"Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."
Knowing that we are idol factories, given to sin and knowing that we do not have to sin should motivate us to flee from sin! Run away from it. Avoid it.
After I finished the last entry my mind was puzzled by the question "if we don't have to sin, why do we? Why does it seem so inescapable?" I think that this verse answers that question at least partially.
We want to sin, and wanting sin, we do not run from it. When we want it and do not run from it, even though we could have avoided it by fleeing, it traps us. Better not dabble. Better not linger. Instead, take your flight! In some battles running away may be cowardly, but here it is wise. May God give me the grace to flee from temptations to sin.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:13
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
Lest we think that our sinfulness makes resisting temptation futile, God counters the truth of our proclivity towards sin with the truth that we do not have to sin. This second truth is both shaming and encouraging. We are shamed by the truth of this verse because it tells us that, as Christians, we never sin because "we cannot help ourselves." God never allows temptation to come our way if it is too strong for us. He knows what we can handle (which is more than we usually know), and he does not allow temptation to go beyond that level. Therefore every sin that a Christian commits, he selects to engage in it. Furthermore, none of us face a peculiar temptation that exceeds the level of temptation that is common throughout all people everywhere. It may take a different form, but essentially, it is the same sin. Others choose not to engage in it, and we do not have to indulge either.
Thankfully, the shame of our past sins, unnecessarily chosen, should give way to confident joy a resolve when we consider the faithfulness of God. He knows our limits and gives us means of escaping sin. We may have grown disconsolate, thinking there is no point. We may have failed so many times that we consider just giving up. But God tells us not to. He will never put you in a situation that is more than you are capable of handling. He is absolutely faithful in this.
Lest we think that our sinfulness makes resisting temptation futile, God counters the truth of our proclivity towards sin with the truth that we do not have to sin. This second truth is both shaming and encouraging. We are shamed by the truth of this verse because it tells us that, as Christians, we never sin because "we cannot help ourselves." God never allows temptation to come our way if it is too strong for us. He knows what we can handle (which is more than we usually know), and he does not allow temptation to go beyond that level. Therefore every sin that a Christian commits, he selects to engage in it. Furthermore, none of us face a peculiar temptation that exceeds the level of temptation that is common throughout all people everywhere. It may take a different form, but essentially, it is the same sin. Others choose not to engage in it, and we do not have to indulge either.
Thankfully, the shame of our past sins, unnecessarily chosen, should give way to confident joy a resolve when we consider the faithfulness of God. He knows our limits and gives us means of escaping sin. We may have grown disconsolate, thinking there is no point. We may have failed so many times that we consider just giving up. But God tells us not to. He will never put you in a situation that is more than you are capable of handling. He is absolutely faithful in this.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:11-12
"Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall."
Desiring evil, idolatry, immorality, grumbling, and complaining—at first they seem to be a rather mixed bag, but they all have discontent at their root. We desire evil, commit immorality, and worship other gods because we do not think that our relationship with God will satisfy us. And when we grumble and complain we expose the fact that we do not like what God has given us.
We need to take notice. The Israelites had evil in their hearts and fell to sin. Most people would object. Evil in my heart? That's extreme! Surely I'm not like that. If you think that way, you need to wake up to the condition of your heart. Are you discontent with all that God has given you? Do you ever grumble or complain? Do you want to relate to God in ways that He has not condoned? If any of these things are so, you are capable of falling just like the Israelites fell. And if you do not face this fact, you almost certainly will fall.
I too must be careful. God has done wonderful things in my life and kept me from many sins. But I am still a sinner, and this thread of discontent runs deep within my heart. For me to assume that I am somehow immune or impervious to the natural tendency towards sin would be the ultimate deception and would lead me to speedy disaster. In guarding against the mistaken notion of personal strength, I must be especially aware of my need to actively find my contentment in God. When I am tempted to complain about my circumstances or seek unbiblical ways to satisfy spiritual desires, I must face the fact that I have sinned, and facing this I must repent and trust God to satisfy perfectly.
Desiring evil, idolatry, immorality, grumbling, and complaining—at first they seem to be a rather mixed bag, but they all have discontent at their root. We desire evil, commit immorality, and worship other gods because we do not think that our relationship with God will satisfy us. And when we grumble and complain we expose the fact that we do not like what God has given us.
We need to take notice. The Israelites had evil in their hearts and fell to sin. Most people would object. Evil in my heart? That's extreme! Surely I'm not like that. If you think that way, you need to wake up to the condition of your heart. Are you discontent with all that God has given you? Do you ever grumble or complain? Do you want to relate to God in ways that He has not condoned? If any of these things are so, you are capable of falling just like the Israelites fell. And if you do not face this fact, you almost certainly will fall.
I too must be careful. God has done wonderful things in my life and kept me from many sins. But I am still a sinner, and this thread of discontent runs deep within my heart. For me to assume that I am somehow immune or impervious to the natural tendency towards sin would be the ultimate deception and would lead me to speedy disaster. In guarding against the mistaken notion of personal strength, I must be especially aware of my need to actively find my contentment in God. When I am tempted to complain about my circumstances or seek unbiblical ways to satisfy spiritual desires, I must face the fact that I have sinned, and facing this I must repent and trust God to satisfy perfectly.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:9-10
"We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer."
What does it mean to "put Christ to the test"? Numbers 21:5 says "the people spoke against God and against Moses" by complaining. They were not happy with where they were or what they had to eat. And God sent the serpents in response.
