1Corinthians 10

Lessons from Israel’s Idolatry

10I don't want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters

, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground.G1161G80G2309G3756G5209G50G3754G3956G2257G3962G2258G5259G3507G2532G3956G1330G1223G22812In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.G2532G907G3956G907G1519G3475G1722G3507G2532G1722G22813All of them ate the same spiritual food,G2532G5315G3956G5315G846G4152G10334and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.G2532G4095G3956G4095G846G4152G4188G1063G4095G1537G4152G4073G190G1161G4073G2258G55475Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.G235G1722G4119G846G2316G2106G3756G2106G1063G2693G1722G20486These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did,G1161G5023G1096G2257G5179G1519G2248G1511G3361G2556G1938G2531G2548G19377or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, "The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry."

G3366G1096G1496G2531G5100G846G5613G1125G2992G2523G5315G2532G4095G2532G450G38158And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.G3366G4203G2531G5100G846G4203G2532G4098G1722G3391G2250G5140G1501G55059Nor should we put Christ

to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites.G3366G1598G5547G2531G5100G846G2532G3985G2532G622G5259G378910And don't grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death.G3366G1111G2531G5100G846G2532G1111G2532G622G5259G364411These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.G1161G3956G5023G4819G1565G5179G1161G1125G4314G2257G3559G1519G3739G5056G165G265812If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.G5620G991G1380G2476G991G3361G409813The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.G2983G3756G3986G2983G5209G1508G442G1161G2316G4103G3739G1439G3756G1439G5209G3985G5228G3739G1410G235G4160G4862G3986G2532G4160G1545G5209G1410G529714So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.G1355G3450G27G5343G575G149515You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true.G3004G5613G5429G2919G5210G3739G534616When we bless the cup at the Lord's Table, aren't we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren't we sharing in the body of Christ?G4221G2129G3739G2127G2076G3780G2842G129G5547G740G3739G2806G2076G3780G2842G4983G554717And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.G3754G2070G4183G2070G1520G740G1520G4983G1063G3348G3956G3348G1537G1520G74018Think about the people of Israel. Weren't they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?G991G2474G2596G4561G1526G3780G1526G2068G2378G2844G237919What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods?G5101G5346G3767G3754G1497G2076G5100G2228G3754G1494G2076G510020No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don't want you to participate with demons.G235G3754G3739G1484G2380G2380G1140G2532G3756G2316G1161G2309G3756G5209G1096G2844G114021You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord's Table and at the table of demons, too.G3756G1410G4095G4221G2962G2532G4221G1140G3756G1410G3348G2962G5132G2532G5132G114022What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord's jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?G2228G3863G2962G3863G2070G3361G2478G84623You say, "I am allowed to do anything"

—but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is beneficial.G3956G1832G3427G235G3956G4851G3756G4851G3956G1832G3427G235G3956G3618G375624Don't be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.G2212G3367G2212G1438G235G1538G208725So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience.G3956G4453G1722G3111G2068G350G3367G350G1223G4893G122326For "the earth is the LORD's, and everything in it."

G1063G1093G2962G2532G4138G84627If someone who isn't a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.G1161G1536G571G2564G5209G2532G2309G4198G3956G3908G5213G2068G350G3367G350G1223G4893G122328(But suppose someone tells you, "This meat was offered to an idol." Don't eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you.G1161G1437G5100G2036G5213G5124G2076G1494G2068G3361G1223G1565G3377G2532G4893G1063G1093G2962G2532G4138G84629It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks?G4893G1161G3004G3780G1438G235G2087G1063G2444G2919G3450G1657G2919G5259G243G489330If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?G1161G1487G1473G5485G3348G5101G987G5228G3739G1473G216831So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.G1535G3767G2068G1535G4095G1535G5100G4160G4160G3956G1519G1391G231632Don't give offense to Jews or Gentiles

or the church of God.G1096G677G2532G2453G2532G1672G2532G1577G231633I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.G2531G2504G700G3956G3956G3361G2212G1683G4851G235G3588G4183G2443G4982