I Corinthians 10:1-13: "Avoiding Israel's Mistakes"
In chapter 8 of this letter Paul called out the mature believers to exercise their love for weaker brothers over the exercising of their Christian liberty. He pointed out that although something may be lawful for you, it becomes sin when you cause a weaker brother to go against their conscience because of your actions. In chapter 9 Paul used himself as an illustration of this principle by not exercising his Christian right to be supported by the local church. Paul explained that he did not want his motives to be misunderstood when proclaiming the gospel, and therefore, preached for free and worked as a tentmaker to make his living. In the latter parts of chapter 9, Paul explained how our self-discipline and self-control must be operating at a high level so that we may not cause others to stumble through using our Christian liberties. In verse 27 of chapter 9, Paul writes, "Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified". Here in chapter 10, Paul will use Israel as an example of being given many blessings through God, yet disqualifying themselves because of their behavior. How in chapters 8 and 9 Paul spoke about how our using our liberty can affect others, here in chapter 10 explains how it affects ourselves.
Paul begins, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink". Here Paul sets out to show the numerous blessings the Israelites received through being a descendant of Abraham. Referring to being disqualified in the previous verse, Paul does not want his readers to be unaware of the example their fathers had set many years ago. He wanted them to remember what had happened to Israel in the wilderness. He begins with God's first provision for them, liberating them from Egypt. God guided the Israelites with a "pillar of cloud by day" and "a pillar of fire by night" (ex. 13:21) out of Egypt and through the wilderness to remind them of his constant presence in watching over them. Next, Paul shows that God miraculously brought them out of Egypt "and all passed through the sea". God opened up the Red Sea for them to pass through and drowned many of the Egyptians that were in pursuit of them. Yet another miracle of God to provide for His chosen people. Of this event in relation to this context, MacArthur writes, "The Exodus was God's calling His chosen people, believing and unbelieving, out of their bondage in Egypt and His deliverance of them into His own land that He had promised to them through Abraham (Gen. 12:7). The were to be His witnessing community to the world. That was the 'race' that Israel as a nation was called by God to run (I Cor. 9:24). It was in that race that the nation misused its freedom and became disqualified, by falling into idolatry, immorality, and rebelliousness".
Paul continues with another of their blessings they received, "and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea". This reference to baptism is not to be linked with the cloud or the sea or Moses, but rather with an identification to Christ. Baptism by water is a sign of an inward change, a new allegiance to Christ. MacArthur writes, "It is that idea of spiritual identification, rather than the physical ceremony, that I believe Paul has in mind in the present passage. The Israelites were baptized into Moses in the sense that they identified with him as the Lord's appointed leader over them". Paul also writes, "and all ate the same spiritual food". Yet another provision of God for His people. While through the wilderness God was constantly providing physical and spiritual sustenance to his people. All the Israelites were given provision from a divine source, that is God. He also points out that even their spiritual drink was provided for them, "and all drank the same spiritual drink". Paul even points out to them that "they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ". What an invaluable thing to understand that the rock that followed around Israel throughout their journey was not a physical one, but the very own Christ preincarnate providing them with all the physical and spiritual sustenance they needed. MacArthur writes, "That supernatural rock protected and sustained His people and would not allow them to perish. Old Testament believers did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but even during the Exodus they had the sustaining presence of the preexistent Messiah, the preincarnate Christ, caring for and fulfilling the needs of His people".
All of these privileges were pointed out by Paul to show what can happen to someone who abuses the liberty he has. Despite receiving the common privileges of liberty, baptism, and sustenance, Paul warns of what the Israelites did with these privileges. "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased". Disappointing indeed, of the countless number of Israelites that were saved from Egypt only two (Joshua and Caleb) were allowed to enter the promised land. God's disappointment was shown in the fact that all but two "were laid low in the wilderness". According to MacArthur, "Laid low (katastronnumi) means literally 'to strew or spread over.' The corpses of those with whom God was not pleased were strewn all over the wilderness". The Israelites took for granted the blessings of God and misused and abused their freedoms. To point out the illustration in this Paul writes, "Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved". Paul is showing that many of the Israelite believers became disqualified and unfit to continue in carrying on their testimony. They gave themselves over to "evil things" and allowed their testimonies to be ruined by following after their own lusts. They had not shown the self-discipline and self-control that Paul had spoken of at the end of chapter 9. Their example should not be taken lightly, but rather should be a warning to us to never take for granted the wonderful blessings as well as the great responsibility we have as a Christian.
