Warning: Appetites Ahead
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“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) Hunger is to crave or seek with eager desire, and thirst is to painfully long for things that refresh. Hunger and thirst are natural reactions
of the body; they alert us to the need for food and water. What about appetite? Appetites are desires of the mind. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Paul gave warnings about being controlled by appetites. First, beware of dangerous delusions—“All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased.” (vv. 3-5) They fooled others, they fooled themselves, but not God! Second, beware of dangerous delights—“These things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted … not become idolaters … nor commit sexual immorality … nor let us tempt Christ … nor complain, as some of them.” (vv. 6-10) Why did God inspire the writing of these things? See verse 6 again: “to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” Instead God calls Christians to “hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Righteousness equals integrity, virtue, purity of life; a correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting consistent with that calling. Third, beware of dangerous dignity—“All these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (v. 11) Three times Paul spoke a warning, in verses 1, 6 and here in 11. One time is enough, but three times requires action. If temptation is too powerful, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape.” (v. 13) Sometimes we are to resist, and sometimes we are to run!
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
