1 Corinthians 10:12

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. THINKETH HE STANDETH - namely, "by faith;" in contrast to (). FALL - from his place in the Church (cf. , "fell"), both temporally and spiritually (). Our security as relates to God consists in faith; as relates to ourselves, in fear....

12._Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth _The Apostle concludes from what goes before, that we must not glory in our beginnings or progress, so as to resign ourselves to carelessness and inactivity. (562) For the Corinthians gloried in their condition in such a way, that, forgetting their weakness, they fell into many crimes. This was a false confidence of such a kind as the Prophets frequently reprove in the Israelitish people. As, however, Papists wrest this passage for the purpose of maintaining their impious doctrine respecting faith, as having constantly doubt connected with it, (563) let us observe that there are two kinds of assurance. The _one _is that which rests on the promises of God, because a pious conscience feels assured that God will never be wanting to it; and, relying on this unconquerable persuasion, triumphs boldly and intrepidly over Sa

6-14 Carnal desires gain strength by indulgence, therefore should be checked in their first rise. Let us fear the sins of Israel, if we would shun their plagues. And it is but just to fear, that such as tempt Christ, will be left by him in the power of the old serpent. Murmuring against God's disposals and commands, greatly provokes him. Nothing in Scripture is written in vain; and it is our wisdom and duty to learn from it. Others have fallen, and so may we. The Christian's security against sin is distrust of himself. God has not promised to keep us from falling, if we do not look to ourselves. To this word of caution, a word of comfort is added. Others have the like burdens, and the like temptations: what they bear up under, and break through, we may also. God is wise as well as faithful, and will make our burdens according to our strength. He knows what we can bear. He will make a wa...

Verse 1 Corinthians 10:12. _LET HIM THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH_] ο δοκων εσταναι. _Let him who most confidently standeth_-him who has the _fullest conviction_ in his own conscience that his heart is right with God, and that his mind is right in the truth, take heed lest he fall from his faith, and from the state of holiness in which the grace of God has placed him. I have already shown that the verb δοκειν, which we render to _seem_, to _think_, to _suppose_, is used by the best Greek writers, not to _lessen_ or _weaken_ the sense, but to render it _stronger_ and more _emphatic_. Luke 8:18. In a state of probation every thing may change; while we are in this life we may _stand_ or _fall_: our standing in the faith depend

WHEREFORE - As the result of all these admonitions. Let this be the effect of all that we learn from the unhappy self-confidence of the Jews, to admonish us not to put reliance on our own strength. THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH - That supposes himself to be firm in the love of God, and in the knowledge of his truth; that regards himself as secure, and that will be therefore disposed to rely on his own strength. TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL - Into sin, idolatry, or any other form of iniquity. We learn here: (1) That a confidence in our own security is no evidence that we are safe. (2) Such a confidence may be one of the strongest evidences that we are in danger. Those are most safe who feel that they are weak and feeble, and who feel their need of divine aid and strength. They will then rely on the

EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 10:1 _Warnings against over confidence in relation to idolatry and other temptations._ 1 CORINTHIANS 10:1 MOREOVER; rather, _for. _He has just shown them, by his own example, the necessity for strenuous watchfulness and effort. In continuance of the same lesson, he teaches them historically that the possession of great privileges is no safeguard, and that the seductions, even of idolatry, must not be carelessly despised. Although the connection of the various paragraphs is not stated with logical precision, we see that they all bear on the one truth which he wants to inculcate, namely, that it is both wise and kind to limit our personal freedom out of sympathy

WHEREFORE LET HIM THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH,.... Since the Jewish fathers, who enjoyed such peculiar favours and eminent privileges, had such various judgments inflicted on them; since they stood not, but many of them were visible instances of God's displeasure; they were overthrown and cast down, their carcasses fell in the wilderness, and entered not into the land of rest; therefore all such persons who think themselves safe and sure, trusting to themselves, or depending upon the knowledge and gifts they have, the favours and privileges they enjoy; everyone of these should TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL. This advice was exceeding proper, whether it be considered as spoken to true believers, or formal professors; for true believers may fall into temptation, into sin, from a degree of steadfastness in the Gospel, and from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace; but not finally, totally, and...

1 Corinthians 10:1. _Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ._ You see, then, dear brethren, that the possession of privileges is not everything. Paul would not have us to be ignorant that all those, who were with Moses in the wilderness, had privileges of a very high order. Did they not all pass through the Red Sea, and so escape from their powerful and cruel foes? Did they not all drink of water which gushed forth from the flinty rock? Were they not all fed with manna from heaven? Yet their privileges did not save them, for while they had the

7. WARNINGS AND EXHORTATIONS CHAPTER 10 _ 1. Warnings from Israel's past history. (1 Corinthians 10:4)._ 2. Exhortations. (1 Corinthians 10:15). The same subject is continued with this chapter. The concluding paragraph of the previous chapter is illustrated from Israel's history, as the professing people of God. What happened unto them has a typical meaning for us. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples (types), and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world (ages) are come.” He speaks of “our fathers (Israel's fathers) were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” God had delivered them out of Egypt; the cloud covered them and the

From this exposition of his own willingness to waive his rights for the sake of others, closing with the solemn warning that the goal might be missed after all, Paul returns to his main theme, the meats offered to idols. He does not handle it directly in 1 Corinthians 10:1 but it is clearly in his mind. He begins by recalling the case of the Hebrews in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:7 to Hebrews 4:13), pointing the warning he draws from it by the reminder that their own fathers (for the readers, though Gentile, belong to the true Israel, Galatians 6:16) possessed in a sense the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist; and yet the majority