1 Corinthians 10.12-22
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but 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, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. 18 Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
What great inspiration and hope from St Paul! Every day we are tempted and so often we not only forget that God is watching out for us, we try to tackle the temptation on our own. This is impossible! Our ability is only manifested in our communion with God, a reality brought vividly by St. Paul in his reference to the Eucharist in verse 16. God has to power to hold us up and bring us to glory no matter what our temptation and struggle is BUT we must unite with Him in the Eucharist. Otherwise we are just simple men trying to get along. “With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19.26)
Embrace Jesus Christ and begin a new life today!
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