A "Hairy" Problem: Order in the Church! I Corinthians 11:2-16

“A Hairy Problem: Order in the Church!”

I Corinthians 11:2-16

Introduction: The editor of a small weekly home town newspaper was struggling with filling all the columns of the paper one particular week, so he had his staff print in one of the columns, without any comment, the Ten Commandments [This was obviously a long time ago!]. Three days after the paper was published, he received a letter saying, “Please cancel my subscription. You are getting too personal!”  One of the risks of preaching through books of the Bible is that occasionally you will come to texts that will run the risk of “getting too personal!”  Here we go again!  I Corinthians 11:2-16 is a challenging passage, and the message at the heart of it may be a bit counter-cultural. There is a lot in this passage that is uncertain, at least to me. Is the passage talking about head coverings? Or is it hair style?  And how much of it is culturally specific to first century Corinth? Is it strictly referring to public worship? Or is the family being highlighted as the background for conduct in the church? I don’t feel that I’ve been able to resolve all of the issues sufficiently well to bridge the two thousand year “chasm” between us and the Corinthian context to know the answers to some of these questions for certain. There are some clues in the text that seem to point either way. Though some questions remain about what was happening “then and there,” I believe we can hear the teaching that God has for us “here and now.” I think we can discern some abiding principles behind Paul’s words, and consider how they apply to the church today. I titled this message “A Hairy Problem: Order in the Church!” For some of us hair is less of a problem than it is for others!  But at the heart of the passage is the question of order in the church.

       Paul transitions in this part of his letter to some issues in the Corinthian church that especially manifested themselves in the public worship. For example he’ll talk in chapters 12-14 about the question of spiritual gifts, their purpose, and their proper use in the church.  Later in this chapter [11] he’ll deal with issues surrounding the celebration of the Lord’s Table [we’ll look at that next week, as we celebrate communion together].  Here, he deals with an issue surrounding some women in the Corinthian Church who apparently resisted the Lord’s design for the church, which included the idea of male leadership.  Alistair Begg said that in this passage, “The big issue here is not what is going on the head, but what is going on in the head!” Remember that I Corinthians is a letter, and Paul is responding both to problems in the church that had been reported to him by some members of the household of Chloe (see 1:11), and also to questions that the Corinthians had sent in writing to Paul (see 7:1). We don’t have the letter the Corinthians sent to Paul, so we have to discern, the best we can, the issues that lay behind the answers that Paul gives in this passage. There is a lot that we can’t be certain about in these verses that would have been perfectly clear to the original readers.  Even so, there abiding principles that we can affirm with confidence.  I think we can safely say that some in the church had disregarded this aspect of God’s design for leadership in the church. God has a plan for the church, and...

The Big Idea: God is glorified when His people embrace the order He has established in the church: Jesus is the head, and in the context of spiritual equality, He has delegated leadership to men.

I. God is glorified when His plan for the church is respected (2-6).

² Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.  ³ But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.  ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,  ⁵ but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head- it is the same as if her head were shaven.  ⁶ For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.

       The praise Paul offers (2). Paul begins recognizing and praising the fact that many in the church respected Paul’s leadership and embraced the things he had taught them.  He praises, or “commends” them for remembering him in everything. Since some in the church clearly questioned Paul’s authority as an apostle it may be that this is a hint that the naysayers were a relatively small but vocal group.  The church, for the most part, maintained the “traditions” Paul had delivered to them. This is in contrast to the “traditions of the fathers” (Galatians 1:14) or the “traditions of men” (Colossians 2:8). It was Paul’s teaching, the Gospel of Christ applied to everyday living. In other words, biblical doctrine. Paul used the word in this sense a couple of times in his second letter to the Thessalonians...

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter...” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us...” (2 Thessalonians 3:6).

“Tradition” isn’t a bad word! If it is biblical tradition, it is a great word! [The problem is, we often elevate human traditions to the level of biblical truth. That is a problem!]. When Paul talks about celebrating the Lord’s Table later in this passage, he’ll remind the Corinthians of the things “he delivered” to them, that which they “received.” He’ll do that again in chapter 15 when he talks about the Gospel (15:1-3).  Paul here is commending the Corinthians, who for all of their problems, still were holding fast to the core fundamentals of the faith that Paul had taught them. This is a good reminder to us that doctrine cannot stand alone, it should never be abstract or merely intellectual, it needs to translate into action.  Theology is always intended to be practical. In many respects the Corinthians held to good theology, the problem was in the connection between the head, the heart, and the hands.  What we believe should impact how we live. Let’s face it, the world doesn’t care about our doctrinal statement. They are not impressed by our orthodox theology. They see our life. Is it different? Are we consistent? Do we really love one another? Jesus said they would notice that (John 13:34,35). Do we really care about them? If we are really convinced that we are saved by grace, through faith, why are we not more prone to extend grace toward others?  Rather than trying to get the world to “act” Christian, why don’t we with gentleness seek by all means possible to point people to Jesus?

       The Principle he asserts: Christ, the Head of the Church, has delegated authority to men (3).  With the word “BUT” at the beginning of verse 3, Paul then contrasts their holding to his doctrine with an area of practice that had come to his attention, an area in which the Corinthians were lacking. They had begun to drift from a biblical, complementarian view of sexuality and of leadership in the church. The ESV says in v.3, “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” Notice the three aspects of the parallelism, 1) man to Christ, 2) woman to man, and 3) Christ to God [the Father].  A few observations on this.

       First of all, notice that the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church. He will develop this more later when he talks about the church as the body of Christ, Jesus himself being the head (I Cor 12; cf. Eph 4; Rom 12). The pastor isn’t the head of the church. The elders are not the head of the church.  No group or individual among us is the head of the church.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. If we agree on that we’ll seek together His will and His plan! His glory is what matters to us.

       Next, Paul affirms that the head of the woman is the man. The ESV translate “wife” and “husband” here, which is a valid translation. Male leadership starts in the family, but in this context it is applied to the life of the church.  I am convinced that in most cases, godly women long for men to take this responsibility, and the greater problem often is not women try to usurp authority they have not been given, but rather a failure of men to lead! Men, fathers, even we “empty nesters,” let’s reaffirm the fact that God has called us to shepherd our families. A shepherd leads, feeds, protects, and knows his sheep.

