Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 10
1 Corinthians 10:6-10 contains a list of 5 separate events during the life of Moses. The purpose of this list is to warn Christians not to use the freedom that God has given them wrongly. The people whom Moses led had done that. And some Christians in Corinth were starting to behave in a similar manner.
God’s people must not even desire what is bad. The people whom Moses led did that. They wanted food from Egypt after God had rescued them from that country. They desired it so much that it mattered more to them than a right relationship with God. They even complained that God had rescued them from their lives as slaves in Egypt!
You can read what they said in Exodus 16:3 and Numbers 11:4-6. Of course, it is not wrong to feel hunger. It was their reaction to that feeling which was wrong. When we are hungry, we should pray for food (Matthew 6:11). And we should trust God to provide for us (Matthew 6:31-33). But they allowed their feelings to control their minds. Then, the wrong thoughts that filled their minds caused them to oppose God.
It is wrong for a person merely to desire what is bad. For example, when a person desires wrong sex, that is like the action itself (Matthew 5:28). It is not a proper excuse that this is just a natural reaction of our bodies. We must not allow the feelings of our bodies to ruin our relationship with God (Matthew 5:28-30).
Several Christians in Corinth wanted to eat the meat that other people had offered to false gods (8:10). Paul told them to be very careful. They must not even desire something that God considers bad (10:19-23).
Next part: Do not give honour to a false god (1 Corinthians 10:7)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.