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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday December 24, 2017
WARNINGS
AGAINST IDOLATRY
(Overcoming
temptation)
1
Corinthians 10
In 1 Corinthians 10, verses 1-12,
the Apostle Paul takes his readers back down memory lane to an unforgettable
place in Jewish history, some 1500 years earlier. Here, he reminds them that,
it was activities surrounding idolatry that led ancient Israel to sin. While
still on the desert, immediately following their release from captivity in
Egypt, their forefathers had already began again to sin against the GOD WHO had
just rescued them from their miseries.
He reminded the people of Corinth how
Israel had failed to remember how GOD had guided them with the miraculous
“pillar of cloud” by day and the “pillar of fire” by night. They were also
prompted by Paul to recall the parting of the waters of the Red Sea, that
allowed them to escape the Egyptians on dry land, and then, how GOD drowned
their pursuers with the same waters that HE parted for them, when they tried to
follow them across and bring them back to the waiting Pharaoh (Exodus
13:21-14:31).
Paul then cautions them that the ensuing
disciplinary actions upon the Israelites in the wilderness by GOD, that turned
a thirty-day trip into a forty-year journey, can be viewed as a warning to
them, and to all future generations, so that we won’t repeat the same old evil
practices of that era.
In those days, Paul says, the peoples’
fling with sexual immorality and other sins led to the deaths of 23,000 people
in one day, a direct result of the wrath of the Almighty GOD (Numbers 25:3-9).
Paul tells the Corinthian Church that they would not want to end up, quite
literally, “snake bitten” as those were, who chose to put CHRIST to the test,
by grumbling against, both, GOD and Moses, on yet another occasion, near Mount
Hor, just outside the borders of Edom (Numbers 21:4-9).
Paul insists that all these things happened
as a warning to future generations, and, they are recorded in the annals of
biblical history so that we can share these “distinctive acts of GOD” with
others, as a determent from sin, for all time. And if you think you are OK,
don’t get too smug, because every human being is always just a breath away from
falling into sin (v.12). In fact, satan often attacks a person at a point where
they are most sure of themselves, because he knows it is there, where they are
most likely to be unprepared, leaving the door open for his entry into their
destiny.
The good news, however, is that GOD is
always faithful, and whenever temptation presents itself in our lives, GOD,
through the aid of HIS HOLY SPIRIT, will not only help us to withstand them, HE
will also present us with a way out (v.13). This, the fact that GOD is
faithful, is the continuing source of our hope and security.
As Christians, and as reasonable people,
Paul says that we must decide for ourselves, whether or not we are going to
believe the whole Word of GOD. For instance, when we bless the cup at the
LORD’s table during communion services, we are sharing in the benefits of the
blood of CHRIST. And when we break the bread we are sharing in the benefits of
the body of CHRIST. In effect, we are all eating from one loaf, showing that we
are one body. All who eat the sacrifice are symbolically and spiritually united
by the process with CHRIST, and the whole GODHEAD (Vs.14-18).
After laying the foundation for his
argument, Paul now returns to the discussion started in chapter 8, regarding
the eating of food that has been sacrificed to idols. In the first century,
dinner parties, or feasts, were the most common way that people would socialize
with each other. It was very typical for pagan dinners and feasts to be
dedicated to pagan gods and goddesses.
The Christians often debated whether or not
it was right for them to attend these kinds of events. The trouble with
attending such events, in their minds, was likened to eating dinner at the
table of a pagan deity, which symbolically implied that, the people who dined
were under that deity’s protection. In that case, as Christians, they would be
disrespecting the power of the protection of GOD the CREATOR, whom they say
they are committed to.
The demonic power that is ascribed to idols
cannot ever be condoned by Christians. We cannot eat at the LORD’s table, and,
at the table of demons too. The blood of CHRIST symbolizes HIS saving work, in
which Christians participate in, through faith. A Christian cannot participate
in both, the idolatry of a pagan feast, and the community of CHRIST. We cannot drink from the cup of the LORD, and
then, turn around and drink from the cup of demon too, lest we rouse the
jealousy of the Almighty GOD (Vs.19-22).
In verses 23-30, Paul gives his summation
in this warning against indulging in idolatry in any way, form, or fashion.
Here he leaves us with three important points:
·
Do not take part in social events
that are dedicated to demons, or, pagan gods and goddesses (i.e. in today’s
society, rock concerts, secular parties and get-togethers with motifs that are
specifically not of GOD, etc.)
·
Feel free to eat meat that is sold
in the marketplace.
·
Feel free to eat at an unsaved
person’s home, and don’t ask where he got the meat, unless he makes it an
issue. (see explanation below)
Even though GOD blessed
us with wills that are free, everything we choose to do may not be good, or
beneficial to us, or someone else. As Christians, we also have the
responsibility to consider what is good for other Christians as well
(Vs.23-24).
Paul says, we are free to eat any meat that
is sold in the marketplace, and since idol gods are not real gods, we don’t need
to ask whether or not it has been sacrificed to idols, and our conscience
should be clear. The whole earth belongs to the LORD, and also everything that
is in it (Vs.25-26).
If a non-Christian invites you to dinner,
then, accept the invitation, because with that invitation, comes an opportunity
to witness of CHRIST JESUS, and the Gospel. However, if someone warns you that
meat is being served, that has been offered to idols, don’t eat it, just out of
having consideration for the person who warned you. While it may not be a
matter of conscience for you, it is a concern for the other person who warned
you, that may also be a believer, and it is important that you do not “stumble”
(“skandalon”) them. Then too, the
“unsaved person” may also be testing you to see how committed you are to CHRIST
(Vs.27-29).
Whether we like it or not, as Christians,
our freedom has to be “respectfully limited” by our concern for others, just as
CHRIST JESUS’ freedom was limited because of HIS concern for us. We must always
consider what is best for others so that they too may be “saved” because of our
sacrifice of “giving up certain liberties”. We can overcome any tempting offer
from satan, simply by being “unselfishly” obedient to GOD.
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
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