       Some have argued that the sense of the word “head” here is “source” rather than “authority.” After all, the first woman, Eve, was created from the side of Adam. But that sense really doesn’t fit when we get to the third part of the parallelism which points to the Son and the Father in the context of the trinity. The Son is eternal, without beginning. Biblical doctrine affirms the equality of the persons, yet in the context of that equality it is the Father who sends the Son, who gives the Son, and who is revealed by the Son. We know that Paul on the one hand taught spiritual equality of men and women.  We read for example in Galatians 3:28,

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Not ethnicity, not social status, not gender, none of these things impact our standing as born again, blood bought believers in Christ. We are brothers and sisters, we have the same Father. The issue isn’t our spiritual standing in Christ, but rather leadership, order that God has established.

       The Problem in Corinth (4-6).  These verses are challenging since it is unclear (as evidenced by the divergent views of commentators!) if Paul is talking about some kind of head covering (a hat or a veil) or perhaps a hair style (perhaps braided hair being put up on the top of the head). What seems to be implied is that some women in Corinth were wearing their hair is such a way that it dishonored their spouse, perhaps by appearing in a way that was characteristic of promiscuous women or prostitutes.  It may be that they were wearing their hair much shorter than would be normal for a married woman in that society. Gordon Fee said, “By making their appearance such that it tended to eliminate the distinctions between the sexes, they were bringing shame on that relationship...” (Fee, I Corinthians p. 502).  The point is, God is glorified when His people embrace the order He has established in the family and in the church. Jesus is the head, and in the context of spiritual equality, He has delegated leadership to men.

II. God’s plan transcends culture and is rooted in His design in Creation (7-12).

⁷ For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.  ⁸ For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.  ⁹ Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.  ¹⁰ That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.  ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman;  ¹² for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.

       One tendency when dealing with issues like this is to assume that since it is so antithetical to some of the values popularly held today, that it must be reflecting an antiquated, culturally specific view of gender roles. These verses make that conclusion impossible, since Paul is appealing specifically to God’s design in creation.

       A believing Corinthian man should not cover his head in the context of worship. Symbolically and spiritually speaking he should not “cover” or obscure God in his life. In other words, Jesus should shine through, people should see Christ in us.  As the Spirit glorifies Christ, Jesus reveals the Father. A believing wife, as the helpmate and complement of her husband seeks to be at his side, helping him and submitting to his leadership. Was this merely a cultural idea? I don’t think the Bible allows for that.

       First of all, the man was created before the woman (Genesis 2:7) and he exercised dominion over the creation by naming the animals (2:19,20).  Men and women are both created in the image of God (see Genesis 1:26-28). God created humans for His glory.  Yet the man was created first, out of the dust of the ground.  The woman, on the other hand, was created from the side of the man, from him and for him as his complement and helper. This isn’t merely a cultural design it is God’s creation order (see also I Timothy 2:12-14).  

       The phrase “...because of the angels...” seems a little odd here, since we don’t know a lot about the origin and role of these divine messengers. It seems that they are present and working among humans, especially among believers, “ministering spirits,” and as we recognize and submit to God’s design they are pleased because He is being honored. When we refuse to submit to God’s design in creation, could it be that they are offended, that we bring them pain? They certainly understand that our sin and rebellion was nailed to the cross in Christ.  We are his, we were bought at a price.  God is glorified when His people embrace the order He has established in the church: Jesus is the head, and in the context of spiritual equality, He has delegated leadership to men.

III. God’s design includes gender differences and specific roles for men and women (13-16).

¹³ Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?  ¹⁴ Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,  ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.  ¹⁶ If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

        Paul says, “Let’s use common sense! You are reasonable people, judge for yourselves!”  There are natural (physical!) differences between men and women.  Some are pretty obvious. Take a look in the mirror if you have any doubts about gender differences!  Some are less visible. I have no idea what a hormone looks like, but the effects they have on men and on women are powerful, and dramatically different!  If we act or dress in such a way that we blur God’s design for humans, we disgrace our head, ultimately the Lord himself.

       This grates against current trends and popular thinking, but this is God’s design in creation. He is our maker and our redeemer. His wisdom and knowledge are infinitely perfect. Who do we think we are to question or to doubt His design for us? Is that too personal? I need to be reminded, maybe you do too. Don’t cancel your subscription!

What is God saying to me in this passage? God is glorified when His people embrace the order He has established in the church: Jesus is the head, and in the context of spiritual equality, He has delegated leadership to men.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Let me talk to the teens for a moment. You are hearing and will be hearing a lot about gender and sexuality in the media and even in school. God made us, He gets to make the rules. He has spoken to us in this book. Your DNA, not your feelings, determine your gender. And God has a plan for you, just the way He made you.

       Men, this passage may have been directed to a few women in the church at Corinth, but God has a message for us as well. We are responsible to lead our families, and to lead the church. You don’t have to have all the answers. Any of us can pick up a Bible, and read a chapter with our spouse or children, and then pray that God would apply it to our hearts.

       Women, allow your men to lead. Encourage them to lead. If you are married, choose to be a “helpmate suitable” to your husband. You will be giving an example to your children of God’s design for the family, and for the church. 

       Our ultimate goal should be the glory of God. May we honor Him as we submit to His Lordship and acknowledge His plan.  God knows us, He knows the truth about each of us, even those things that no other human knows. And He still loves us so much that He sent the Son. To Him be the glory.  AMEN.

Free to Choose for the Glory of God I Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Free to Choose for the Glory of God

I Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Introduction:  I remember hearing the story of the woman who sent her husband to the butcher to pick up a ham. He brought it back and the woman said, “You didn’t cut the end off the ham!” The husband replied, “I didn’t know you wanted the end cut off, why do you do that?” She said, “I always do it because that’s the way my mother did it.” They went in the kitchen and asked her mother why she did it that way, she said her mother always did!  So they gave grandma a call and asked her. She said, “I cut off the end because my roaster was too small!”  What guides us as we live as pilgrims in a fallen world?  Is it tradition? Do we do it this way because it is what we have always done? Or are we diligently seeking to submit our hearts and lives in obedience to Christ? Why do we make the choices we do? What guides us? What are the factors that motivate us? If we are truly free in Christ, how then should we live?