The Israelites were guilty of idolatry. Paul writes, "and do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, 'The people sat down down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.'" Living in Corinth lead to ample opportunities to be around idol worship. The Corinthians were no strangers to this practice. Many of the Gentile believers had most likely practiced this daily before coming to Christ. MacArthur points out, "Many of the Corinthian Christians, overconfident in their own moral and spiritual strength, had become careless about their participation in activities where false gods were worshiped, consulted, or appealed to. They believed they could be associated with such pagan activities without being spiritually harmed". It is to these people that Paul reminds of the sin the Israelites fell into. Despite being lead out of Egypt by the parting of the Red Sea, having all their physical and spiritual needs sustained, and being provided for the whole time, Israel forgot their God and allowed themselves to sacrifice to idols. Paul is referring to the story found in Exodus 32 in which Moses goes up to Mount Sinai to receive the commandments from the Lord. In his absence, the people had persuaded Aaron to fashion an idol out of the jewelry of the women. They blasphemously referred to this idol as the god who had led them out of Egypt. Somehow in their minds they had convinced themselves that they could worship the true God in such a sordid way. Because they had been around it for so long in Egypt, it almost became common practice to them. They had been so desensitized to it, they allowed themselves to be carried away by such "evil things". Paul quotes Exodus 32:6 when he writes, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play". MacArthur writes, "The eating and drinking refer to the excessive feasting that followed the sacrifices. Play is a euphemism for sexual relations. It means sexual play and is the same word translated 'caressing' in Gen. 26:8. Some three thousand of the Israelites who had instigated that idolatrous and immoral orgy at Sinai were put to death (Ex. 32:28)". Although we might not carve a god out of wood or metal, we are constantly bombarded with things that we can idolize in our lives. It can refer to anything that we would put before our God. Their should only be one thing that gets all of our love and devotion and that is God. Let us not forget the wonderful liberty and privileges we have in Christ as the Israelites did.
The second major sin Paul points out is sexual sin. He continues, "Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day". Paul is referring to the Numbers account of the Israelites in the Wilderness which reads, "the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods" (25:1-2). Because of their disobedience and sexual immorality, 23,000 Israelites were slain that day. It is no doubt that the Corinthians were bombarded with this temptation as well. Seeing the numerous types of marriages in that day, Paul had already had to explain to them what adultery was, as in who was free to remarry and who could not remarry. He had previously in chapter 6 warned them that they must flee from immorality. The temple in Corinth was corrupted with thousands of prostitutes. Satan has not needed to change his attack from the beginning of history. Even as in the ancient times and today, man is constantly being bombarded with sexual immorality. It is a sin that calls and beckons man to his destruction. Paul was aware of this and strongly urged his readers to refrain from making the same mistake their fathers had. Sexual sin usually stems from an overconfidence in our self-control. We think that we can handle certain circumstances, because we have it all together, only to find out we got to close to the line and were not able to handle it when it came.
Another sin that Paul points out, is that of trying God. "Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents". For this Paul recalls the story of Numbers 21, "And the people spoke against God and Moses, 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food'" (Num. 21:5). God had provided all these things (including food and water) for them and they still went against his sovereignty. They were not satisfied and doubted Gods ability to know their needs. They questioned God and His goodness. Their only thoughts were pleasing themselves and questioned God's goodness to them despite the fact He had saved them from the Egyptians and provided for all their needs. MacArthur writes, "Christians sometimes use their freedom to push God to the limit, trying to see how much they can get out of Him and how much they can get by with before Him". Apparently the Corinthians were pushing their liberty to the limits as well, claiming God's grace as a cure all for getting everything out of life that they could. May we take the consequences of the Israelites to heart as "the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died" (Num. 21:6).
Lastly, and closely associated with the previous sin, Paul points out that we are not to "grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer". Complaining is an easy sin to fall trap to. The act of complaining comes from a false understanding of entitlement. If we truly got what we deserved it would be immediate and eternal hell for all of our sins. With that understanding, it would make everything else seem like a constant blessing from God, which it is. It is when we feel we deserve better than what we are getting that we complain. It is us telling God that what he has given us is not sufficient as if we somehow understand our needs better than him. Paul brings up the story found in Numbers 16. MacArthur points out, "After Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their fellow rebels were destroyed by the Lord (Num 16:32-35), 'all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, 'You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord's people' (v.41). God was so incensed at their complaints about divine justice that He immediately sent a plague that killed 14,700 people. The destroyer was the same angel who had slain the firstborn of the Egyptians before Israel left Egypt (Ex. 12:23), who would kill 70,000 men because of David's census (2 Sam. 23:15-16), and who, in response to the prayer of Isaiah and Hezekiah, would destroy the entire Assyrian army that was besieging Jerusalem (2 Chron. 32:21)". May we understand and recognize that God takes complaining seriously. May we constantly remember all that God has done for us and let that be what we hold all circumstances up against.
