1 Corinthians 10 "The Devil Didn't Make You Do It!"

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Warnings From Israel’s History

Paul is specifically talking to his Jewish brothers and sisters now. He reminds them that when God provided for them in the desert through the clouds and the sea, it was a spiritual transaction. The food they ate and drank came from supernatural source, and it was Christ. Notice though Jesus came in the New Testament, he existed since Creation and was working with God throughout God's relationship with His chosen people, Israel. 

Yet, despite this supernatural provision, the Israelites rejected God. They made idols out of food, drink, and sex. God judged them. 23,000 of them died. How did this relate to the Corinthians, 

“It seems as if the Corinthians had supposed that their being made partakers of the ordinances of the Gospel, such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper, would secure their salvation, notwithstanding, they might be found partaking of idolatrous feasts; as long, at least, as they considered an idol to be nothing in the world.” (Clarke)

If God judged the Israelites for their idolatry, we must not think that they were immune to God's judgement. Then, Paul give them a verse to help them when they are tempted. I have memorized this verse and it has proved to be of inestimable value to me in time of trial. 

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Verse 13

1. No temptation has overtaken you that has not happened to someone before. You are not unique in your particular area of testing. 

2. God is faithful and there is no temptation you cannot overcome if you rely on Him. 

3. The word for "tempted" in the Greek is the same word as "test". Though none of us would want to invite temptation in our lives it is also a test. Like any test it can make our faith more strong. 

4. Here is the key promise. When we are tested, God will provide the way out. The key thing here is that you are willing to look for the way God has given you out of your difficult temptation. When I sin, I am usually dead set on it and not really looking for a way out. Most of us sin because we want to. But if we really want to withstand the temptation, God has given us a way out. We need to look for it and take it in obedience. 

This verse is the basis is for why we cannot say, "The devil made me do it!" 

Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper

Paul uses the Lord's Supper as a reason for why taking part of these idolatrous feasts were so dangerous to their spiritual health. 

Paul’s point may seem obscure to us, but it was plain to someone in that ancient culture. Just as the Christian practice of communion speaks of unity and fellowship with Jesus, so these pagan banquets, given in the honor of idols, spoke of unity with demons who took advantage of misdirected worship. To eat at a pagan temple banquet was to have fellowship at the altar of idols.

Paul teaches them that when they participate in Holy Communion, it is not just an individual experience. The one loaf of bread represents the body of Christ. We participate or share in this together. The word here is "koinonia", which means a deep connection we have together as Christians, which is deeper than just friendship. 

In the thinking of that part of the ancient world, to eat at the same table with someone indicated friendship and fellowship with that person. Since you ate of one bread, that made you one body, because you both shared of the same food at the same table. So to eat at the table of a pagan temple restaurant was not as innocent as it seemed.

The Believer’s Freedom

Once again as in all of his teaching, Paul makes sure that he is not teaching legalism, which is thinking that by obeying the law we can be made right with God. There is no inherent power in eating or not eating anything. An idol is not idol at all. Just because we can partake in something does not mean it is good for us. Therefore, though we have freedom, we should use it wisely. 

Then, he gives them another example of how their freedom should be used as they relate to unbelievers. For instance, when they are eating at the home of an unbeliever. When the host serves them meat bought from the marketplace, they should not refuse to eat. Why?

1. It would be an offense to the host, which might jeopardize their opportunity to share Christ with them. 

2. Since meat has no inherent power in it, eating it doesn't by nature do the person any harm. 

3. Using our freedom to obey Christ is more important than anything. We can never go wrong when we do something to obey the Spirit with pure motives. 

Note this is the rationale for why it is not necessarily sinful for a Christian to be in for instance a bar, as long as their motives are pure. If they are going to the bar to get drunk or pursue an immoral relationship that is clearly wrong. But if an unbelieving friend invites you, in freedom you could go to build a relationship with that person and eventually earn the right to share the gospel with them. Importantly though we should never go into a temptation lightly or pridefully.  When we are prideful about our ability to withstand any temptation, we are ripe for a fall. 

I have had plenty of spiritual conversations with people in places they would hang out. Christians can be in the world, but not of the world. If we avoid the world and sit in our "holy huddles", we will miss the opportunity to rub shoulders with those Christ died for. In general Christians play it safe. Maybe we don't venture out because we are afraid to compromise our faith. While this is understandable, like verse 13 says, there is no temptation in which we are forced to sin. As we seek to please and obey God, He will provide the way out when we are presented with any temptation. 

How can memorizing verse 13 be helpful to you as you face temptation? 

Do you avoid the world at all costs thus minimizing your ability to reach lost people? 

Have you built any intentional relationships with an unbeliever lately looking to earn the right to share Christ with them? Do you prayer for particular friends who don't know Christ?