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. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 1 Co. 10:1-5 ESV
Who might this represent in
our world today? These were a people called of God to follow him in obedience, and
who made a profession of God as their Lord, but who failed (who fell) due to continued
idolatry, sexual immorality, rebellion, unbelief, and disobedience. So, they
might represent those today who make a profession of Christ as Savior, but who do
not accompany their profession with true belief, which is demonstrated through
obedience. Or, they might represent those who have truly believed in Christ,
who did follow him, but at some time wandered from that belief and fell back
into sin.
Their foundation is truly not
in the Rock, Jesus Christ, but their basis for what they believe is a
half-truth gospel. This half-truth false grace gospel, thus, facilitates (enables)
them continuing in their sin and rebellion against God because it does not
require repentance or obedience to Christ and his Word. In fact, it promises
its adherents eternal life with God regardless of how they live once they “believe.”
Thus, their faith is based in a mixture of lies and truth, and in a collection
of the thoughts and opinions of mankind. And, this false grace gospel is
spreading like wildfire, i.e. it is escalating.
Those who follow after this
half-truth gospel, thus, shrink back from and dodge the truth. They meander
aimlessly, following the instincts of their own flesh, and therefore they put
their trust in manipulations and distortions of truth. They are still bound in
their sins, without hope of heaven, or else they are believers who have
wandered off from the straight and narrow. Thus, they actively engage in such
things as sexual immorality, perversion, dishonesty, betrayal, and cheating,
etc. They will often do so without conscience, too, because they are convinced
that they can continue to (persist in, practice) sin, and that they will not be
judged for their sin. So, there is no motivation for them to change. They have
no fear of God.
Examples for Us
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. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 1 Co. 10:6-11 ESV
Some of these examples are
written down for us in the Bible, both in the Old and the New Testament. Some
of them are written down for us in our history books. And, some are written
down for us in other books or other pieces of literature, some of which are
autobiographical. Some are in current books or articles, or even blog posts,
where people have described others or themselves who have followed after a
mixture of truth and lies, which then resulted in falling away from the truth,
and following after the lies. And, this also resulted in their own
self-destruction and the demise of families, marriages, and other
relationships, as well as kept them from following God.
The Lord led me to write such
a book about a month ago, which is my testimony, my story of my life of abuse,
first coming from my father, then from my husband, but which also resulted in
me going through a time of moral failure, too. And, it is written down as an
example to you so that you might not follow in the evil ways in which we walked.
But, it is also my story of hope, healing and renewal, and how God lifted me
out of that pit of despair, how he restored me, and then how he has used me for
his glory in the lives of others. You can read about it here: I Married My Dad.
Pride Before a Fall
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 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 Co. 10:12-13 ESV
When we are following after
the flesh, instead of walking according to the Spirit, while still professing
Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives, we may get this false notion that we are
progressing in our faith when we are not. And, that is because it is all by
human effort, and oftentimes via not yielding to the Spirit at all, that we
make what we feel are good strides. Yet, we may still be holding on to the
control of our own lives, and we may even be holding on to unconfessed sin,
which may be hindering our walks of faith. Still, we are proud of our human
efforts, but they end up being our downfall, because we are holding on to a
false grace gospel, and we are not truly surrendered to our Lord, which is our
only way out from slavery to sin.
Flee Idolatry
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 1 Co. 10:14-22 ESV
Ok, so what’s the message
here? It is that, when we trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord (owner-master) and
Savior of our lives, and we are crucified with him in death to sin, and we are
resurrected with him to newness of life, we, thus, participate with him in his
death to sin, in his blood and body given for us on that cross so that we could
be delivered out of slavery to sin, be forgiven our sins, and have the hope of
eternal life with God in heaven. We become one body with him, the body of
Christ, the church. We are, in essence, married to Christ, but the marriage won’t
be consummated until he returns and takes his bride home to be with him
forever.
The problem arose, though, at
least here in America, when Christ’s body, without consulting the head, Jesus
Christ, made the decision to unite themselves in an unholy union with the US
government, thus making the government the head over the body, much of which has
now become a corporation, i.e. a man-made business. Although Jesus Christ is
still the only true head of his true body, much of his church has prostituted
herself to “another lover,” i.e. to the government. Thus, she has made herself
a harlot.
But, it is even worse than
that, because the real government of the USA is a small group of wealthy and
powerful people, a shadow government of the elite of the world, who are presently
taking over the world, a large portion of whom are Jews, who are bringing the
world under the rule of the beast of Revelation. So, in essence, a large
portion of the church has prostituted herself to Satan, and is thus partaking
in the table of demons. And, she has united herself with the world of sin, with
a false grace gospel, and is marketing Christ’s body just like any other
human-based business of men.
And, Jesus is jealous for his
church, just like a jealous husband whose wife is now sleeping with another
lover. We need to see this for what it is here. The Lord is talking to his
church, and to the leaders of these churches which have united themselves with
government of the beast, and he is questioning their actions, and he is showing
them the truth, but so many are ignoring his messages and his pleas and his
callings to come out from this Babylon and to be separate so she does not share
in her sins which are piled high to heaven, and so she does not also share in
her punishment.
But, since so many are
ignoring the Lord and his teachings in scripture on this subject, and they are
remaining in union with this unholy government, he is going to send another
messenger, only this time it will be to judge, not to warn. He will move out
the way, he will stop with the warnings, and he will allow this other messenger
now to speak his message in a way which will get everyone’s attention. Yet, the
purpose is not to destroy, but to bring his people to their knees and in
repentance, so he can restore them to himself, and revive their hearts, and so
they will serve him as their only Lord.
Lord Have Mercy
Michel Coeuriot / Michel Jonasz
Jesus, I've forgotten the words that
You have spoken
Promises that burned within my heart
have now grown dim
With a doubting heart I follow the
paths of earthly wisdom
Forgive me for my unbelief
Renew the fire again
Lord have mercy on me…
Monday, February 27, 2018,
6:55 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your Word. Bring it home
to our hearts, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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