As Examples for Us

God delivered his children Israel out of slavery in Egypt via his servant Moses. And then the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. But with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. And God was provoked with those who rebelled and who sinned against him. Thus they did not enter into his eternal rest because of their disobedience, i.e. because of their unbelief.

[See 1 Corinthians 10:1-11, also Hebrews 3:1-19 and Hebrews 4:1-16]

1 Corinthians 10:6-11 ESV

“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.”

So, as we read this passage of Scripture today, we should pay especially close attention to verses 6 and 11, for this is not just a physical record of a historical event, but this is a lesson to us that we should not do what they did, for it will end with the same result.

For what does it say? It says that these historical things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. And these things happened to them as an example, and they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. So we are not to read this and just think how bad they were, and what a shame, but we are to read this and consider ourselves and where we are in relation to all of this.

And the other thing we need to pay close attention to, as already mentioned, is that if we do the things that they did, our end will be the same as theirs. And I am not speaking here of us having to live in sinless perfection, but that we are not to be those who make sin our habit, our practice, our go to. For if sin is what we practice, i.e. if we are living in deliberate and habitual sin, then we don’t have salvation from sin, and we will not inherit eternal life with God, for this is what it teaches us in the New Testament.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

Now this passage lists for us several of the key sins of many of the Israelites which then resulted in their deaths and in them not entering into God’s eternal rest because of their disobedience, i.e. their unbelief. But this is not to be regarded as a complete list of habitual sins which will keep us out of heaven. For the New Testament provides for us multiple lists of sins, that if they are our practice, that they will lead to death, not to life eternal.

[Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 3:5-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8] 

So, please don’t listen to the liars who are telling you that a profession of faith in Jesus Christ is enough to secure you forgiveness of sins and heaven as your eternal destiny. We must forsake our lives of living in sin and for self, and we must deny self, and die daily to sin and to self, and follow our Lord in obedience and in walks of holiness and righteousness, and not in sin, if we want to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And we must continue in those walks of faith steadfast to the very end.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

So, please do not play around with sin convinced that heaven is your eternal home regardless of how you live. For that is a lie from hell! 

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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