ABLE to…
- “ Now to Him who is able to establish you…” – Rom 16:25
- “ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you…”- 2 Cor 9:8
- “Now to Him who is able to do the exceeding abundant beyond all we ask or think.” – Eph 3:20
- “…I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” – 2 Tim 1:12
- “…He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” – Heb 2:18
- “…to the One who is able to save Him from death…”- Heb 5:7
- “…He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him…” – Heb 7:27
- “ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand
He will not allow us to be tempted beyond the ability NOT TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND SIN AGAINST HIM.
- He has given to us- Phil 4:13; 2 Pet 1:3; Eph 1:19 ; Eph 6:10-18 ;Col 1:11; 2 Cor 9:8, 2 Cor 12:9; 1 Tim 2:1
In the midst of a temptation, as severe as they are , I am to remember He is present with me to meet me-Ps46:1 “ a very present help in trouble”… and He is able and can enable and empower me to do that which is pleasing in His sight- Heb 13:21. To strengthen me in the midst of the trial to Honor Him and obey Him. In the day of trouble remember He is a Present help- Ps 46:1 In the day of trouble He commands me to Call upon Him – Ps 50:15
THIRDLY
3. -GOD PROVIDES THE WAY OF ESCAPE – PROVISION
The Temptation is specific “The” Temptation and so is the way of escape “The” Way of escape.”
The phrase “THE WAY”,.. there is ONLY ONE WAY… the way of escape is THROUGH…. Whether a trial- to Build us.. or a solicitation to evil to trip us… the way in every Temptation is the same THROUGH… God will ENABLE us to go THROUGH it and not sin against Him in the testing……. As He enables us to endure it
“Escape”- Ekbasis. It means “a way out of a defile, a mountain pass.” The idea is that of an army trapped and surrounded…or trapped in a rugged country, which manages to escape through a mountain pass.
God is not a spectator in times of testing but actively participating and empowering and enabling us to chose His Way of escape- Phil 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:3-4, God is Faithful in the time of temptation to show “the way of escape” from sinning against Him and others. We can resist in His Power- Eph 6:10
We escape the temptation by honoring and obeying God in the test.
How do we endure
- Pray – Mark 14:38- keep watch that you may not come into temptation
- Trust – Matt 6- Deliver us from the evil one
- Use His Word- Matt 4:4,7,10
- Look away to Jesus- Heb 12:3-4
- Flee – 1 Tim 6:11
The passage begins with 9:24- “Do you not know…run in such a way that you might win…”… When tempted you can run and win against temptation!