Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Be Careful How You Stand

All men are the same. They have been the same since Adam and Eve. Centuries have changed technologies, but at the end of the day, everyone will find themselves in the same dilemma as the generation before. It is easy to look at a culture one thousand years removed and call it primitive compared to the modern, civilized world. The manner of living may have changed, but the nature of the heart has not. Modern families live in air-conditioned homes with indoor plumbing, refrigerators, freezers, internet, smartphones, and drive machines that offer more comfort than most homes. Instead of hunting for food, provisions are prepackaged in plastic at the local store.

The nature of man is what is unchanging. Struggles with sin and righteousness are as old as Adam and Eve. The Egyptians who built the Great Pyramids battled with sin. In the Americas, the natives of the land were either righteous or unrighteous. The battle with sin afflicts the souls of every person in every culture through all generations. There is no difference in how the modern man battles the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and the lust of the eyes than his predecessors’ generations removed.

Paul argued to the saints at Corinth that Israel of old struggled with sin and, sadly, lost the battle often. The Hebrews that came out of the Egyptian bondage through the Red Sea were tempted with the same wiles of the devil as the modern Corinthians. They all drank the same spiritual drink and ate the same spiritual food. For most of them, God was not well pleased and died in the wilderness. The stories of old serve to illustrate the unchanging nature of men and the battle with sin. Paul used an example nearly fifteen hundred years old to prove a point to the Christians of his day. Lusting after evil is not a new phenomenon. Sexual immorality has plagued the soul of man since Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden. Temptation is the lot of all men, unchanging and undeniable.

The revelation of God’s word reminds every generation of men that sin is a constant problem, and God is the only answer. A man can believe he is a modern soul who does not have the issues of those who lived before him because he is a nobler, stronger, vigilant, and watchful person than his ancestors. The remarkable irony of this kind of mind is the poisonous sin of pride has already condemned him. He thinks he is standing righteous before God because he is a better person than those before him. The warning is for those who believe they stand without fear to prepare to fall badly. It is easy to read about the failures of the Israelites and think that could never happen today. That is the warning Paul gives to the proud heart.

Sin will topple the strongest and destroy those who trifle with its power. A man who thinks he stands without temptation has begun to fall. Paul assures the saints God will not allow them to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear, but they must be warned they will be tempted. Satan has never taken a day off since he deceived the woman to eat the forbidden fruit. He is not impressed with the trinkets of a new generation, but he is deadly serious about damning souls to a lake of fire and brimstone. Having the courage to stand and withstand the wiles of the devil can only be done through the power of God. Stand firm, but stand with the courage to know how easy it is to fall. When you fall, you will only be defeated if you fail to rise again and fight. Stand up, stand up, for Jesus. Have courage. Stand strong.