Devotional Day 43

Scripture

1 Corinthians 10:12-13

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 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.

Devotional

This passage is situated in one of the most interesting, captivating and thought provoking chapters in the new testament. Just before the two verses we just read Paul has been giving a warning to the church in Corinth from Israel’s history. It really appears as though Paul was appealing to those who were sinful and proud, that they should have a healthy dose of the fear of the Lord. And yet this warning is also followed up by one of the most famous ‘tea cup’, ‘fridge magnet’ verses we have, that God will always provide a way out of temptation and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. Interesting.

To me, as I’m reading those two verses within that context I’m also remembering that the church in Corinth had some issues… They were mighty in gifting, but seemed to lack in holiness. Especially when it came to their sexual purity, which is not surprising as they lived in a very sexually progressive city and had a lot of the world to get out of them. Not dissimilar from our modern western Church is it?

When we put all of this together we can see the heart of Paul’s admonishment here. He’s writing to a people that have sin - to take it seriously. He writes “so, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall” - this is a reminder to fear the Lord. He reminds the church that God roasted the Israelites when they thought God didn’t care about their sin, and I’m sure they had heard the stories of Ananias and Sapphira… Similarly as we read this passage we should remember that God isn’t ‘chill’ about our sin. It’s the absolute epitome of pride to think that we’re good with God when we justify our willful sin.

And then it seems as though Paul answers a retort that I’m sure he had heard from the churches ‘But Paul, you just don’t understand how hard it is for us here, we’ve got needs man and God made us this way, we’re just expressing our sexuality. What - does God expect us to shut off our bodies? It’s impossible Paul, your standards of holiness are too high.’ Or that’s how I imagine the discourse, because Paul says: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind” - or in other words, you’re not special, everyone has been tempted for all of history this way.

Can’t we so often fall into this same pattern of thinking. “Oh man, must’ve been soooo easy in the bible times, no pornography, no rampant sex driven culture, it’s everywhere these days - it’s inescapable, we’ve got to have more grace for ourselves…” Honestly - it’s a lie. Our culture is not more sex oriented than it was back then. I don’t have time here to do a history lesson on ancient Greece, but I’d encourage you to look into it if you’re game. I’ll contextualise it for you, imagine Paul writing this to Hollywood.

It’s within this spiritual climate that Paul says “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.”

If Paul could say this to the Corinthian church in AD 53, then we can receive it today. Hear the Lord saying this to you today, in our similarly sex driven culture. God is faithful. You are able to live holy and pure lives in this crooked and perverse generation. You don’t have to become a monk either. God will always provide a way out for you so that you can endure this culture. What a promise. Isn’t it just like God to give it to us straight and then encourage us with hope. Here’s how I would summarise this passage for you today:

So, if you think that you can go with the flow of today’s culture, enjoying lusting in your heart after people that aren’t your spouse, then make sure you check your heart, because it might need a good dose of the fear of the Lord. Watch out because God will humble you, he’s not ok with a lack of repentance. Take heart Church if you feel like its too much for you - the temptation you're facing isn’t any worse than it’s been for any of your Christian brothers or sisters throughout history. God is faithful and you don’t have to give in and go with the tide of this sex driven culture. Our Father will not ever put you in a situation where sin is inevitable, He will always provide a way in himself for you to resist temptation and maintain a pure heart so that you can endure this generation.

Prayer

Lord - I’m sorry where I have been prideful in my toleration of sin, justifying to myself that it didn’t bother you. I pray for your grace today, I need your help to endure temptation, please remind me when I’m tempted today that I have a choice and that I don’t need to cave to the temptation. Give me the wonderful joy of experiencing the power of your grace given to me by the Spirit today Lord!