Grumbling and complaining—when we do it, it seems so justified, and we scarcely think of the severity of what we are doing. But by grumbling and complaining, we are saying, "I'm not happy with you God." I do not want what you have given. You don't give good gifts. Give me something better. We would probably never say that, but it is what is behind our complaint, and God knows it.
What does it mean to "put Christ to the test"? Numbers 21:5 says "the people spoke against God and against Moses" by complaining. They were not happy with where they were or what they had to eat. And God sent the serpents in response.
Grumbling and complaining—when we do it, it seems so justified, and we scarcely think of the severity of what we are doing. But by grumbling and complaining, we are saying, "I'm not happy with you God." I do not want what you have given. You don't give good gifts. Give me something better. We would probably never say that, but it is what is behind our complaint, and God knows it.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:7-8
"Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, 'The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.' We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day."
As slaves in Egypt, the Israelites saw the powerlessness of the Egyptian gods. When the Lord sent the plagues, the false gods of the Egyptians could do nothing. But the Israelites’ hearts were still inclined toward idolatry. After the Israelites saw the impotence of the gods of wood, stone, and metal and after they saw the Lord deliver them with a mighty hand, they called upon Aaron to make them an idol.
How quickly our hearts forget what God has taught us. How quickly we turn away towards our own sinful desires. Those desires are strong and ever present. But God would not have given us these negative examples, admonishing us not to follow them, if the situation were hopeless.
We do not have to give in to our sinful desires. We do not have to fall as so many others have fallen. I remember talking with a friend who was discouraged about the large number of Christian friends he had who were making bad choices. He asked “with all these people falling, what is the point even trying to stand true?” That perspective is backwards. When we see or hear of failures, we should be spurred on to increased faithfulness.
As slaves in Egypt, the Israelites saw the powerlessness of the Egyptian gods. When the Lord sent the plagues, the false gods of the Egyptians could do nothing. But the Israelites’ hearts were still inclined toward idolatry. After the Israelites saw the impotence of the gods of wood, stone, and metal and after they saw the Lord deliver them with a mighty hand, they called upon Aaron to make them an idol.
How quickly our hearts forget what God has taught us. How quickly we turn away towards our own sinful desires. Those desires are strong and ever present. But God would not have given us these negative examples, admonishing us not to follow them, if the situation were hopeless.
We do not have to give in to our sinful desires. We do not have to fall as so many others have fallen. I remember talking with a friend who was discouraged about the large number of Christian friends he had who were making bad choices. He asked “with all these people falling, what is the point even trying to stand true?” That perspective is backwards. When we see or hear of failures, we should be spurred on to increased faithfulness.
Friday, January 4, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:6
"Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did."
It is a sad reality that naturally we all desire evil. Our sinful nature lusts after evil. We are greedy for bad things. It is a universal reality.
Some former coworkers of mine have a very cute daughter. When she was younger, I called her the Touchinator because she would try to touch everything in sight. Her parents allowed her to explore most of the time, but when she started examining the water cooler, which contained instant boiling water, they strongly protested. After being told not to touch the cooler, the little girl seemed to have an insatiable desire to play with it. She was greedy for wrong even though the wrong would hurt her.
We are just as foolish. So God recorded examples of people suffering because of wrongdoing that we would "not desire evil as they did" and as we do naturally.
It is a sad reality that naturally we all desire evil. Our sinful nature lusts after evil. We are greedy for bad things. It is a universal reality.
Some former coworkers of mine have a very cute daughter. When she was younger, I called her the Touchinator because she would try to touch everything in sight. Her parents allowed her to explore most of the time, but when she started examining the water cooler, which contained instant boiling water, they strongly protested. After being told not to touch the cooler, the little girl seemed to have an insatiable desire to play with it. She was greedy for wrong even though the wrong would hurt her.
We are just as foolish. So God recorded examples of people suffering because of wrongdoing that we would "not desire evil as they did" and as we do naturally.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:1-5
"For I want you to know, brothers, 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. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness."
In a section warning us not to engage in idolatry, our attention is first taken to the Israelites, who were in a position of great privilege but who none-the-less suffered because of their idolatry. They were physically led day-by-day by the Lord under a cloud. They passed through the Red Sea, walking on dry land. They were lead by Moses, a man whom the nation of Israel still venerates. They were fed manna and drank water from stone. Even more, they had a relationship with God, looking (through the sacrifices) to what Christ would do on the cross.
But in spite of their great privilege, they were spiritually unfaithful, and their unfaithfulness brought consequences. As Christians, we too enjoy great spiritual privileges. Our privileges should always spur us on towards greater faithfulness for we too will experience consequences for spiritual infidelity.
In a section warning us not to engage in idolatry, our attention is first taken to the Israelites, who were in a position of great privilege but who none-the-less suffered because of their idolatry. They were physically led day-by-day by the Lord under a cloud. They passed through the Red Sea, walking on dry land. They were lead by Moses, a man whom the nation of Israel still venerates. They were fed manna and drank water from stone. Even more, they had a relationship with God, looking (through the sacrifices) to what Christ would do on the cross.
But in spite of their great privilege, they were spiritually unfaithful, and their unfaithfulness brought consequences. As Christians, we too enjoy great spiritual privileges. Our privileges should always spur us on towards greater faithfulness for we too will experience consequences for spiritual infidelity.
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