1 Corinthians 10:1-11 NKJV

1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

For Our Instruction

A lot of people have this idea that they can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all their sins are forgiven, and heaven is guaranteed them for when they die, or for when Jesus returns for his faithful bride – end of the story. But that is not what the Scriptures teach us, which we will learn if we study them in their correct biblical context. And God gave us this example of what happened to so many of his people in the wilderness as examples to us so that we won’t do as they did, with the same results.

With most of them God was not well pleased, and as a result their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Why? Because the majority of them lusted after (craved, desired) evil things. Some of them became idolaters, revelers, and drunkards. Others were those who made a practice of sexual immorality. Some put Christ to the test, to try his patience, to see how much he would endure of their wickedness. And others complained against the Lord and his messenger Moses. All of them died and did not enter God’s eternal rest.

And all of these things took place as examples to us, and they were written down for our instruction to keep us from craving evil things as they did, so that we will not suffer the same consequences of eternal separation from God (see also Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13). For, according to the Scriptures, faith in Jesus Christ must result in us dying to sin and obeying our Lord’s commands. And disobedience to God, in practice, is regarded by God as unbelief, regardless of what faith we profess with our lips.

So Many are Ignoring This

Why are so many professing Christians today ignoring this and feeling like this does not apply to them? Well, for one, we live in a day and age when lies and liars abound pretty much everywhere you look. They are preachers and teachers of the Scriptures. And they are heads of governments of nations. And they are the news media and social media and AI videos which are made to look real, but they are not real. So much is being faked, and so many people are following after the lies while they are ignoring the truth.

Why? Because the lies make them feel good. The lies tell them they are okay, and that God does not judge them, and that heaven is secured them regardless of the fact that so many of them are living just like the majority of the Israelites did who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. The lies tell them that a profession of faith in Jesus means that they are now “in Christ” and so their “identity” is in Christ, and so his grace covers all their sins, and so their sins no longer matter to God. But that is a big fat lie!

Does God’s grace promise us forgiveness of all sins? Yes, if we deny self, die to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands, as a matter of life practice, although not necessarily in absolute perfection. But God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await our Lord’s return (see Titus 2:11-14). So, if we disobey God, and if we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, in practice, we don’t know God.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NKJV

“12Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

So Many Excuses

I have heard so many excuses from people living in sexual idolatry and adultery and immorality for why they cannot get victory over their deliberate and habitual sin. But there is no excuse! Pride is standing in the way of many of them gaining victory over sin, for they get over confident, thinking either that they can conquer this all on their own, and/or that they have already defeated it, and so it is no longer an issue. Or pride keeps them from admitting that they continue to fail, and so they try to cover it up.

And since they take a “my do it” approach to conquering their addiction to sin, and so they get over confident, then they go right back to the same old routines. They fall right back into the same old traps. And they keep returning to their vomit. And then sometimes they will make up excuses for why they cannot get victory over their sin. Or they will take the broad road approach that tells them that since they “prayed the prayer” that their sins no longer matter to God, and so heaven is still their eternal destiny.

But the Scriptures teach us that God has made the way through Jesus’ death on that cross, and through his resurrection from the dead, that we can be delivered out of our slavery (addiction) to sin if we will just surrender our lives to the Lord Jesus, die with him to sin, and now follow him in obedience to his commands – all in his power and strength, and not in our own strength. A “my do it” approach will not work. For that is the flesh trying to conquer flesh. We have to let go and let God, and do what he says to do.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

A People Divided

An Original Work / July 4, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant / Sue J Love

Flick’ring torches; hatred; violence;
Crashing windows; guns of men;
We are a people divided
By our love of pow’r and fame.

Idols marching; they’re in chorus;
Their goal to destroy the church,
Tempting us to follow them in
Pure devotion; them we search.

Leave your idols. Follow your God.
Make Him your Lord God and King.
Be a living witness for Him,
And your off’rings to Him bring.

Repent of your sins and worship Him.
A living sacrifice,
Put your all upon His altar.
Leave your old life way behind.

Flick’ring torches; hatred; violence;
Crashing windows; guns of men;
We are a people divided
By our love of pow’r and fame.

If You Think You’re Standing
An Original Work / June 12, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love