The Big Idea: We are free in Christ to make choices that edify others, lift up the gospel, and so, glorify God.

I. We are free to make choices that edify (23-30). The principles for using Christian freedom).

²³ "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.  ²⁴ Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 

       Paul begins this paragraph repeating again what was apparently a favorite phrase of the Corinthians, one that he had quoted back in 6:12,

“All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything.”

Paul, in that context, was talking about Christian freedom and makes the same initial statement as here in I Corinthians 10, “…but not all things are helpful…” Not every choice we make is good for us, or helpful for others. In I Corinthians 6 Paul used this same phrase and followed it by saying, “I will not be mastered by anything!” In other words, he is not going to use his freedom in Christ to do something that will be addictive or that would enslave him.  In that case, he used a “negative” guide to help with his decisions. Here, in chapter 10, the same statement is used in parallel with a positive idea, does this choice, this action, edify, or “build up,” those that are affected by it?

      The word “build up” is a common one in the New Testament, oikodomeo. The word originally meant “to build a house,” came to mean “build, build up” and usually in the New Testament has a more metaphorical sense of “edify.” The progression in Paul’s argument is interesting, he doesn’t want to use his freedom or make choices that would cause others to stumble, what’s more, he does want to make choices that are good, choices that build up.

       Putting the chapters together, something isn’t helpful or good if it would enslave me, it is helpful or good if it is edifying. The focus in the latter is more outward, the effect on my neighbor. Paul talked about our freedom in Christ, and the need to guard against abusing it when he said in Galatians 5:13-15,

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

We should not be enslaved, we are free! Not free to sin, but free to serve in love, with joy. Remember the acrostic of the word J.O.Y.—Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last.  We are free, but we need to use our freedom with care. How will it impact others, how will it reflect on the Lord?

²⁵ Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.  ²⁶ For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." 

The idea here seems to be, “Don’t ask, don’t tell!” – Don’t make an issue of your freedom in areas not directly addressed in Scripture. The Corinthians were saying, “All things are lawful to me! [We’re under grace not law!]” Paul says, listen, it’s not about us, after all, “The earth is the Lord’s,” as is everything in it! When the Corinthians bought meat in the market, or if they ate at someone’s house where the meat came from the market, they didn’t need to inquire about it’s history, where it came from. It all belongs to God! They didn’t need to ask questions. Is this meat kosher? Is it organic? What was the cow’s name? It didn’t matter! They could eat it with thanksgiving!

²⁷ If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.  ²⁸ But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience-  ²⁹ I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?  ³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 

He is talking about eating with unbelievers – Don’t make an issue, don’t ask questions (we want to avoid legalism!).  If they make a point of it however, and it seems that it might be a point of weakness or offense, for their sake, abstain. We have the earlier principle, we don’t want to cause a weaker brother to stumble, I think along the same lines, we don’t want to be an impediment to someone believing.  We are free in Christ, we really are. Free to make choices that edify others and hold forth the gospel, and so, glorify God.

II. We are free to make choices that glorify God (31). This is really the heart of the matter...

“³¹So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God…”

            What should not primarily motivate my choices, has come through in these chapters: my will, my pleasure, my comfort and security.  Whether you eat or drink (eat what? Drink what? You fill in the blanks!).  Whatever you do, do it not selfishly, but intentionally, for God’s glory. As fallen humans we tend to focus on ourselves. It’s what we do. When I counsel with people who are struggling with an issue of conduct, sometimes the question is asked of me, “Don’t I have the right to be happy?!” They have already made up their mind that happiness is going to be found in this behavior, in a certain choice, in what they want.  First of all, true happiness will be found in the will of God. Secondly, it’s not about me, it’s about God, and His glory.  Can I engage in this activity to the glory of God? Some things the Bible speaks to are actions that specifically glorify God...

·        Faith gives glory to God: Speaking of Abraham Paul said in Romans 4:20 – “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God...”

·        In his discourse on “abiding in Christ” Jesus told his disciples in the upper room that bearing good fruit glorifies God: John 15:8 – “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

·        We spent a couple of weeks in our Wednesday night devotionals looking at Psalm 118, which begins and ends with the admonition, “Give thanks to Yahweh for He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever!” Focus on that idea of giving thanks: In an earlier psalm we saw that being thankful glorifies God: Psalm 50:23, God says – “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"

·        We pray for the persecuted church as we must, recognizing the price that some pay to name the name of Jesus. Somehow, through the faithful endurance and steadfast hope of believers, suffering as a Christian can bring God glory: I Peter 4:14-16 – “¹⁴ If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.  ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.  ¹⁶ Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”

·        Prayer, asking in the name of Jesus, glorifies God (or more accurately, God answering prayers offered in His name!): John 14:13   “¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

       Remember that this is God’s story, we have a small part in it. The old Westminster catechism got it right that our chief end is to glorify Him, to lift up His name. The context has been talking about meat sacrificed to idols. But notice here that Paul widens the discussion, he is giving a principle that ought to have much broader application in the life of the Christian.  “Whether you eat or drink...”  He hasn’t been talking about drinking anything up to now, so he is broadening the discussion. Then he goes even further “...whatever you do...”! That is about as broad as it gets!  Our choices in life, big and small, daily and once in a lifetime, should have a desire, a longing, a goal, for God’s glory at the forefront.  A pastor friend of mine prays for a group of ministry acquaintances every Sunday morning. I look forward to seeing his post at around 6 AM on Sunday. Today his prayer was that God would give us the wisdom to understand the vanity of that which is temporal, and the glory of that which is eternal.

            That should be my motivation: To always seek to act in a way that brings God glory, that lifts up the name of Jesus.   We are free in Christ to make choices that edify others, lift up the gospel, and so, that glorify God.

