Warnings from Israel's Past
(Numbers 16:41-50; Numbers 25:1-5)

1For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. 2And all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were drinking from the spiritual rock accompanying them, and the rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not well pleased with most of them, for they were strewn in the wilderness.

6Now these things have become types to us, for us not to be desirers of evil things, as they also desired. 7Neither are you to be idolaters, as some of them, as it has been written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”a 8Neither should we commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9Neither should we test the Christ,b as some of them tested, and were destroyed by serpents. 10Neither are you to grumble, as some of them grumbled, and perished by the Destroyer.

11Now these things happened to them as types and were written for our admonition, to whom the ends of the ages are arrived. 12Therefore the one thinking to stand, let him take heed, lest he fall. 13No temptation has seized you, except what is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also provide with the temptation the escape, to be able to endure it.

Flee from Idolatry
(Exodus 20:22-23; Leviticus 19:1-8)

14Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15I speak as to sensible ones; judge for yourselves what I say. 16Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one loaf, we the many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. 18Consider Israel according to flesh: Are not those eating the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?

19Then what do I mean? That what is sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20Rather, that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not want you to be fellow partakers with demons. 21You are not able to drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You are not able to partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. 22Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

All to God's Glory

23“All things are lawful,” but not all things are profitable; “All things are lawful,” but not all edify. 24Let no one seek the good of himself, but that of the other.

25Eat everything being sold in the meat market, inquiring nothing on account of conscience, 26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.”c

27If anyone unbelieving invites you, and you wish to go, eat everything being set before you, inquiring nothing on account of conscience. 28But if anyone should say to you, “This is offered to an idol,” do not eat, on account of him having shown it, and conscience—d 29and I am not saying your own conscience, but that of the other; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for that which I give thanks?

31Therefore whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God. 32Be you without offense both to Jews and Greeks, and to the church of God— 33as I also please all in all things, not seeking my own profit, but that of the many, that they may be saved.