Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 10
It is right for Christians to be confident about their relationship with God. Their trust is in God; their hope is certain (Hebrews 6:17-19). David compared God to a strong castle (Psalm 18:2); because of God, his people have security. They stand firm, like soldiers in a castle.
However, people quickly forget why they are safe. When that happens, they start to act in a foolish manner.
That can happen to Christians too. They can forget that they need always to trust God. They forget that he alone gives them safety (Psalm 62:1-2). So they start to trust themselves, not God. They imagine themselves to be safe, whatever they may do. Really, of course, they are in great danger.
That was happening to some people in the church at Corinth. They said that God had given them freedom. That was true, but they were using that freedom in a wrong manner. They wanted to be free to follow their own emotions and desires. They were allowing their emotions, and not God, to rule their lives.
When people trust themselves, and not God, their attitudes are proud. A proud person feels confident, but a proud person has no proper reason to be confident. He has nothing to depend on except his own foolish attitudes. So his proud attitudes make him weak, not strong.
Only a fool has confidence in something that is weak. It will certainly disappoint him. When he needs something to support him, it will fail. When he needs to stand, he will fall (Proverbs 16:18).
Next part: About temptations (1 Corinthians 10:13)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.