III. We are free to make choices for the sake of the Gospel (10:33-11:1).

“Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God…”

            Let me say this: we cannot avoid the fact that the message of the Cross will offend people. That is the way it is, there is a conflict of kingdoms, an unwillingness on the part of unregenerate humans to come to God on His terms. It’s the outright rebellion of Psalm 2:1,2 exposed on the stage of history:

“Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand against Yahweh, and against His anointed...”  

The offense of the Cross is not what Paul is speaking about here. That we cannot avoid. He is talking about us being offensive in our speech or conduct. People may not accept what we tell them, they may not even like what we tell them, but if we genuinely care about them, if we love them and want the best for them, that should come through in how we speak. Give no offense. We don’t want to be an obstacle to the gospel, we don’t want to impede someone’s growth in the faith. Remember Paul bent over backwards not to offend. He sought to be “all things to all men so that be all means he might win some.”  Here he mentions three groups, to avoid offending: Jews, Greeks, and the Church of God. 

       First he says, “Give no offense to Jews…” Since there were believing Jews in the church, they might be included in what Paul is saying here, but it seems that he might be emphasizing Jews who had not yet believed (notice the emphasis on people coming to saving faith in v.33).  He knows full well that aspects of the message might be offensive to Jews, that was unavoidable. The idea of a crucified Messiah was scandalous to the Jewish mind. The messiah was to be a victor and deliverer, not an accursed criminal humiliated in a public execution!  That did not fit their hope, it didn’t make sense. Only by God opening their mind could they (or anyone!) grasp the significance of the substitutionary atonement!  The offense of the cross was unavoidable, but Paul strongly urged the Corinthians to avoid unnecessarily offending Jews.  If you have a Jewish neighbor, out of concern for their sensibilities it might not be a good idea to roast a pig on a spit in your back yard just to prove you are free to eat pork!  Why offend them? Keep the door open to be a good neighbor and share Christ with them in the future.  Remember how Paul, at the outset of the second missionary journey, had Timothy circumcised “because of the Jews in that region”? He knew that his ministry would take him into the synagogues, and why risk offense, since Timothy was half Jewish?

       “Give no offense… to Greeks…” This is where the Corinthians were, right in the center of Greek culture and commerce. The pagan idolatry of the city no doubt grieved Paul in Corinth just as it had in Athens. But Paul was all about calling people into a life changing relationship with Jesus.  He did not say they needed to turn over a new leaf and clean up their lives before they came to Jesus.  He did call them to recognize their need, and to come to One who made possible new life through faith in Christ.  Remember how Paul spoke on Mars Hill in Athens? He saw they had an altar to an unknown god and used that as a bridge to speak to them. He looked for common ground and used that as a starting point to lift up the Gospel of Christ.

       “Give no offense... to the Church of God…” He spoke finally of those who had believed. Included in this would be the weaker brother he had mentioned in chapter 8, the one who had received life through faith in Jesus but who did not yet have a firm, well-grounded sense of the freedom that entailed.  We wouldn’t want to make choices that would cause someone to stumble or set them back in their faith. I think by now you have an idea that I am not very legalistic, that I try to be intentionally grace oriented.  We don’t define our faith by what we don’t do. I don’t decide for you in areas not directly addressed in Scripture, but I hope to give you a foundation to make choices that honor God. We don’t want to be legalists who emasculate the gospel of grace, but neither do we want to offend those who may not have come to the same sense of “freedom” in Christ.  If I get too specific here, I risk offending, so you can fill in the blanks!

…just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Paul’s heart was driven by a sense of mission. His rights, much less his comfort and security were not of primary importance. What mattered most was God’s glory and the mission he has entrusted to the church. We are called to bring the message of grace to the world, that has to drive us, it has to be our motivation!

 ^11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

         It is convicting to realize that people are watching. We just had VBS and had a really great group of leaders, including a couple of teens. Teens, how is it to know that those young children look up to you? They will follow your example?  Parents how do you feel when you consider that your kids are watching you?  They see how you interact with one another. It will impact them later when they get interested in the opposite sex, and eventually when they marry. Paul was sufficiently assured of his own walk with the Lord that he could say, “Be imitators of me...” i.e, “Follow me, as I follow Christ.” Notice that the ultimate example is Jesus. He doesn’t say do everything I do. Rather, to the degree that I follow the example of Jesus, you can follow me! That is convicting, because I know how often my example falls short. But it is incentive to strive to be closer to Him.  Do you ever feel like someone is watching? You are not just being paranoid! You can be pretty sure that someone is watching, much of the time. What kind of example are we setting for them? I think I told you before of the time I was sitting in a restaurant, I looked across the room and saw this sad faced, old, bald headed guy sitting alone. I thought, “I wonder what his story is?” Then I reached up to touch my face and realized I was looking at my own reflection in the mirror across the room!  People are watching us, are we living in a way that shows the hope we have in Christ?

What is God saying to me in this passage? We are free in Christ to make choices that edify others, hold forth the gospel, and so, glorify God.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?  Have you been cutting the end of off any hams lately? Why do we do what we do? What guides our choices?  The more closely we follow the Lord, the more time we spend with Him, the longer we are at His feet communing and learning from Him, the more we will reflect His character.  We read in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” That is not living by a set of rules, it is a transformation the takes place from the inside out. That is God working in us!  

       We all make choices every day. Some things the Bible is very clear about, there is no debate or doubt. Marriage is a lifetime commitment between a man a woman. Human life has value, humans are uniquely created in God’s image, and He states “You shall not murder.” So we speak up against those who would slaughter innocent lives. You shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness. If we believe the Bible we agree, God said it, that settles it.  What about the gray areas not addressed in Scripture? We look for principles to guide us, we see several in this context. We are free, but will my choice cause a weaker brother to stumble? Will it work for good in someone’s life, will it build them up or tear them down?  Will it encourage faith in an unbeliever or be an impediment? Can I do it to the glory of God? We are free to make choices that edify others, hold forth the gospel, and so glorify God.

Think about that.  AMEN.