Paul concludes this section with the application. He writes, "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come". Paul points out that the punishment that was inflicted on Israel in the wilderness for their actions was to be an example for all Christians through all time. They were written for us to exhort, encourage, and remind us of what God has called us to. Pauls explicit warning then is, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall". Paul is attacking our overconfidence and ignorance of the power of God. When a believer becomes over-confident in his Christian liberty and spiritual maturity, he is setting himself up for disaster. We so often forget it is God who allows us to do the things we do. When we succeed in something was it us doing it, or was it God gifting us with an ability to do something. Just as God has the power to give us gifts, he has the power to take it away. We must always understand that God has given us all we have. We must recognize that we are weak in our sinful flesh and unless we are dependent on God and relying on God for His strength, we will fall. MacArthur writes, "Christians who become self-confident become less dependent on God's Word and God's Spirit and become careless in their living. As carelessness increases, openness to temptation increases and resistance to sin decreases. When we feel most secure in ourselves- when we thing our spiritual life is the strongest, our doctrine the sounds, and our morals the purest- we should be most on guard and most dependent on the Lord". When we are tempted to sin, we must recognize that "no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man". The meaning of temptation here in this context is neutral. It does not have a negative connotation, but rather carries the idea of testing. MacArthur writes, "If we resist it in God's power, it is a test that proves our faithfulness. If we do not resist, it becomes a solicitation to sin". Paul does not want believers to have any excuses for falling into sin. He has established that it is when we are over confident that we fall. It is not because God is tempting us (because he told us he never will James 1:13), it is not because we do not have the power to overcome it, and it is not because have been unfairly tempted as the only one to ever face it. Paul tells us that any temptation we face, many before have been tempted by the same thing, and it is not a supernatural temptation that we have no power to overcome. MacArthur points out, "Temptations are never unique experiences to us. We can never have a temptation that has not been experienced by millions of other people. Circumstances differ but basic temptations do not. Even the Son of God was 'tempted in all things as we are' (Heb4:15, and because of that 'He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted' (2:18)". Although temptations may be common to man we must recognize even more importantly the way to victory is understanding, "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it". We must take God at His word and understand that He will be faithful to us and provide a way for us to escape the temptation. He has promised us that with His strength we will be able to endure it. Therefore, man is left with no excuse when faced with temptation. If we do not escape the test given to us, we have no one to blame but ourselves, if we do make it through the temptation, we have no one to give credit to except Christ.
A last word on getting through temptation. We must not look at a temptation as something we just "get out of", but rather as something, with the Lord's strength, we "get through". We must look at each trial temptation as a test that we must lean on the Lord to get through and learn what he wants us to learn from it as he works to sanctify his children.
Paul begins, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink". Here Paul sets out to show the numerous blessings the Israelites received through being a descendant of Abraham. Referring to being disqualified in the previous verse, Paul does not want his readers to be unaware of the example their fathers had set many years ago. He wanted them to remember what had happened to Israel in the wilderness. He begins with God's first provision for them, liberating them from Egypt. God guided the Israelites with a "pillar of cloud by day" and "a pillar of fire by night" (ex. 13:21) out of Egypt and through the wilderness to remind them of his constant presence in watching over them. Next, Paul shows that God miraculously brought them out of Egypt "and all passed through the sea". God opened up the Red Sea for them to pass through and drowned many of the Egyptians that were in pursuit of them. Yet another miracle of God to provide for His chosen people. Of this event in relation to this context, MacArthur writes, "The Exodus was God's calling His chosen people, believing and unbelieving, out of their bondage in Egypt and His deliverance of them into His own land that He had promised to them through Abraham (Gen. 12:7). The were to be His witnessing community to the world. That was the 'race' that Israel as a nation was called by God to run (I Cor. 9:24). It was in that race that the nation misused its freedom and became disqualified, by falling into idolatry, immorality, and rebelliousness".
Paul continues with another of their blessings they received, "and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea". This reference to baptism is not to be linked with the cloud or the sea or Moses, but rather with an identification to Christ. Baptism by water is a sign of an inward change, a new allegiance to Christ. MacArthur writes, "It is that idea of spiritual identification, rather than the physical ceremony, that I believe Paul has in mind in the present passage. The Israelites were baptized into Moses in the sense that they identified with him as the Lord's appointed leader over them". Paul also writes, "and all ate the same spiritual food". Yet another provision of God for His people. While through the wilderness God was constantly providing physical and spiritual sustenance to his people. All the Israelites were given provision from a divine source, that is God. He also points out that even their spiritual drink was provided for them, "and all drank the same spiritual drink". Paul even points out to them that "they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ". What an invaluable thing to understand that the rock that followed around Israel throughout their journey was not a physical one, but the very own Christ preincarnate providing them with all the physical and spiritual sustenance they needed. MacArthur writes, "That supernatural rock protected and sustained His people and would not allow them to perish. Old Testament believers did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but even during the Exodus they had the sustaining presence of the preexistent Messiah, the preincarnate Christ, caring for and fulfilling the needs of His people".
