Some "Do Nots" (1 Corinthians 10:6-10)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:6-10

In these verses, Paul gives us several “Do nots.”

Do not be idolaters. Some of us think of idolatry as worshipping an image of some other god, and yes this is true. But idolatry is more than that. We Christians can be idolaters. If we put anything—things, hobbies, work, relationships—ahead of God, then they become idols in our lives. I quoted Susanna Wesley a while ago when I wrote about sin, but I think her words speak to this idea of idolatry as well:

Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.

We need to make absolutely certain God is number one priority in our lives.

Do not act immorally. When we do anything that goes against God’s moral code, we sin. We are to keep ourselves pure and abstain from sin of any kind: sexual, spiritual, mental, emotional. We should strive to dwell on those things that are good and lovely and edifying (see Philippians 4:8). We should, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (NKJV, 1 Timothy 2:22).

Do not try the Lord. While many of us go to the story of Gideon and his testing of God with the fleeces, we need to trust God and His plan. We need to focus on Him and spend time in His word and in prayer. We need to love Him fully—heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Do not grumble. Of all these “do nots,” this may be the hardest for some of us! We tend to be a discontented lot. We have been blessed so much, yet we want more. God promises to supply our needs—not our wants—and, for many of us, He has done so abundantly. God miraculously brought the Israelites out of slavery, and provided food and water, and yet they grumbled. God provided for their needs. yet they complained time and time again (see Exodus 15:24; 16:2; 17:3). Our needs have also been provided for, and yet, we, like the Israelites, we grumble and complain. We must not to do so.

God, and our relationships with Him, must be our first priority. We must live to please Him by not living immorally or testing Him or grumbling.

Because one day, we’ll stand before Him. I don’t know about you, but I long to hear, "You are a good and faithful servant … Come and share in my happiness!" (CEV, Matthew 25:23).