As Examples for Us

[Sue J Love]

“Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.’ We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10:6-11 ESV)

Moses was used of God to deliver the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and to lead them in the ways of holiness and obedience to God. But they ended up wandering in the wilderness for 40 years before the Lord took a remnant of them into the land he had promised. And why only a remnant? Because the majority of them rebelled against the Lord, and against Moses, and they would not obey God, but they engaged in idolatry, revelry, sexual immorality, and in putting Christ to the test, and in grumbling against God and Moses.

But this isn’t just about them and what they did. This isn’t just a history lesson. These things took place as examples to us, that we might not desire evil as they did. These things happened to them as an example to us, but they were written down for our instruction. Why? So we would not repeat the same mistakes that they made and end up with the same results. For those who rebelled against God and who continued in their sins, and did not obey God, did not enter into God’s eternal rest (into life eternal with God).

So, what is the lesson here for us? We cannot just give lip service to God. We cannot just make a profession of faith in him once in our lives and now all our sins are forgiven and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, regardless of how we live. It doesn’t work that way, even though that is what is predominantly being taught here in America as “the gospel.” So many people are being taught to just “pray a prayer to receive Christ,” and then they are being promised heaven, and that it can’t be taken from them.

But that is not what the NT Scriptures teach, as a whole, and in their correct biblical context. What they teach, as a whole, is that we must die with Christ to sin and be raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. They teach that we are to deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and that we are to follow (obey) our Lord in daily practice. For if sin is our practice, and not obedience, we will not inherit the kingdom of God.

So, a profession of faith in Jesus is not going to assure us forgiveness of all sin, and salvation from the punishment of sin, and eternal life with God in heaven, if that profession of faith is not followed up with us dying with Christ to sin daily, by the Spirit, and us walking in obedience to our Lord and to his NC commands, in daily practice, in the power of God. Thus, we cannot ignore God’s NC commands, and continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and be delivered from sin and be promised eternal life with God guaranteed.

For, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV)

And Jesus said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26 ESV)

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14; cf. Ephesians 2:10)

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

Abbreviations: [NC=New Covenant; OC=Old Covenant; NT=New Testament; OT=Old Testament]

Should I Not Preach Jesus

An Original Work / July 4, 2013
Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13

Woe to me should I not preach Jesus.
I’m compelled to preach the full gospel.
I make myself a slave to ev’ryone
To win their hearts to Christ.
All this I do for my Lord Jesus,
And for the sake of His Name;
Do it for the sake of His gospel,
So that I, its blessings gain.

Scripture notates the sins of others;
Written down for us as examples
To keep us from setting our hearts
On evil as did those of old.
Do not worship other gods of man;
Do not give your hearts to them;
Not partake in immorality.
Do not test your Lord and King.

So, be careful if you think you are
Standing firm in your faith in Jesus.
God has given his word to warn us,
So through faith we will not fall.
No temptation has o’ertaken you
Except what is commonplace.
God is faithful to not let you be
Tempted past what you can bear.
He gives the way of escape.