Gold for the heart - 1 Corinthians 10-13

1 Corinthians 10

Christ, the rock, is the food and drink of our spirits

1 Moreover, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And ate the same spiritual food; 4 And all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that went with them: and that Rock was Christ.

In Exodus 13:21, 22, 14:15-22 God shaded them with the cloud surrounding His glory and He led them through the sea on dry land.

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me will never hunger; and he that believes on me will never thirst.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples so that we not lust after evil things as they lusted. 7 Neither be idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed, and 23,000 fell in one day. 9 And let us not tempt Christ, as some of them tempted, and were destroyed by serpents. 10 Nor murmur as some of them murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them for examples: and are written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the world have come.

Exodus 32:4-19 tells of the golden calf the Israelites made while Moses was on Mount Sinai getting the Ten Commandments from God.
Numbers 25:1-9 tells of the Moabites sending women into the camp to seduce the man if Israel and lead them to their false god.
And in Numbers 16:3 the people revolted against the authority that God had established.
Admonition is a mild but earnest rebuke.
God allowed these things to happen to them for examples and wrote them for our admonition.

God is faithful

He does not allow us to be tested beyond what we are able

He provides a ways of escape

12 Therefore let him that thinks he stands watch out that he not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

If we have believed that Jesus is that Son of God whom God sent to die for our sins, then we have taken that truth into our souls.
That makes us partakers of Christ…the bread of life. John 6:35.

18 Look at Israel according the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What do I say then? That the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? 20 But I say, that the things that the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I do not want you to have fellowship with devils. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Every religion of the world is false except Christianity.
Devils supply the power and doctrine of false religions. These are the evil ones following Satan that have led man away from God since the serpent in Eden.

Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord

23 All things are lawful for me, but all things do not profit: all things are lawful for me, but all things do not build up. 24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. 25 Whatever is sold in the market, eat it asking no question for conscience sake: 26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness 27 If any of them that do not believe bid you to a feast, and you are disposed to go; eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience sake. 28 But if any man says to you, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, do not eat for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness. 29 I mean not your own conscience, but the others: but why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 For if I by grace am a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that which I give thanks? 31 So whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance.

1 Corinthians 11

Christ is the head

1 Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ 2 Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head: for that is like she is shaved. 6 For if the woman is not covered, let her be shaved: but if it is a shame for a woman to be shaved, let her be covered.

Prophesying is speaking the Word of God (Amos 4:8).
When God wrote this through Paul, God’s word was not complete. People filled with the Holy Spirit could speak and it would be words from God.
Verse 15 says that the woman’s hair is her covering.
God always explains Himself clearly.

7 For a man should not cover his head since as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause the woman should have power/authority on her head because of the angels.

Genesis 2:18-25 records God’s creation of woman for man.
Genesis 6 explains that the ‘bene ha Elohim’ Sons of God (this phrase is only used of angels), saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and took wives of all whom they chose.
Jude 1:6 says they left their first estate. So angels find human women attractive and therefore human women should have their long hair covering them when they are in church praying.
The covering is a sign that they are under the authority of their husbands.
How long should the hair be? The word used for covering is katakalupto which means down over the head. The lowest part of the head is the chin; so man’s hair needs to be above the chin and not down covering the eyes and woman’s hair needs to be at least below the chin.
Also notice that a woman's hair is said to be her glory, verse 15.

All things are from God

11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, so the man is also by the woman; but all things are of God.

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

13 Judge in yourselves: is it appropriate for a woman pray to God uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering/veil. 16 But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

This is God’s standard but it is not the primary focus.
Salvation and loving God with all our hearts is first and most important.
This rule is not to become a deterrent to those who resist this truth.
Also remember, Absalom died when his long hair got caught in a tree (2 Samuel 18).

17 But in giving this instruction I do not praise you because you come together not for better but for worse. 18 First of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be heresies among you so that those that are approved may be shown among you.

God allows heresies to test us.
God is displaying to all the universe those who obey Him and those who do it their own way.

