Slippery When Wet

 

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Christians in Corinth speaks of the slippery situations that can lead to our spiritual crashes. Please turn to the Epistle lesson in the bulletin on page 4 verse 12.   “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”The context reveals the meaning and understanding of these words: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”  

 

Paul mentions the blessings the Corinthians had through the preaching of the gospel. Most of the Corinthians were Gentiles who did not know of God’s promises before the Apostle Paul came to Corinth. Paul brought the message of Jesus Christ to them. They had been baptized. They had heard and believed the message that Jesus was the Christ. They had believed that Jesus was the one who had rescued them from eternal death to enjoy the daily blessings of knowing God’s love and forgiveness. The Apostle Paul had spent 18 months sharing those powerful spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Yet, he tells them plainly in chapter 10 verse 12 “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”

 

In the first verses of our Epistle lesson you will see that the Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians of their spiritual forefathers. Even though the Corinthians were not Jews he refers to their spiritual forefathers in the Old Testament. Paul underlines the spiritual blessings of God’s power and presence that the nation of Israel experienced when they left Egypt. The Lord God led them by day with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire by night. He took them through the Red Sea on dry land while Pharaoh and his powerful men chased them with their chariots. Paul reminds the Corinthians in the first verses of our Epistle lesson: “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. ² They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. The Apostle Paul writing under inspiration of the Holy Spirit does not just say that God miraculously took care of them but that they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them and that rock was Christ.

 

Verses five to ten of our Epistle lesson mention one slippery sinful fall after another for many of the Israelites who wandered in the desert. They experienced God’s powerful love and protection yet they fell into sin. “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. ⁶ Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. ⁷ Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.’ It is significant that the Israelites committed the same kinds of sins the Corinthians were guilty of. “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” The element of desire is the supreme thing in human life. It is always the beginning of defection. ⁸ We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died” “The second warning example is recorded in Numbers chapter 25. Paul cites the shameful orgy in the desert when the men of Israel had sex with the Moabite women, who had invited them to the sacrifices of their gods. “We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.”  ⁹We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.Paul calls to mind another delinquency: “We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.” In their impatience the Israelites challenged God and Moses and put God’s patience, power, and faithfulness to the test (Numbers 21).¹⁰ And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.” The last example cites the grumbling and complaining of God’s people about Moses’ leadership and God’s dealings with them (Numbers 14 and 16): “And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.” Constant murmuring against God and his representatives is evidence of unbelief and rebellion, which God punishes severely.

 

Are there any spiritual slippery roads that you have been walking on lately? Watch the signs that God has posted in his Word. Examine your speech for  how many times you moan or groan or complain in a day. The Lord sent snakes among the Israelites when they complained about the Lord’s provisions. Are there slippery spiritual roads you have been walking on lately? Are you continuing to let your eyes focus on sites on the internet that cause you to sin with lustful desires for the same sex or opposite sex? Are you faithful to your spouse in thought, word and action? Are you faithfully waiting for marriage before you enjoy God’s blessing of six in marriage? Paul loved the people he served. He told them that he had to actively deal with his own sinful words and actions in the verses before our text lest he after preaching fall from trusting in God. The same is true for me. The roads of life are slippery yet all these temptations are common to us all.

 

There is hope and comfort for you and me. Look carefully at God’s Word in verse 13. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.”The solid ground we need to walk on is Christ, the rock. He was tempted in every way without sin. He became our brother. That is why the message during this Lenten season is so rewarding. The main message of this Lenten season is what Christ the rock did for us to cover every time we fell into sin. God is faithful he will not forsake us.

 

In these 13 verses we have the word temptation and test used several times. These two words are the same word in the original language. Testing in the hands of the devil is a temptation to cause us to fall from faith and never serve or love God again. The same word test is not a temptation to sin for God tempts no one to sin. James declares: “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.“  God is the not the source of evil or temptation. God is faithful. God does tempt us to evil. He provides the way to rely on Him. Focus on God’s perfect sacrifice for us in his substitution. He did so actively in obeying all God’s commands for us. He did so by suffering and dying for us. God gives you strength through his Word to make you strong in a knowledge of his love in his Son so that you might boldly fight the temptations and resist them and with God’s help continue to stand on the rock solid ground of trust in God alone.

 

The Apostle Paul’s words are a call to action. He is deadly serious when he says.   “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” God will give a way out to endure the various tests in your life. Every time he is going to be directing you to completed salvation in Christ your eternal hope. It is there you find the rock solid ground in Christ alone your Savior. It is there you find your Father who gave you life and spiritual life through the work of the Holy Spirit. Listen to Paul’s call to action. Don’t walk or drive on the slippery roads that lead to lead to spiritual death but gladly worship your God. Rely on Jesus personal love for you. Put to memory those treasures and use them when Satan and his allies attack. For the Lord’s spokesman wrote the truth: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful.