Covenant Privileges and Warnings (1 Cor. 10:1-12)

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This is clearly written to those inside the church, not those outside.

  1. Christ’s covenant people enjoy spiritual privileges.
    • 10:1-4. Usually the New Testament presents the Church in terms of Israel e.g. 1 Peter 2:5. But here Israel is presented in terms of the Church. Note that ‘all’ is there five times.
    • Christ leads His people in the Old Testament – see 10:4, 9; Heb.11:26; Josh.5:13-6:2.
  2. Christ’s covenant people can fall into terrible sin.
    • 10:5-10.
      1. they desired evil things – 10:6; Num.11:4-6.
      2. they became idolaters – 10:7; Exodus 32.
      3. they fell into sexual immorality – 10:7-8; Numbers 25
      4. they tempted Christ by grumbling against Him – 10:9-10.
  3. Christ’s covenant people are warned.
    • 10:6, 11. We live in the last days of revelation, between the first coming of the Messiah and the second coming. The Corinthians seem to have been a proud lot – 4:6-7; 5:2; 8:1; Prov.16:18-19; Luke 22:33-34.
    • the Israelites in the desert and the Corinthians by the sea both went wrong because they complacently rested upon the spiritual privileges they had been given, instead of walking humbly with Christ. Let us not be guilty of the same error – Heb.3:12-13.