All of these privileges were pointed out by Paul to show what can happen to someone who abuses the liberty he has. Despite receiving the common privileges of liberty, baptism, and sustenance, Paul warns of what the Israelites did with these privileges. "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased". Disappointing indeed, of the countless number of Israelites that were saved from Egypt only two (Joshua and Caleb) were allowed to enter the promised land. God's disappointment was shown in the fact that all but two "were laid low in the wilderness". According to MacArthur, "Laid low (katastronnumi) means literally 'to strew or spread over.' The corpses of those with whom God was not pleased were strewn all over the wilderness". The Israelites took for granted the blessings of God and misused and abused their freedoms. To point out the illustration in this Paul writes, "Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved". Paul is showing that many of the Israelite believers became disqualified and unfit to continue in carrying on their testimony. They gave themselves over to "evil things" and allowed their testimonies to be ruined by following after their own lusts. They had not shown the self-discipline and self-control that Paul had spoken of at the end of chapter 9. Their example should not be taken lightly, but rather should be a warning to us to never take for granted the wonderful blessings as well as the great responsibility we have as a Christian.
The Israelites were guilty of idolatry. Paul writes, "and do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, 'The people sat down down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.'" Living in Corinth lead to ample opportunities to be around idol worship. The Corinthians were no strangers to this practice. Many of the Gentile believers had most likely practiced this daily before coming to Christ. MacArthur points out, "Many of the Corinthian Christians, overconfident in their own moral and spiritual strength, had become careless about their participation in activities where false gods were worshiped, consulted, or appealed to. They believed they could be associated with such pagan activities without being spiritually harmed". It is to these people that Paul reminds of the sin the Israelites fell into. Despite being lead out of Egypt by the parting of the Red Sea, having all their physical and spiritual needs sustained, and being provided for the whole time, Israel forgot their God and allowed themselves to sacrifice to idols. Paul is referring to the story found in Exodus 32 in which Moses goes up to Mount Sinai to receive the commandments from the Lord. In his absence, the people had persuaded Aaron to fashion an idol out of the jewelry of the women. They blasphemously referred to this idol as the god who had led them out of Egypt. Somehow in their minds they had convinced themselves that they could worship the true God in such a sordid way. Because they had been around it for so long in Egypt, it almost became common practice to them. They had been so desensitized to it, they allowed themselves to be carried away by such "evil things". Paul quotes Exodus 32:6 when he writes, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play". MacArthur writes, "The eating and drinking refer to the excessive feasting that followed the sacrifices. Play is a euphemism for sexual relations. It means sexual play and is the same word translated 'caressing' in Gen. 26:8. Some three thousand of the Israelites who had instigated that idolatrous and immoral orgy at Sinai were put to death (Ex. 32:28)". Although we might not carve a god out of wood or metal, we are constantly bombarded with things that we can idolize in our lives. It can refer to anything that we would put before our God. Their should only be one thing that gets all of our love and devotion and that is God. Let us not forget the wonderful liberty and privileges we have in Christ as the Israelites did.
The second major sin Paul points out is sexual sin. He continues, "Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day". Paul is referring to the Numbers account of the Israelites in the Wilderness which reads, "the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods" (25:1-2). Because of their disobedience and sexual immorality, 23,000 Israelites were slain that day. It is no doubt that the Corinthians were bombarded with this temptation as well. Seeing the numerous types of marriages in that day, Paul had already had to explain to them what adultery was, as in who was free to remarry and who could not remarry. He had previously in chapter 6 warned them that they must flee from immorality. The temple in Corinth was corrupted with thousands of prostitutes. Satan has not needed to change his attack from the beginning of history. Even as in the ancient times and today, man is constantly being bombarded with sexual immorality. It is a sin that calls and beckons man to his destruction. Paul was aware of this and strongly urged his readers to refrain from making the same mistake their fathers had. Sexual sin usually stems from an overconfidence in our self-control. We think that we can handle certain circumstances, because we have it all together, only to find out we got to close to the line and were not able to handle it when it came.
