Sunday, December 19, 2010 pm
STUDIES IN 1 CORINTHIANS (32)
Things Written For Our Admonition
Tonight we continue our study of 1 Corinthians.
Our study tonight is a continuation and application to our last
lesson dealing with the examples of rebellious Israel while in the
wilderness. Paul’s
admonition to these brethren was to remain faithful or face eternal
consequences. In 9:27 he
noted that even he needed to remain faithful.
Then he appealed to the example of Israel, God’s chosen people,
who in the wilderness rejected Him over and over.
Among the sins addressed included their lust for evil things
(such as demanding meat and gluttony), becoming idolaters at Mt. Sinai,
committing fornication (physical and spiritual) with the gods and people
of Baal, constant murmurings.
As a result, most who left Egypt did NOT enter the promised land.
In the verses we will examine tonight we find some applications
that can help us avoid the same fate as Israel.
Let us notice these verses.
a.
Examples
of times gone by can be helpful – much of what we learn is based upon
what we observe. The wise
man is one who can avoid of the mistakes of those who have gone before.
Sadly, most of us don’t.
Eccl. 3:15 says, “That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been, And
God requires an account of what is past.”
No matter how many times something has been done and failed, we seem to
think we are the exception and we do it anyway.
Others simply don’t want to face the reality so they never learn – truly
this is an application of Hosea 4:6, “My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
b.
Written
for our admonition
i.
What is an
admonition? While it is a word that involves encouragement to do right,
it is actually a little stronger, as in a gentle warning (but not as
strong as a harsh rebuke).
It is described (by Kittel) as “a moral appeal that leads to amendment.”
(Little Kittel)
1 Corinthians 4:14, 1 Thess. 5:14 uses the verb form of the word “warn”
in the NKJV.
Ephesians 6:4 uses the word to describe how a father is to bring up his
children in “the training and admonition of the Lord.”
ii.
What we
have written in scripture, while at times strong in its language
(especially examples of retribution), is not intended to be harsh or to
portray God as such. What
God writes is with His love in the hopes that we will respond (cf. 2
Pet. 3:9). The examples
given are designed to be WARNINGS so that we will NOT repeat their
foolish mistakes and have to face His wrath.
Let us view them as such and make application to our lives.
c.
NOTE: The
Old Testament CAN be useful –
i.
We must
fully understand that we are not under the Old Law today.
The Old Testament is no longer in force – Col. 2:14 tells us that
Jesus took it out of the way and nailed it to the cross. Heb. 8:7-13
explains that the Old Covenant would be done away with (made obsolete).
Christ in establishing the New Covenant made the Old obsolete.
BUT, that does not mean we cannot learn lessons from it.
ii.
Rom. 15:4.
While we are not under the Old Law, it is helpful in many ways
including to learn how God expects obedience.
The text leading up to this point serves as a great example of
what we are talking about (see last lesson).
iii.
We can
also better understand the Law we are under today.
For example, the books of Hebrews, Romans and Galatians explain
key concepts associated with God and our salvation.
They help explain not only WHAT we do but WHY we do them.
We could not understand those books without the Old Testament.
iv.
We better
understand the nature of God which we know does not change (cf. Heb.
13:8, Malachi 3:6, Jas. 1:17)
v.
ALL of
these things can help us and ADMONISH us to live as we ought to.
II.
Take heed lest you fall (12)
a.
Paul has
let them know that even he is susceptible and he has demonstrated how
God’s chosen people, having seen His marvelous deliverance still
rejected Him and were cut off.
His warning to these brethren – it could happen to them as well.
b.
The Bible
warns us of this possibility on many occasions –
i.
Heb. 3:12,
4:1, 12:14-15 – all warn us to be alert lest we be deceived.
ii.
Romans
11:20 which speaks of the Jews being broken off because of their
unbelief then notes that even though we stand by faith we must not be
haughty, but fear.
c.
Yet how
many of us live with little or no thought toward the future?
Or while we are aware of it, we put off the appropriate response because
we think we have “all the time in the world” or we are exempt or we are
too strong to let anything pull us off course.
i.
Consider
the example of Peter. Matt.
26:33-34 where Peter rebuked Jesus and told Him that he would never deny
Him. Jesus warned him on
that occasion as to what would happen.
Even in that, Peter was dismissive.
Sadly, Jesus was right.
ii.
Consider
also Matt. 26:40-41 when Peter, James & John were in the Garden with
Jesus as He prayed before His betrayal.
He sees that they have let down their guard and He warns them, “What! Could you not watch
with Me for one hour? Watch
and pray, lest you enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
iii.
Let us
NEVER forget that. Deep down
we want to do what is right, but if we are not fervent in our efforts to
watch, we will let down our guard just enough for Satan to take
advantage of us and we could fall.
a.
Paul then
gives these brethren a promise of hope.
While we all face temptations – and we can learn from them (Jas. 1:2-3,
12-15), we can take comfort knowing that we are not alone.
Paul said that all temptations are “common to man”.
You will NOT face anything that someone before has not had to
deal with (and overcome).
Even our Lord was tempted and gave us an example that we might overcome
– Heb. 2:17-18, 4:15.
b.
God is
faithful – He ALWAYS is!
2 Thess. 3:3, 1 Thess. 5:24, 1 Cor. 1:9, etc.
c.
He will
not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able
– the promise that we CAN handle whatever
comes our way. Never forget
this! We might THINK we
can’t handle it, but we can if we have enough determination and faith. 2
Peter 2:9 reminds us, “then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out
of temptations…”
2 Cor. 1:10, Paul said he had delivered them out of death, “and does
deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us.”
d.
There
IS a way of escape – we just
need to look for it.
Sometimes it is not found where we are looking or how we want it.
Never forget that God knows what is best!
2 Cor. 12:7-10 we read of Paul pleading with the Lord concerning his
“thorn in the flesh”. Though
he pleaded 3 times that it be taken away, God said no. Yet it did not
overwhelm him – he was able to endure and became BETTER as a result of
it.
Jas. 1:2 tells us to count it joy when we fall into various trials
because it can produce patience in us.
e. Considering this in context. We often apply this verse to God’s assurance that He will not give us anything we cannot handle. Such is a true observation gleaned from this verse, BUT consider this in the midst of Paul’s warnings to these proud and self-willed brethren. Could he not be reminding them that they have no excuse for their conduct? Could this be a reminder that their behavior is of their own doing and free-will? In other words, don’t blame God when you fail to obey Him!