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4000 E. Collins
Rd. “Preaching the Living
Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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CHRISTIAN
LIBERTY AND THE MISUSE OF ISRAEL’S FREEDOM 1Co
10:1-13 (10/12/11) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I.
THE
BLESSINGS AND FREEDOMS OF ISRAEL (1-4) A. They Were Under The Cloud (1a) 1. In Chapter 10, Paul will give an example
of the disqualification in the Christian life he mentioned in the previous
section (1Co 9:24-27). He uses the example of the Israelites who had all the
blessings and freedoms they could ever need or want, and yet they were
disqualified through misusing and abusing those freedoms. 2. “Our fathers” would be a reference to
the Israelites, of which came Paul’s ancestry. But here he could use the word
“our” to include the Gentiles. Gentiles as wells Jewish Christians were
spiritual descendants of Abraham, so in that sense Paul could use “our
fathers” (Rom 4:11; Gal 3:29). 3. In the beginning of Israel’s history
with God, they were especially blessed by God’s guidance under the “pillar of
cloud” (Exo 13:21 cp. Exo 14:19; also Exo 3:2). 4. The Corinthians were certainly being
guided by God, His Word, and the apostle Paul, though they were not heeding
their words. B. They Passed Through The Sea (1b) 1. Another blessing for Israel was God’s
deliverance. In an unparalleled manner, God miraculously enabled the entire
Israelite company to cross the Red Sea on dry land (Exo 14:21-22), whereas
the Egyptians perished (Exo 14:26-31). 2. In the same way, the Corinthians were
delivered from their sin and punishment through Christ. C. They Were Baptized In Moses (2) 1. The Israelites were baptized and
identified with Moses bringing them into the blessing of identification and
union with God. 2. The Corinthians were baptized in Christ,
having identification and union with Christ (Rom 6:3-4; Gal 3:27). D. They Ate Spiritual Food (3) 1. The Israelites were blessed with
provisions through the hand of God. They were given quail and manna in the
wilderness (Exo 16:4, 13-15). 2. The Corinthians themselves had eaten
from Christ, the bread of life (Joh 6:31-35). E. They Drank From Rock (4) 1. The Israelites were blessed with
refreshment and nourishment from water provided by God (Exo 17:6). 2. It is “spiritual drink” in the sense
that the rock was a type of Christ. Although in all reality Christ
accompanied Israel in His pre-incarnate ministry (i.e Christophany cp.Exo
23:23; Num 20:16). Therefore, since Christ was present and giving them
provisions, the “rock was Christ.” “Rock” is the Greek word petra which means a rock side or rock
cliff. It is the same word Jesus uses of Himself in Mat 16:18 (“this rock”)
whereas a Peter was a boulder (petros)
from the rock cliff. 3. Christ was the spiritual source of
spiritual nourishment and refreshment for the Corinthians (Joh 4:10-14). II. THE MISUSE OF BLESSINGS AND FREEDOMS
(5-14) A. They Were Unpleasing To The Lord (5) 1. Yet with all these blessings and
freedoms, they were disqualified and “laid low” because they took their
freedoms for granted and abused them. 2. In fact all but two never made it out of
the wilderness (Joshua and Caleb). Even Moses and Aaron were disqualified
from entering the Promised Land (Num 20:8-12). The term “laid low” (katastrō,nnumi - cover or
spread over) gives the
imagery of bodies dead and scattered over the desert floor. B. It Was Written For The Believer’s
Example (6) 1. Why were they recorded in Scripture? For
one thing it was the truth. For another, it was recorded so that believers
would have an example (tupos - stamp by a die, imprint, or impression, cp. Phil 3:17; 1Th 1:7;
Tit 2:7) to follow or
in this case keep from. 2. Namely so that believers would not crave
(epithume,ō - strong passion or lust) evil as the
Israelites had. C. The Corinthians Were Not To Be Idolaters
(7) 1. Paul appeals to the Corinthians not to
act like the rebellious Israel, who had erected an idol made of gold in the
form of a calf. They committed idolatry in a festive atmosphere as Paul
points out by quoting Exo 32:6 (cf. vs. 4-6). Three thousand were executed
that day (Exo 32:28). 2. Evidently some of the Corinthians were
getting caught up in idolatry or at least causing some to fall back into due
to abuse of their Christian Liberty. D. The Corinthians Were Not To Be Immoral
(8) 1. Though Israel had many blessings and
freedoms they fell into immorality. Immorality is the Greek word porneia, which means any kind of
sexual immorality. 2. Some suggest that this is the same
incident as in Exo 32 where the Levites killed 3,000 and the Lord killed
20,000 Israelites (Exo 32:35). Others place this reference to Num 25:1-9
where because of the sin of idolatry and immorality, 24,000 died of a plague.