Jesus is to be most highly honored; His body was broken for us

He is coming back to rule forever

20 When you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper first: one is hungry, and another is drunk. 22 What? Do you not have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise the church of God, and shame those that have not? What can I say to you? Do I praise you in this? I do not praise you. 23 For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night that he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat: this is my body which is broken for you: do this in remembrance of me. 25 And in the same way he took the cup after supper saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show the Lord’s death until He comes.

John 14:1 Do not let your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread and drinks this cup of the Lord, unworthily, will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we not be condemned with the world. 33 So my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 And if any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that you not come together to judgment. And I will set in order the rest when I come.

Just as Paul would set things in order when he arrived, Jesus Christ will set things in order on earth when He comes again.
Revelation 3:19 says He rebukes from His love.

1 Corinthians 12

God works all things together by His Spirit to profit

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you ignorant. 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols as you were led. 3 Therefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are differences of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are differences of workings, but it is the same God who works all in all.

Philippians 2:13 … it is God that works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.

7 But to each one is given the showing of the Spirit to profit. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these, distributing to each as he desires. 12 For as the body is one but has many parts, and all the parts of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

His Spirit has baptized us into the body of Christ

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are slaves or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one part, but many. 15 If the foot says, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it not of the body? 16 And if the ear says, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it not of the body? 17 If the whole body was an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole was hearing, where would be the smelling?

1Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and parts in particular.

He puts the body together as it pleases Him

He gives more abundant honor to parts that lack

18 But God has set every one of the parts in the body as it pleased him. 19 And if they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But now they are many parts but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, I do not need you: nor can the head say to the feet, I do not need you. 22 But much more those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary: 23 And those parts of the body that we think less honorable, on these we put more abundant honor; and our unpresentable part has more propriety. 24 For our attractive parts have no need: but God has composed the body giving more abundant honor to the part that lacked: 25 So that there would be no division in the body; but that the parts would have the same care for one another.26 If one part suffers all the parts suffer with it; or one part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and parts/members in particular. 28 And God has set some in the church, first apostles, second prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly covet the best gifts: but I show I you a more excellent way.

Psalm 115:3 … our God is in the heavens: he has done whatever he pleased.

1 Corinthians 13

God defines love for us

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I become as shrieking brass or a clanking cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

1 Corinthians chapter 12 ends with the statement, “I show you a better way.”
The chapter breaks were not in the original writings. They were placed in the text later for our convenience.
The word ‘love’ means the deepest kind of love.
Love is the greatest need of the human heart.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not brag, it is not arrogant, 5 does not behave unbecomingly, does not seek her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

God demonstrated love perfectly and eternally.
He has suffered long with us and been kind to us.
He does not envy.
He does not boast and is not arrogant.
He has not behaved unbecomingly or sought what was best for Himself but rather He has sought what was best for us at the price of His life.

Hebrews 12:2 …endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

8 Love never fails: but if there are prophecies, they will be abolished; if there are tongues, they will stop; if there is knowledge, it will be abolished. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect comes, then that which is in part will be stopped.

That which is perfect is explained in verse 12, ‘face to face.’
When we see the Lord face to face we will see clearly what the Word of God has told us.
At that time these other things will not be needed.
“Not the perfect thing, nor that which is perfect, but He who is perfect.” (Charles Ryrie)
Therefore this speaks of Jesus Christ being with us in bodily presence.

We will see Jesus face to face forever

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly/in a riddle; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then I will know even as I am known. 13 but now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1John 4:8 He that does not love does not know God; for God is love.

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SUMMARY: 1 Corinthians 10-13

Christ, the rock, is the food and drink of our spirits
God is faithful
He does not allow us to be tested beyond what we are able
He provides a ways of escape
The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord
Christ is the head
All things are from God
Jesus is to be most highly honored; His body was broken for us
He is coming back to rule forever
God works all things together by His Spirit to profit
His Spirit has baptized us into the body of Christ
He puts the body together as it pleases Him
He gives more abundant honor to parts that lack
God defines love for us
We will see Jesus face to face forever