I found out there were consequences for my actions when I was about 5-years old. Dad was always building things around our house, and one day he took me to the neighborhood lumberyard to get some supplies.
In those days, nails were in open bins (a little like the bulk bins at the grocery store); you grabbed a bag and filled it with the nails you needed and were charged by how much they weighed.
Being a little guy, I noticed there were a few nails on the floor. In my 5-year-old mind, these nails had been discarded and were “finders’ keepers.” So, I grabbed a few and stuffed them into my pocket.
All was well in my world until dad found my nail treasure. After intense interrogation, I cracked. I admitted that I had found the nails on the floor of the lumber yard. Dad then explained to me (and my backside) the concept of stealing.
Worse than the spanking, I then had to accompany dad back to the lumber yard where I returned the nails to the owner, admitted my crime, and apologized.
At 5-years old I learned a valuable lesson; there are consequences to living any way you want!
It turns out that the Corinthians also needed to learn the lesson that there are consequences to living any way you want.
Lessons from Israel’s Bad Example
Paul confronted the Corinthians who were not living as they should. The Corinthians were living an undisciplined, unrestrained life that Paul feared would lead to them losing God’s blessing.
To explain the error of their ways, Paul reminded them of what happened to the Israelites when they tried to live the way they wanted (1 Corinthians 10:1-13).
During the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites failed to live as they should in five important ways that culminated in judgment from God.
1) Worldliness
The Israelites craved the evil things of Egypt (v. 6, Numbers 11:4-34). Despite being rescued from slavery, cared for, and fed by God, they longed for things of the world, not the things of God. As punishment, God struck them with a severe plague.
2) Idolatry
The Israelites made golden calves and worshipped them (v. 7, Exodus 32:1-35). As punishment, God ordered the Levites to kill all those who had worshipped the golden calves and then struck the Israelites with a severe plague.
3) Immorality
The Israelites committed sexual sins while participating in pagan rituals (v. 8, Numbers 25:1-9). As punishment, those who participated in worshipping foreign gods were killed, and a severe plague struck the Israelites.
4) Presumption
The Israelites questioned God’s plan, complaining to Moses about the food God was providing (v. 9, Numbers 21:4-9). As punishment, God sent venomous snakes into the camp, killing many Israelites.
5) Rebellion
The Israelites rebelled against Moses and Aaron, the leaders that God had appointed. In doing so, they were also rebelling against God (v. 10, Numbers 16:41-49). As punishment, God struck them with a severe plague.
In each of these five examples, the Corinthians were doing something similar to what the Israelites had done. The Corinthians needed to realize that there would be consequences for their disobedience to God. If God judged the disobedience of His chosen people, the Israelites, He would certainly also judge the Corinthians.
Is Paul’s Warning Relevant to Us?
Paul’s warning to the Corinthians was designed to show them that there were consequences for their actions. Put simply; they could not live any way they wanted with impunity.
It was true for the Israelites. It was true for the Corinthians. However, is Paul’s warning of God’s judgment relevant to us?
Well, ask yourself:
- Does worldliness still tempt us? Do you know people who crave the things of the world over the things of God?
- Do people still have idols? Anything you care about more than God has the potential to be an idol in your life. Do you know people who idolize their cars, their houses, or their bank accounts?
- Do people still engage in immoral acts? Do you know anyone who has committed some form of an immoral act?
- Do people presume to know better than God? Do you know anyone who has rejected God’s path and plan for their lives?
- Do people still reject the message of God? Do you know anyone who has heard the message of God and rejected His way?
Assuming you said “yes” to one or more of these (worldliness, idolatry, immorality, presumption, or rebellion), then Paul’s admonition is certainly still relevant to us today.
There are consequences to living any way you want! In our world, sometimes the consequences are immediate, like in the case of my lumberyard adventure!
Either way, everyone will face a day of judgment as we stand before God. For those who have accepted Christ as our personal savior, our salvation is secure. How shall we, as believers, live then? We should live like the eternal blessing of God depends on it, because it does. Just ask the Corinthians!
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Are there times in your life when you lived any way you wanted and suffered some consequences because of it? What happened?
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Category: Personal Development | Self Discipline