Another sin that Paul points out, is that of trying God. "Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents". For this Paul recalls the story of Numbers 21, "And the people spoke against God and Moses, 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food'" (Num. 21:5). God had provided all these things (including food and water) for them and they still went against his sovereignty. They were not satisfied and doubted Gods ability to know their needs. They questioned God and His goodness. Their only thoughts were pleasing themselves and questioned God's goodness to them despite the fact He had saved them from the Egyptians and provided for all their needs. MacArthur writes, "Christians sometimes use their freedom to push God to the limit, trying to see how much they can get out of Him and how much they can get by with before Him". Apparently the Corinthians were pushing their liberty to the limits as well, claiming God's grace as a cure all for getting everything out of life that they could. May we take the consequences of the Israelites to heart as "the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died" (Num. 21:6).
Lastly, and closely associated with the previous sin, Paul points out that we are not to "grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer". Complaining is an easy sin to fall trap to. The act of complaining comes from a false understanding of entitlement. If we truly got what we deserved it would be immediate and eternal hell for all of our sins. With that understanding, it would make everything else seem like a constant blessing from God, which it is. It is when we feel we deserve better than what we are getting that we complain. It is us telling God that what he has given us is not sufficient as if we somehow understand our needs better than him. Paul brings up the story found in Numbers 16. MacArthur points out, "After Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their fellow rebels were destroyed by the Lord (Num 16:32-35), 'all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, 'You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord's people' (v.41). God was so incensed at their complaints about divine justice that He immediately sent a plague that killed 14,700 people. The destroyer was the same angel who had slain the firstborn of the Egyptians before Israel left Egypt (Ex. 12:23), who would kill 70,000 men because of David's census (2 Sam. 23:15-16), and who, in response to the prayer of Isaiah and Hezekiah, would destroy the entire Assyrian army that was besieging Jerusalem (2 Chron. 32:21)". May we understand and recognize that God takes complaining seriously. May we constantly remember all that God has done for us and let that be what we hold all circumstances up against.
Paul concludes this section with the application. He writes, "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come". Paul points out that the punishment that was inflicted on Israel in the wilderness for their actions was to be an example for all Christians through all time. They were written for us to exhort, encourage, and remind us of what God has called us to. Pauls explicit warning then is, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall". Paul is attacking our overconfidence and ignorance of the power of God. When a believer becomes over-confident in his Christian liberty and spiritual maturity, he is setting himself up for disaster. We so often forget it is God who allows us to do the things we do. When we succeed in something was it us doing it, or was it God gifting us with an ability to do something. Just as God has the power to give us gifts, he has the power to take it away. We must always understand that God has given us all we have. We must recognize that we are weak in our sinful flesh and unless we are dependent on God and relying on God for His strength, we will fall. MacArthur writes, "Christians who become self-confident become less dependent on God's Word and God's Spirit and become careless in their living. As carelessness increases, openness to temptation increases and resistance to sin decreases. When we feel most secure in ourselves- when we thing our spiritual life is the strongest, our doctrine the sounds, and our morals the purest- we should be most on guard and most dependent on the Lord". When we are tempted to sin, we must recognize that "no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man". The meaning of temptation here in this context is neutral. It does not have a negative connotation, but rather carries the idea of testing. MacArthur writes, "If we resist it in God's power, it is a test that proves our faithfulness. If we do not resist, it becomes a solicitation to sin". Paul does not want believers to have any excuses for falling into sin. He has established that it is when we are over confident that we fall. It is not because God is tempting us (because he told us he never will James 1:13), it is not because we do not have the power to overcome it, and it is not because have been unfairly tempted as the only one to ever face it. Paul tells us that any temptation we face, many before have been tempted by the same thing, and it is not a supernatural temptation that we have no power to overcome. MacArthur points out, "Temptations are never unique experiences to us. We can never have a temptation that has not been experienced by millions of other people. Circumstances differ but basic temptations do not. Even the Son of God was 'tempted in all things as we are' (Heb4:15, and because of that 'He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted' (2:18)". Although temptations may be common to man we must recognize even more importantly the way to victory is understanding, "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it". We must take God at His word and understand that He will be faithful to us and provide a way for us to escape the temptation. He has promised us that with His strength we will be able to endure it. Therefore, man is left with no excuse when faced with temptation. If we do not escape the test given to us, we have no one to blame but ourselves, if we do make it through the temptation, we have no one to give credit to except Christ.
A last word on getting through temptation. We must not look at a temptation as something we just "get out of", but rather as something, with the Lord's strength, we "get through". We must look at each trial temptation as a test that we must lean on the Lord to get through and learn what he wants us to learn from it as he works to sanctify his children.
posted by amesfam | 6:23 AM
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