Paul may have been referring to those who fell in “one day” or perhaps
without the addition of the leaders (Num 25:4). 3. For the Corinthians, Temple prostitution
was not their only problem with sexual immorality (1Co 5:1; 1Co 6:18). They
needed Paul’s admonition from the examples of the Israelites to show them
that their freedoms stop at the boundary of sin. E. The Corinthians Were Not To Try The Lord
(9) 1. Paul refers to another sin of the
Israelites where they spoke against God and Moses for bringing them into the
wilderness (Num 21:4-5). Paul said that they “tried” (ekpeirazō - to test
thouroughly, tempt cp. Mat 4:7) the Lord refusing to trust in Him. As a result, God sent fiery
serpents to bite the people and many were killed (Num 21:6). Note that the
Greek word for “Lord” is Christos meaning
Christ (cf. Joh 3:14). 2. The Corinthians were guilty of trying
the Lord in their Christian freedom and that no one was going to tell them
what they could or could not do. F. The Corinthians Were Not To Grumble (10) 1. Israel grumbled and complained against
the Lord and His appointed leaders Moses and Aaron (Num 16:41). However, God
began a plague upon the children of Israel and before Moses and Aaron could
atone for the people, 14, 700 died (Num 16:45-49) similar to Korah and his
clan (Num 16:32). 2. The Corinthians perhaps grumbled toward
those who would suggest they impede their Christian liberties for the sake of
others. III. THE WARNING FOR BELIEVERS A. As believers we must learn by their example
(11). 1. These events in the lives of Israel were
not just written historically but with a purpose in mind. That purpose was to
warn and teach God’s people in coming generations what happens when we take
our blessings and freedoms for granted and abuse them. 2. The Greek word for “instruct,” nouthesia carries the idea of not only
instruction from the Scripture but warning from the Scriptures. Thus the
Scriptures admonish believes to live according to God’s principles. This is the
Greek word from which we get “Nouthetic Counseling” which is to counsel from
the warnings, admonition, and instruction from the Scriptures as opposed to
Secular Psychology. 3. Paul emphatically states that this
admonition is especially for them and all Christians who are in the final
Dispensation of Grace before the Day of the Lord. B. As believers we must take heed and not
fall (12). 1. Every believer is susceptible to his own
sin nature. Every believer always ought to be on guard from himself and his
own sinful potential, especially when it comes to Christian liberty. If a
believer thinks that he has not sinned or will sin, he is maintaining a
dangerous disposition. Such a disposition is arrogant and over-confident and
places himself and others in a position to fall. 2. Therefore, believers are always to take
heed (present imperative - blepō -
you must keep on watching and being careful to listen and apply) to what
they hear in the Scriptures. Going forward in obedience helps safeguard us
from falling. C. As believers we must know that we can
have victory over temptation (13). 1. On the other hand, a believer who is on
guard from himself and is committed to having victory in the Christian life
can rely upon the faithfulness of God. No matter what temptation (peirasmo - “test “in good sense
(trial) or “tempt in evil sense) God will enable the believer to victoriously endure (hupopherō - bear up under) it. 2. How? #1 God will not let the believer be
tempted beyond what he can handle (God is the One empowering him). #2 God
will provide a way of escape with the temptation (God is the One who is
sovereign over all things). #3 God has given provision in His Word for
victory over temptation which is common to humanity. |
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