FOUR WARNINGS!

FOUR WARNINGS!

1 Cor 10:1-11

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

          I am thankful for the Corinthian church because they provide wonderful examples of how not to live the Christian life. Yet, when Paul wrote to them he cited the wandering Jews as examples. Here he lists four warnings to any believer trying to live a godly life in an ungodly society.

          Neither be ye idolaters! Most of us think of idolatry as a formal worship of some enshrined figure. Because of this narrow view we conclude that we are not and will never be idolaters. However, idolatry is insidious and we gradually begin to worship the values of our society. We want to “fit in” and we don’t want to be thought of as un-cool so we adjust our belief system to allow for things that God does not allow.

          Neither let us commit fornication! Our culture and society is flooded with sexual messages promising both instant and constant gratification. I met one waitress, a pretty lady, who was quite pregnant with her third child with her “fiancé” of eleven years. This is fornication that looks like – but is not – legitimate marriage.

          Neither let us tempt Christ! This is curious because it clearly states that the God of the wilderness wanderings was Jesus! The children of Israel became bored with their daily ration of manna and blamed Moses and God because they had no meat (see Numbers 21:4-6). God sent “fiery serpents” that destroyed many of them. Our modern, sinful, society greatly tempts us to become dissatisfied with yesterday’s blessings.

          Neither murmur! The word means “to manifest sullen discontent” and perfectly describes a generation of consumers who can’t seem to find anything that truly satisfies. The eye is not satisfied with all that it sees and the tongue is never satisfied with all there is to taste. The cry of our sinful society is more.

Heb 13:5

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Giver of all good things, let me heed these four warnings. Let me count my blessings and be thankful. AMEN