"American Idols" I Corinthians 10:14-22

American Idol(s) (or, Idol Talk 2)

I Corinthians 10:14-22

Introduction: One of the creations of television over the last twelve years or so has been a program called, “American Idol.”  We don’t need a television show to inform us that there are many “American Idols” today, and I am not talking about our love for music and entertainment.  Over a hundred years ago, D.L. Moody said, “You don’t have to go to heathen lands to find false gods, America is full of them. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.” Nearly 2,000 years ago, Paul said in Romans 1:20-23,  

²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools,  ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Rather than worshipping the God who is, the creator who made humans in His own image, humans, though they recognize that there is a God,  refuse to come to him on His terms, and fashion their own ideas about God in their minds. A.W. Tozer said,

“A god begotten in the shadows of a fallen heart, will, quite naturally, be no true likeness to the true God.”

Fallen humans seems to have an overwhelming desire to fashion a god in their own image, a god that thinks like they do, a god that they can live with.  In the Greek world in which Paul ministered, idolatry was running rampant. For all of its love of philosophy and culture, and its supposed pursuit of wisdom, the city of Athens was filled with idols when Paul arrived there.  Corinth, where Paul planted a church to which this letter was directed was no different.

       You remember that the Corinthians had written a letter to Paul with some questions that they wanted him to answer. Paul referred to it in I Corinthians 7:1 when he said, “Now concerning the things you wrote…” We don’t have that letter, but in this second part of first Corinthians we have Paul’s answers to their questions. Chapter 8:1 began his response to an issue they had asked about involving meat sacrificed to idols. An aspect of that seems to have been that some Corinthians felt free to attend meals at pagan temples.  Paul showed them in chapter 8 that we are free in Christ, but love for our brothers, and especially concern for our weaker brothers, should govern the exercise of our freedom. He turned to himself as an example in chapter 9 and talked about how he voluntarily set aside certain rights so as to not to be any hindrance to the gospel. In chapter 10 he urged the Corinthians to learn from the example of Israel, who, for all their blessing and privilege, still drifted from a walk of faith into idolatry. They had experienced the power and provision of God, they had seen the parting of the sea, the pillar of cloud and fire, the manna in the wilderness, water from a rock, and yet they brought Aaron their gold and said “make us a god.”  You remember Aaron’s pronouncement, “This is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4). Some truth, but distorted and so idolatrous. God is real. He has revealed himself in history. He has given objective propositional truth about Himself in the Bible.

The Big Idea: We need to worship God as He is, in accordance with His revelation, and guard against the enticements of the Enemy to idolize distorted images in our hearts.

I. Review: Allow nothing to take God’s place in your heart (14,15).

 ¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.  ¹⁵ I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 

         “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry…” Paul loved the people that he ministered to, including those who weren’t easy, like the Corinthians!  That is where having the perspective of a family really helps. We have the same Father, we are brothers and sisters, so even though we won’t always agree, we always forgive, always love, always want the best for each other.  Paul will talk more about love in I Corinthians 13, for example he says in 13:4-8a,

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  ⁸ Love never ends…

At this point in the letter Paul was not going to mince words, He felt compelled to tell the truth. Though his words are direct and firm, he wants to leave no doubt that he is motivated by love.  Paul is writing a stern letter to the Corinthians, and now he urges them, as brothers and sisters who he loves, to learn from the example of Israel’s history, and to “flee idolatry!”

       Most of us don’t fall down before graven images, nor are we tempted to do so. Idolatry, however, can be much more subtle. The point we need to take from this passage is that idols were indeed a problem in Corinth, and so Paul needed to admonish the Corinthians concerning it. But as we point a finger at them we need to acknowledge that idols are also a problem in America in the 21^st century.  “American Idols” are all around us. Any wrong conception about God, any attempt to decide for ourselves “what God is like,” rather than seeking and submitting to what He has revealed about himself in Scripture, puts us at risk of forming an idol in our heart, a distorted image of God that is not based on His revealed truth.  Think about it: if “the just shall live by faith,” and that means taking God at His word and submitting to His authority, any time we live in a way that denies His presence or fails to trust in His power and provision, we are subtly laying a foundation on which we can begin to construct an idol.  As surely as Aaron said “this is your God” to Israel, if we decide for ourselves what “our god” is like, without submitting to His self-revelation, we are making an idol! 

       What are some of the pervasive dangers we face?  In America today there is great appeal to a gospel that talks about prosperity and health, that assures us God’s plan is for us to have comfort and security and even abundance in this life. The problem with that doctrine is that it fails to acknowledge God’s commitment to His design in creation. This world is under the curse, the consequences of sin are all around us. If we are saved, if we have believed in Jesus, we are already kingdom citizens, experiences some preliminary blessings of the new creation, but the fact is we are not home yet. We are pilgrims, living in a fallen world.

       “I speak as to sensible people…”  Most people consider themselves unbiased, “sensible” judges of truth. Remember the debate that Ken Ham had with Bill Nye the Science Guy, and Bill Nye several times insisted that he has a “reasonable man”?   The problem of course is that for those who don’t know Christ, they may be intelligent, eloquent, and even passionate about what they say, but when it comes to spiritual truth they are deaf, blind, and dumb, “…unable to understand the things of the Spirit of God…” (I Cor 2:14). That is a serious problem!  It reminds us that our witness, to be effective, has to be used and empowered by God. But to the Corinthians, at least those who genuinely knew Christ, Paul could speak to them as to “sensible people.” The old nature was still present, but they were changed. They had been renewed in their minds. So Paul could appeal to them, as to “sensible people.”

       “…judge for yourselves what I say…” One of the doctrines we affirm is the priesthood of all believers. We believe that every follower of Jesus can read the Bible and understand truth and discern the intent of the writers and the direction of God.  We don’t always do it well and consistently, because we are still affected by our fallen human nature.  As we hear teaching and preaching, we can and should, like the Bereans in Acts 17, “search the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so…” As your pastor I can do my study, and stand before the church, and proclaim what I see in Scripture, but where the rubber meets the road is when you test what I say against what the Bible says. By the way, that is one reason we put the study questions on the back page of the bulletin. We want to encourage examination and discussion of what is preached from this pulpit by me and others. I don’t want to preach error or false doctrine, but I am fallible, and I need to be held accountable.  And I am thankful for your prayers as I study and prepare.  I would love to see more small groups form around those study questions, and I would be happy to facilitate that.   

