1Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3and all ate the same spiritual food; 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8Let’s not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. 9Let’s not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. 10Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer. 11Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.
13No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say. 16The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ? 17Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread. 18Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
19What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I don’t desire that you would have fellowship with demons. 21You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. 22Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
23“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up. 24Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good. 25Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat, asking no question for the sake of conscience, 26for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.” 27But if one of those who don’t believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience. 28But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, with all its fullness.” 29Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for something I give thanks for?
31Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; 33even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.
11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
This is some of the most practical knowledge coupled with the most helpful wisdom found in the entire Bible. Paul tells us that everything we read about what happened to Israel in the Old Testament is also helpful to us. It can serve a great purpose in our lives. It was written for our admonishment. That is not a word that many of us use in our everyday vocabulary, but it is a crucial term. A warning is a more common word. It is a more severe precaution, advising the listener about the dire consequences that may result from a particular activity. Admonishment carries a gentler connotation. It conveys a sense of sound advice, holding wisdom and counsel with it. It contains personal directives aimed at changing one’s behavior for the better. It encourages the listener to correct their course, and it does so in a caring and loving way, steering them back onto a better path. We can learn a great deal from ancient Israel.
I’m especially fond of thinking about the forty years that Israel spent in the desert. We read that they quickly grew tired of the manna provision along the way. What we never read is that God intended for them to eat manna only for fourteen days, the time necessary to cross the desert into the promised land. So what happened? Fear happened. They were tempted to abandon faith in the God who had just delivered them through the Red Sea. Can you imagine having experienced the victory of escaping from Pharaoh, only to be consumed by fear and doubt of what waited ahead in the Promised Land? There is a year of teaching in these chapters alone. They were tempted, and they gave in to the temptation, much to their detriment.
Paul addresses temptation, and we might want to add the word “trials” to that. In the Greek language, these concepts are pretty similar. The positive sense ("test") and negative sense ("temptation") are functions of the context (not merely the words themselves). What verse 13 is telling us is that whatever test or whatever trial you might be encountering, it is not something new. It has been experienced by others before. It’s “common to mankind”. But the beautiful thing is that God promises not to test you beyond your abilities to handle it. I have a painting that I bought in Ireland that says, “If God brought you to it, God will bring you through it". That, my friend, is what this passage is promising to each and every believer. This is not something promised for the person who is passive. It requires active participation on your part to resist that seemingly irresistible temptation. Use God’s resources of Spiritual Warfare. Be humble. Pray. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Dive into scripture. Maintain good, healthy fellowship with other believers. God will indeed provide a way out but you must do your part in choosing to take that way out. Do it today. He will hold your hand and empower you as you walk through that door.