Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10: 13, 21

The only temptation that has come to you is that which everyone has. But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it. (13) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons also. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. (21)

Scripture Commentary:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle.

When you are tempted, God will provide a way out if you call on Him.

Paul tells us there is a battle going on with the flesh and the spirit. He is not referring to our physical flesh. He is referring to our spiritual soul.

The nature-self wants to do what feels good and easy. God’s Holy Spirit in us wants us to glorify Him, not ourselves. These two spirits are constantly against one another as long as we live.

Paul tells us that the flesh (Satan) desires what is contrary to the Holy Spirit (God). The Holy Spirit is contrary to the flesh.

The Holy Spirit inside each of us says, “Live for God.” The flesh says, “Live for yourself.” In order to live for God we must submit to Him daily by reading the Bible and calling upon Him. This is how God nourishes our spirit, our soul.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Corinthians Chapter 10

Read Other Commentary from the Book of 1 Corinthians:

God Is the Foundation

You Can Overcome Temptation with God

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10: 13, 21

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to ^[d]bear it.(13) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.(21)

Scripture Commentary:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man. God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle. But when you are tempted, God will provide a way out if you call on Him.

Paul tells us there is a battle going on with the flesh and the spirit. He isn’t referring to our physical flesh; he is referring to our spiritual soul. The natural self wants to do what feels good and easy.

God’s Holy Spirit in you wants you to glorify Him, not yourself.

These two spirits are constantly against one another as long as you live. What Paul is telling us is the flesh (Satan) desires what is contrary to the Holy Spirit (God).

The Spirit of God is contrary to the flesh (Satan). The Holy Spirit inside of you says, “Live for God,” and your flesh says, “Live for yourself.” When we live for God, we submit to Him daily by reading the Bible and call on Him. This is how God nourishes our spirit (our soul).

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Corinthians Chapter 10

Read Other Commentary from the Book of 1 Corinthians:

Where Is the Wise? Search for Wisdom

Can Others See the Temple of God in You?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11: 24-26

… and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is (represents) My body, which is [offered as a sacrifice] for you. Do this in [affectionate] remembrance of Me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in [affectionate] remembrance of Me.” ²⁶ For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are [symbolically] proclaiming [the fact of] the Lord’s death until He comes [again].

Scripture Commentary: What does the Lord’s Supper mean to you?

When you take the Lord’s Supper, what does it mean to you? Are you taking it in remembrance of Him or are you taking it because everyone else is and you don’t want to look out of place? If you don’t know why you’re taking it, stop and learn why we, as Christians, do it.

In reality no one is worthy to take the Lord’s Supper. We are all sinners saved by grace. This is why we should prepare ourselves for communion through healthy introspection, confession of sin, and resolution of differences with others. These actions remove the barriers that affect our relationship with Christ.

Being aware of your sin should not keep you away from Communion. Instead, it should drive you to participate in it. Know why Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and rose on the third day. This is the new covenant that cost Jesus His life.

Communion is not a meaningless ritual. This is our bond with Christ.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Corinthians Chapter 11

Read Other Commentary on 1 Corinthians:

Let God Fill You With Wisdom and Understanding

God Has Freely Given Us His Love

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

Scripture Commentary:

You are God’s temple. He made you in His image but some have forgotten this. You may think that you’re all that, and that you don’t need anyone, not even God.

The Spirit of God is in all of us – both in the good and in the bad.

But if you don’t open your heart and soul so God can come in and save you, you’re lost. The foundation is in you because Christ died so you can be saved.

The foundation was laid when you were born. How you build it is up to each of you. Build your foundation on Christ, not on another person or principle.

You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Care for, love, and cherish what God has given you. If you defile yourself, you defile God.

Non-believers are victim’s of life, swept along by its current. They wonder if there is meaning to live. The believer understands life’s true purpose. Love others as God loves you. After all, God gave His only Son for you.

Read the Entire Chapter:

1 Corinthians Chapter 3

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2: 6-10

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.  None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  However, as it is written:

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12: 1, 4-7,14, 20-25

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. (1)  There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (4-7)

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.(14)  

As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (20-25)

Scripture Commentary: Bring as many souls to Christ as your gifts allow.

We are of one body in Christ. As one body we work for one goal. We serve our Lord and bring as many souls to him as our gifts allows. If you bring one and another brings a hundred, we are to rejoice for all.

Rejoice when a Christian is honored, weep when one suffers; we are one. Christians exist in the world together. There is no such thing as private or individualistic Christianity.

No one gift is greater than another.

Paul tells us that we all have gifts given from God, and no one gift is greater than another. Your spiritual gift is not for your own self-advancement. Its purpose is enhancing the spiritual growth of the body of believers.

Spiritual gifts build God’s church.

We, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, include many types of people from a variety of backgrounds with a multitude of gifts and abilities. All spiritual gifts are from the Holy Spirit and their purpose is to build up Christ, the church.

Read the Entire Chapter
1 Corinthians Chapter 12

For More on Spiritual Gifts
What Are the Different Spiritual Gifts?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10: 21,31

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.(21)  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.(31)

Scripture Commentary: You cannot have both a seat at the Lord’s table and a seat at the devil’s.

At which table are you seated?  If you wake up and tell yourself that today you will be a Christian but tomorrow you’ll act contrarily, you are wrong. If you think you can sit at both tables, you cannot.

You are either a Christian, living as God wants you to live, or you are not. There is no middle ground between God and Satan. You cannot switch back and forth moment to moment based on where you want to belong.

Your relationship with God is a commitment.

As followers of Christ, we must give him our total allegiance. We cannot, as Paul explains, have a seat at the Lord’s table and have a seat with the devil. To sit at God’s table is to commune with Jesus and identify with his death and resurrection.

To sit with Satan is to promote evil and worship of earthly things. Do not try to live two lives. At the end, you will be held accountable for one. Remember that no matter what, this life is only temporary. The next one is for eternity.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Corinthians Chapter 10

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8: 1-9

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Scripture Commentary:

In this scripture, Paul addressed believers who weren’t bothered by eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols.  Although idols were phony, and the pagan ritual of sacrificing to them was meaningless, eating such meat offended Christians with more sensitive consciences.

Therefore, Paul said that if a weaker or less mature believer misunderstood their actions, they should, out of consideration, avoid eating meat offered to idols.  We must be careful not to offend a sensitive or younger Christian or, by our example, cause them to sin.

When we love others, our freedom should be less important to us than strengthening the faith of a brother or sister in Christ.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Corinthians 8