       We need to worship God as He is, in accordance with His revelation, and guard against the enticements of the Enemy to idolize distorted images in our hearts.

II. Assess the implications of your communion with the Lord Jesus Christ: We are intimately identified with Christ who died for us (16-18).

¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?  ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.  ¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 

       “Participation” in verse 16 is from the word koinonia, which can also be translated “sharing,” “fellowship,” or “communion.”  It seems pretty certain, in the light of the context, that Paul is pointing to the communion table, the Lord’s Supper, as an illustration in this context. “The cup of blessing we bless” and the “bread that we break” are the cup and the bread of communion. He is pointing to the symbolism of the ordinance, that our participation in the elements indicates our identification with Christ. This is not teaching “transubstantiation,” i.e. that the cup and the bread literally transform into the body and blood of Jesus. We are, by our participation expressing our faith in Him, our trust in what He accomplished for us in the cross. The “one bread” that is broken and shared represents our unity in Christ. We are “one in Christ” and we are members together.  I like the way the Message translates this verse…

“…because there is one loaf, our many-ness becomes one-ness—Christ doesn’t become fragmented in us. Rather we become unified in Him…”  

Similarly Paul points to the example of the sacrifices of the Jews – those who eat the sacrifices are “participants” (i.e. “sharers in”) the altar. Paul isn’t saying that in some way they literally eat the altar (or even the sacrifices offered on it), but rather that they share in the meaning and benefits of what takes place there on the altar, i.e. the sacrifices. Paul’s point is that we don’t want to knowingly participate in a cultic meal that dishonors Christ, even indirectly, by implicitly identifying us with idols. The idol is nothing, they were right about that. And it certainly had no power to change the food. But there were spiritual forces of wickedness lurking behind the pagan cults.

       We want to be in the world.  Salt can’t exercise much influence if it stays in the salt shaker!  The challenge is balancing being in the world but not of the world. As J.B. Philips put it in his paraphrase of Romans 12:2, “Don’t let the world force you into it’s mold!” We might add, “And don’t be tempted by the world to force God into your mold!” Our desire is to glorify the one true God, that God who is, the God who reveals himself on the pages of the Bible.   We need to worship God as He is, in accordance with His revelation, and guard against the enticements of the Enemy to idolize distorted images in our hearts.

III. Be aware of the enticements of the enemy and accuser of the brethren (19-22).

¹⁹ What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?  ²⁰ No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.  ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.  ²² Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

       Idols are nothing in themselves, but can be used of demons to turn our hearts from the one true God (19,20). An idol is something we put in the place of God, something that receives the devotion that only He deserves. Who do you think might be behind those things? In Corinth, the idolatry that was visible and rampant and at the heart of the issue Paul is addressing here did express itself outwardly in cults surrounding pagan idols. That is how it was expressed, but then as now idolatry starts in the human heart. Take a look at a couple of more verses from the pen of Paul…

-        

Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

-         Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Notice the slight contrast in the two verses. The “indicative” statement of Ephesians talks about hearts that are set in a position of rebellion. It is what they “are,” it characterizes their lives. In Colossians we have an imperative, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you…” This tension between the indicative and the imperative highlights the struggle of the Christian Life, the call to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling,” to live worthy of the calling with which we have been called.  Idols would creep into our lives, as surely as they sprung up in the camp of Israel.

       Notice that he says, “covetousness is idolatry.” What is that about? The idea seems to be a warning against allowing anything to seduce the devotion and loyalty and love that we owe to the Lord, our Creator, King and Savior. When we are covetous, we somehow put ourselves at the center of the universe; it’s all about me and what I want, what I think I deserve. Right before Paul reminded the Philippians of our citizenship in heaven, he laments the position of those who have constructed idols in this world,

¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,  ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things (Phil 3:18,19).

What do we long for, what do we focus our desires and hopes on?  If it usurps our longing for God, our desire to know Him better and walk in obedience, we need to be on guard, we need to flee!

       You can’t toe the line between worshipping God and the Enemy (21, 22). God alone is God and worthy of our devotion. We are talking about light and darkness, they are just incompatible!   To quote The Message once again,

“…you can’t have it both ways, banqueting with the Master one day, and slumming with demons the next. Besides, the Master won’t put up with it. He wants us—all or nothing. Do you think you can get off with anything less?”

What is God saying to me in this passage? We need to worship God as He is, in accordance with His revelation, and guard against the enticements of the Enemy to create and to idolize distorted images in our hearts. 

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?   Has the enemy tried to whisper into your ears lies about God?  Have some “American Idols” worked their way into your heart? Are you tempted to think of God as something less than the awesome, omnipotent Creator of the universe who is worthy of all of our devotion and praise?  Could it be that living in the comfort of the security of our life in America causes you to lose sight of the truth that we are pilgrims, we are just passing through, and that our citizenship is in heaven?  If we keep that perspective our desire will be to know God and to make Him known.  We want to know Him as He is, as He has revealed Himself in His Word.  

      God is love. Do you believe that?  His love has to be understood in relation to His holiness and justice. Sin could not simply be over looked. He showed us the depth and the extent of His love when He sent His Son into the world to make possible our reconciliation with God. Do you believe that? The Scripture says, “…as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.” If you have not yet taken that step, could it be that even now you feel a prompting in your heart? Believe—receive—and know life! And if you have trusted in Him, and know that you are His, seek to know Him better through His Word. The best protection against the lure of idols, is an intimate, authentic, growing relationship with God. Don’t allow the enemy to whisper lies in your ears and lead you away from the truth!   Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me…”  Think about that.     AMEN.

Is this a test? I Corinthians 10:13,14

Is This a Test?

