Kyle Kauffman

Worship is not optional. It is something every human being is engaged in on a regular basis whether we realize it or not. Worship is in some sense hard-wired into what it means to be human. The main question we must ask in our lives is not “Will I worship?” but “What will I worship?” And our daily decisions and actions in this life are giving an answer to that question over and over again. Idolatry was not just a temptation for the Corinthian believers living among all sorts of temples dedicated to other gods. It’s a constant temptation to American believers living in a world that seeks to direct our attention and desires to anything other than God. As a result, worship is not just something we do on Sundays, but it is something we are engaged in 24/7 throughout our weeks. It involves all of life and it affects all of life. 1 Corinthians 10 is meant to help us see and experience what it means to find life as we worship God in all of life.

1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

Kyle Kauffman

When you are running a race there is need for perseverance and endurance in order to make it to the finish line. The same thing is true of the Christian life. In the end of 1 Corinthians 9 Paul compares the Christian life to being like running a race. And as we discover, it is not a race that everyone makes it to the finish line in. We see this both in examples from the Bible and in personal examples we can think of from our own lives. The scriptures teach that perseverance in the Christian life in both faith and pursuing holiness are necessary for salvation. The Bible is full of warnings that we are meant to take seriously if want to make it to the end. And the Bible is full of promises that are meant to help us make it to the end. We see both of these in the beginning of 1 Corinthians 10. And ultimately, we are reminded that the outcome of the race depends not finally on our efforts but on God’s faithfulness. He is the one who enables us to persevere as we take seriously the call to persevere.

1 Corinthians 9:24-10:13