1 Corinthians 10

Verses 1-11

• Verses 1-4. Although in a different form, the Israelites of the Old Testament had Christ in their lives also. They even had the same gospel preached to them, though in different words (Hebrews 4:2). 

• Verses 5-11. But they disobeyed, complained, played around with sin...so God judged them. And God judged them to make of them an example that we must consider.

  • “Let us be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11). 

Verses 12-13

• For this reason, we need to be careful. We too could fall away because of disobedience. 

  • If you think you're doing well, remember that that means you could fall. Don't get prideful! Anyone can be vulnerable to sin.

• And remember that no temptation you face is too much for you to resist, as God won't let the devil tempt you with something that's beyond your ability to endure and overcome. 

  • Therefore, do not, in pride, shirk responsibility for your failures. Endure temptation, resist sin, and stay obedient to God. 

    • We have no excuses for our disobedience because God makes sure that we don't deal with more than we can handle. He is faithful in doing His part to protect us!

    • This also means that no trial of hardship we undergo is too much for us to handle, in our current level of faith. If you're going through something hard, understand that God knows it will strengthen you if you choose to endure. 

Verses 14-22

• Now Paul continues his teaching that began in 1 Corinthians 8. He had given the believers permission to buy meat from the temple meat-market as he does in this chapter also (verse 25). Now he is speaking about believers sitting at the tables of idol-worshippers, which referred to ancient “restaurants” inside pagan temples. He has a different teaching for this.

• They must still be careful to avoid idolatry. How so?

  • As if Paul were writing to us, he's saying, “As believers who eat and drink in fellowship and in remembrance of Christ's body and blood, our food and drink represent Christ, and thus our fellowship is fellowship with Christ! So, in the same way, if we were to go into a pagan temple to sit down in fellowship with pagan worshippers and eat their food, which is dedicated to their idols, we would be in fellowship with demons! This disgraces Christ and displeases Him! Don't do this!”

    • Note that there are demons behind pagan idols and worship. These so-called “gods” are really just demons (verse 20).

Verses 23-24

• He reminds us of what our focus should be. Don't do something just because you can, nor do anything merely for yourself. Do what will actually be helpful for bringing yourself and others closer to Christ.

Verses 25-30

• That being said, he sums it all up. He's saying three things:

  • 1. You can buy meat from any market, take it home, and eat it. The meat itself isn't an issue because God made the cow it came from (verses 25-26).

  • 2. The issue is the environment of pagan temples. Do not willingly sit down in a temple-restaurant with idol-worshippers, or you will be in fellowship with demons!

  • 3. However, if an unbeliever invites you into their own home for dinner, eat whatever they feed you. Only refuse if they tell you that their food was dedicated to idols. Why?

    • What you know changes what you should do. If an unbeliever tells you that their meat is dedicated to idols, and you accept, in watching you eat it the unbeliever will think that you approve of their idolatry or false religion. That's bad. Consider their conscience—what they will think about your actions—and decide accordingly.

Verses 31-33 – See with Romans 14:14-21

• Do everything to win the lost and bring glory to God, and don't cause anyone else to sin. What does this all look like, practically, today?

  • Here are practices that glorify God and prevent others from stumbling:

  • First, keep a clear conscience in everything you do! Don't be in a state where you're doubting or questioning the integrity of your actions. 

  • And in your relationship to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 10:14-33):

    • 1. Don't participate in the sins of unbelievers, doing with them what they do in their fellowship.

    • 2. Don't do/say what will make unbelievers think that you approve of their sinful actions.

  • In your relationship to believers (1 Corinthians 8:7-13):

    • 1. Don't do anything that would be wrong for another believer in your fellowship to do.