26.09.10 “RUN for your life!” (1 Corinthians 10:14,15)

Have you ever been in a frightening situation and heard someone cry out: ‘RUN! As fast as you can RUN away from here!’ If so, did you run? Here’s a really important question: ‘Have you ever sensed the Holy Spirit of God telling you to run’? Has God warned you to get out of a situation as fast as you can? What did you do?

Once again Paul’s letter to the Christians in the dangerous big city of Corinth in the first century has some great wisdom for you and me today, no matter where you live in the world. In 1 Corinthians 10:14 Paul wrote: ‘Therefore, my dear friends, FLEE from idolatry. I speak to sensible people…’ (1 Cor. 10:14) I’m sure you know that whenever you see the word ‘Therefore’ it’s important to look back to what precedes. Yesterday we looked at Paul’s warning and encouraging words that we all face temptation, but God will always provide a way of escape. We have minds for reasoning and freedom to choose wisely to avoid disaster, but almost always that choice requires action, sometimes urgent action, like RUN! Paul here challenges his Corinthian friends to refine their ability to discern when they are being drawn away from Jesus and into idolatry.