2018.10.04 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1Corinthians 9:27–10:13

Read 1Corinthians 9:27–10:13

Questions for Littles: What possibility had Paul suggested in 9:27, if he wasn’t willing to deny himself for the sake of others? What privilege had their fathers had in 10:1? What privilege in v2? What privilege in v3? What privilege in v4? Who was the Rock? But what happened to them (v5)? What had they lived for (v7)? What had they done (v8)? Against whose patience had they sinned (v9)? What else had they done (v10)? Why had all these things happened (v6, 11)? Who should take heed lest he falls (v12)? Who makes an escape for us (v13)?

In this week’s Epistle reading, we’re confronted with how terrible it is when someone who claims to be a believer does not live a life of self-denial.

Chapters 8-9 made the point that living to please ourselves fails to love others. But now chapter 10 is making a much more serious point. If we live to indulge ourselves, it is a direct attack upon God.

Even if we are church members, who have been baptized and take the supper (v1-4), living self-indulgently makes us idolaters. If when we sit down, it is to please ourselves with food and drink, and when we rise up, it is to please ourselves with play, then we are idolaters of the worst kind: idolizing ourselves.

If we indulge our appetites (v8), put Christ to the test (v9), and complain when we cannot have whatever we want (v10), then we are failing to learn from Israel’s example.

Would we love others well? Would we honor Christ with not just our lips but our hearts and lives also? Then we must deny ourselves! The “way out” of which v13 speaks is a way out of living in order to please ourselves.

Amazingly, v13 is its own answer! How does the Lord lead us away from living to please ourselves? By this very passage, 1Cor 10:1-13… or, even better, all of chapters 8-10.

The Holy Spirit takes His Word and presses it into our hearts. And that Word says, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls!”

How have you been denying yourself in order to live for the Lord?

Suggested songs: ARP189 “Universal Praise” or TPH538 “Take My Life, and Let It Be”