Real Christians are Resilient Christians (Part 1 of 2)
Continuing through the book of 1 Corinthians, the topic has now shifted into these 13 verses, specifically focusing on the fact that real Christians are resilient Christians. That's the goal of the Apostle Paul: to teach us that real Christians are resilient Christians.
Last time, we looked at the fact that real Christians are restrained Christians. The Apostle Paul taught that there is a lifestyle Christians should engage in, whereby they are concerned about how their actions impact other brothers and sisters in Christ. He addressed situations where you have two choices: engage in things that are in themselves not sinful—such as drinking an alcoholic beverage (if you're over 21, as the Bible teaches submission to the law)—or, given the presence of a brother or sister in Christ who may be genuinely offended, prefer their conscience and refrain.
If you engage in that activity despite their genuine concern, it becomes sinful because it troubles their conscience. You might teach them to ignore their conscience in a non-sinful matter, leading them to do the same in sinful ones. The goal for mature Christians like Paul is to lovingly help brothers and sisters grow so that non-sinful things no longer bother their conscience. Until then, we restrain ourselves for their sake.
Paul brought Jews, Gentiles, those under the law, and those outside it into his context. He became "as one under the law" to those under it (though not himself under it) and "as without law" to those without it, to win them to the gospel without unnecessary offense. He avoided hindering opportunities to preach the gospel by focusing on tertiary issues. Preach the gospel first—don't argue politics or preferences that won't save anyone.
You can critique pagan rituals, but without the gospel, they won't understand why. Paul met people where they were without compromising beliefs, as in Acts 17 at the Areopagus. He engaged Greek philosophers on their terms, using their "unknown god" statue to proclaim Christ, dismantling their worldview while preaching the resurrection.
Everything he did served to minister the gospel, confront sin, and reach hearts prepared like soil for seed. Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven; there's nothing wrong with warning of judgment, but do it rightly, plowing the ground first.
Paul discussed restraining and disciplining oneself. Now he teaches that real Christians are resilient—they endure. Demanding rights at the expense of others' consciences borders on idolatry. He warns specifically against sinful activity, giving one of the most famous passages on temptation:
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
If this verse doesn't come to mind in temptation, you may be disobedient or ill-equipped. Apply its truths to endure.
The Experience of the Non-Resilient
Before these promises, Paul shows the experience of the non-resilient as an example (verses 1-4):
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)
This draws us to the Exodus: Israelites freed from Egyptian slavery, headed to the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. God promised to rule, protect, dwell among, and provide for them as His special people. They were all under the cloud, passed through the sea, baptized into Moses, ate spiritual food (manna), and drank from the spiritual Rock—Christ Himself.
They experienced legitimate Old Testament "church"—the ecclesia of Israel. Everybody shared this fantastic experience.
God's Displeasure
Yet verse 5: Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
The Exodus ministry became a graveyard for most. Why? They tested God despite His provision (Hebrews 3:19): So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. They questioned if God was with them, for them, despite miracles dismantling Egypt's gods, pillars of cloud and fire, and deliverance.
Even with direct revelation, they didn't believe—like atheists today despite creation's witness (Romans 1). Their experience matched Hebrews 6's description of tasting heavenly gifts yet falling away, proving no true salvation.
Examples of Non-Resilience
People can experience church benevolence—gospel preaching, counseling, aid—yet their behavior doesn't match. Their profession and actions diverge:
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. (1 Corinthians 10:6-10)
These Exodus events warn us: idolatry (Exodus 32), sexual immorality (Numbers 25, 23,000 dead), testing Christ (Numbers 21, serpents), grumbling (destroyed by the Destroyer). Judgment came because they desired evil inwardly, despite outward appearances of being God's people—circumcised, delivered from Egypt.
The Old Testament honestly records sins, not condoning them but exemplifying human fallenness and need for Christ's righteousness (Isaiah 64:6 "filthy rags"). Hebrews 11 highlights faith amid flaws. The difference? Inward trust in God, not desiring evil.
All sin is idolatry at root. God judges inward desires, not just outward acts. These things were written for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come.