I Corinthians 10:13,14

Introduction: Most months we celebrate the Lord’s Table together on the first Sunday at our church. We do it regularly, as a God given reminder of His saving grace in Jesus. It causes us to reflect on the great drama of redemption: a good creation was plunged into chaos as the result of human rebellion; but God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, sent the Son to provide salvation for all those who would turn to Him in faith.  It reminds us that He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. By His death we have been set free from the penalty of sin. This is the crux of kingdom living in a fallen world: though we have been saved from the penalty of sin, if we are in Christ, the consequences of sin, and the struggle against sin, still rage within us and all around us.  We live as kingdom citizens, but at the same time as pilgrims in a fallen world. Today’s short passage in I Corinthians meets us right where we live, as those who are redeemed, and regenerated, but not yet made perfect. We’ll meet here in these few lines both the temptations that come from the world, the flesh, and the devil, and the tests that are directed by the sovereign hand of our loving Father, guiding us along the path of life to teach us and to mature us in our faith. Have you ever been in a crisis and asked, “Is this a test?”?  As we look at this passage we’ll see that, at some level, it probably was!

The Big Idea: We need to trust God in times of trial and resist the temptation to sin, seeking to make choices that honor Him.

I. Whatever you are dealing with, others have been there before! “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man…”

      First of all take note of the word “temptation.”  The Greek word is peirasmos, which can mean “trial, test, or temptation.”  The translators of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, used the verbal form of the same word in Genesis 22:1, where we read, “After these things, God tested Abraham…” God allows trials to test us and help us grow, the devil would tempt us to sin… (cf. Gen 22:1; James 1:13,14).  And for Abraham, what a test it would be! Abraham and Sarah had been promised a son, and in their old age God had given them Isaac. And then God commanded him to take the boy up Mount Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering! We don’t have all of the dramatic details, but the writer to the Hebrews tells us that Abraham believed God, he trusted in his promises, and he believed that even if he sacrificed his son God was able to raise him from the dead. He brought the boy up the hill. As Jesus would carry his cross, on the same hills, 2000 years earlier Isaac himself carried the wood up the hill for the sacrifice. Abraham arranged the wood for the offering, and placed Isaac on the pyre and raised a knife to slay him. God intervened. God provided a sacrifice to be slain in place of Isaac. And he said to Abraham, “Now I know you believe…” You passed the test. Your faith was revealed through your obedience. Why does God allow tests in our lives?  It is not just our ultimate destination that interests God, but he is interested in the journey, he is involved in our story as it unfolds.  He knows us already, he knows our hearts. He knows our limitations. The truth is, I think, He knows us better than we know ourselves. He uses times of testing stretch us and grow us and build our faith.

       There is another character that interjects himself into our story. He is called our enemy, the accuser of the brethren.  Remember the story of Job in the Old Testament.  Take a look at this exchange near the beginning of the book…

 ⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.  ⁷ The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."  ⁸ And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"  ⁹ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason?  ¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.  ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face."  ¹² And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD (Job 1:6-12).

That is how it started. It is one of the few examples in Scripture where we are allowed to glimpse behind the scenes of the stage of human history and see the spiritual purpose of trials in the lives of believers.  Satan’s intention was clear, to cause Job in his pain to turn from God, he wanted to entice him to sin: “Take away your protection God, and he’ll curse you to your face!” From God’s perspective, the trials he allowed in Job’s life were “tests,” designed to reveal and deepen his faith.  Later God allows Satan to go even further, and his health is taken away. It is interesting that the same group of words in both Hebrew and Greek can mean “try,” “test,” or “tempt,” and in Job’s case we can see where the same trials were “temptations” from the devil’s perspective, and “tests” from God’s perspective. God never “tempts” us, that is, His intention is never to lead us into sin. James said,

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.  ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death (James 1:13-15).

          Paul tells the Corinthians that the trials they experience are not unique, or even unusual, they are what is “…common to man…” i.e. part of the common human experience.  In other words, others have been where you are before!  We can be comforted by the fact that others have passed through whatever it is that confronts us. Remember, it surprised us, but it didn’t surprise God, He is omniscient and He is omnipotent. He is sovereign. And we can trust Him.  We need to trust God in times of trial and resist the temptation to sin, seeking to make choices that honor Him.

II. God is trustworthy and He knows our limitations. He guides circumstances and designs a path that we can walk… “…[but] God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…”

         Notice that Paul first points to the character is God as a basis for encouragement in times of trial.  “God is faithful…” The idea seems to be that God is trustworthy, reliable. We can count on Him to keep his promises. Because of who He is, because of his character, his attributes, we can trust him. Some of you remember Art Linkletter. He had a way of talking to children.  There was one situation where a little boy was drawing a picture, and Art Linkletter asked him what it was. The little boy answered, “God.”  Linkletter said “Well, nobody knows what God looks like!”  The little boy answered, “They will when I get through!”  What does God look like?  The Bible paints a picture for us, not of his physical form or appearance, but his character, his attributes. What does God look like? One of His attributes, clearly revealed in the Bible, is that He is faithful, absolutlely trustworthy. Remember the story of the little boy who ran up to an elderly lady on the beach who was sitting under an umbrella. “Are you a Christian?” he asked. She smiled and answered, “Why yes, I am!”  He asked her, “Do you read you Bible every day?” She answered, “I do!” He continued his interrogation, “Do you pray a lot?” She answered, “Yes!”  He then asked, “Will you hold my quarter while I go in the water?”  He wanted someone trustworthy!  God is faithful.  This week we looked at Psalm 117 in our devotional for Wednesday night prayer meeting. The short psalm reads like this in the ESV,

¹ Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!  ² For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

The second verse, beginning with the word “for,” gives the motivation for the nations to praise God. The psalmist uses a pair of terms that appear together frequently in Scripture: God’s “steadfast love” [^chesed] and His “faithfulness” [emet]. God’s promises are true and reliable, He always keeps His word. He is faithful.  Paul tells us the same thing here in I Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful…” What does that mean to us in times of trouble?  He promises to be with us always, to never leave us or forsake us. So even when we are in the thick of it and we might feel deserted or alone, when we feel we can’t go on, God is there.  He also promises that He is active in our story, and that somehow, even if we don’t understand, He will cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. That’s a promise we can count on. That is a promise that gives hope in the midst of the darkness! 

        Notice in our text that “God is faithful…” and the He “…will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…” God knows our limits – Remember Job, God only let the accuser go so far, and he could not pass the limits that God allowed.  We might expect too much of someone or misjudge their capabilities. I’ve told you before of the time Mary Ann and I were bringing some things into our first apartment and I gave my little nephew Raymond, maybe 4 or 5 years old, something to carry. He said “I can’t Uncle Steve, too heavy!” I replied, “Come on Raymond, are you a man or a mouse?” Without any hesitation he said, “I’m a mouse!”  We might be given work or responsibilities at our job or even in our family that is not our area of strength and may be beyond our ability. People may misjudge us because they know us only in part. But God knows us perfectly. Whatever we pass through, He is present, and we can trust Him because He knows us better than we know ourselves.  We need to trust God in times of trial and resist the temptation to sin, seeking to make choices that honor Him.

III. God will make a way for us to stand firm and to be victorious if we will trust Him… “…but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

       Take this a phrase at a time. First, “…but with the temptation He will also provide…”  Remember the word “temptation” can also be translated “trial,” or “test.”  We know from James 1:13,14 and from the character of God revealed in Scripture as a whole, that God does not tempt us, i.e., He does not seek to entice us to sin. He wants us to endure, to persevere, and even to grow and be strengthened. But notice here, He is in control, He is sovereign even in those difficult, trying, moments in life.  He doesn’t just provide a way out of the traps the enemy sets for us, but His sovereignty is such that he is guiding our story and the circumstances we pass through. As one writer said, “Nothing touches us that has not first passed through the hands of our loving, heavenly Father. Nothing.” 

            And so, along with the trial that He has allowed, even ordained that we should pass through, “…he will provide the way of escape also…” I remember many years ago, a family friend, along with his young wife and baby, lived in a basement apartment. It was well built, he was a skilled carpenter, but there was one fatal flaw, there was only one way out. There was a house fire, and they were trapped, all three died. When my brother-in-law built an extra bedroom in his basement some time after that, he put in a large egress window that could serve as an emergency escape.  God knows every possibility, and the promise is that HE will provide a way of escape. His plan might be different than we would expect, as the next phrase demonstrates.

       “…that you may be able to endure it…”  The word “endure” is from the Greek term hupofero, “bear up under…” You might think, “Wait a minute, I thought God was providing an exit, a way out of the problems and trials of life?” The escape may not be what we would expect, at least in the short term. “Endure” comes from a compound Greek word that implies having the strength to bear up under the weights of our trials.  The way out may be the strength to endure as we pass through the trial. During those times we need to trust God and resist the temptation to sin, seeking to make choices that honor Him.

IV. Knowing God is faithful, we can trust Him, and we must choose to resist the temptation to sin. “Therefore, my beloved, flee idolatry” (14).

       “Therefore…” – remember the axiom of Bible Study, “When you see a ‘therefore’ ask what it is ‘there’ for!”  In the previous context, Paul pointed to the example of Old Testament Israel.  Repeatedly, when they confronted times of difficulty, times of testing, rather than turning to God in faith, they grumbled, they doubted, they even fell into idolatry! V.13 reminds us that trying times will come, and during those times,        we can trust God and find comfort in his presence and faithfulness. But we are not merely passive in times of trial, we don’t simply ignore temptation and hope that it will pass.  This interplay of divine sovereignty and human responsibility is reminiscent of a passage we looked at some time ago. We read in Philippians 2:12-13,  

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;  ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

God’s sovereign work in us and in our circumstances is a motivation to obedience, to “working out” the implications of our salvation day to day.

       Notice that Paul here calls the Corinthians, “…my beloved…” He called them in chapter 4, “my beloved children” and he will call them in chapter 15 “my beloved brothers,” but here he simply calls them “my beloved.” Paul’s tender affection for them, his pastoral heart, he urges them to live differently. He’s opened his heart to them and urges them, with one simple imperative…

          “…flee idolatry…” Remember the sin of Israel when Moses delayed returning from the mountain, they asked Aaron to construct an idol, a god they could see, one that could go before them.  Aaron agreed and pronounced the next day, “a feast to Yahweh (the Lord).” He used the language of faith, even the name of the God of the Bible, but his action of making an idol was completely contrary to God’s revelation.  Idolatry at its core is essentially unbelief. Faith means we believe God, we take him at his word.  If we try to define God based on what seems right to us, or what makes sense or seems reasonable, or even on what people want to believe, and not based on what he has actually revealed about himself in the Bible, we are making an idol. And that is sin. Paul’s word to the Corinthians, and God’s word to us is as direct as it is simple: Flee idolatry! Don’t just turn away from the temptation to not believe God, don’t simply resist or look away, separate yourself from that situation: get out of there!

What is God saying to me in this passage? We need to trust God in times of trial and resist the temptation to sin, seeking to make choices that honor Him.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Could it be that you are passing through a difficult time right now? Whether work related, or health, or financial, or in a relationship? Have you perhaps asked, “Is this a test?” It may be! In fact, at some level, it probably is!  We know that we have an enemy who would love to sap our strength and cause us to doubt or to be angry with God. If those thoughts come, don’t entertain them for a moment. They come from darkness. God is light. He is good, He loves us, and He is faithful.  One of the gifts that God has given us, to help us in the Christian life, is each other.  God designed the church because we need accountability and we need the help and encouragement of others. And they need us.  We need to develop relationships with other believers where we can put away the masks and be transparent. Where we know we are loved, because we are a family, we have the same Father.  We need to have people in our lives that can keep a confidence and who will pray for us and with us. And we need to be willing to be that person to others in the church as well. We bear one another’s burdens, we encourage one another, we build each other up. Because we love each other. That is the kind of community the Lord has designed us to be. By our love for one another, men will know that we are His disciples. As we fulfill our calling to be the church, He will be glorified. Think about how you can be more effective in fulfilling your part in His mission. AMEN.