Chapel notes, 2/26/09

[Read the official chapel live-blog at Towers Online. Hear spring semester chapel sermons of Southern Seminary HERE.]

Dr. Hershael York, Professor of Preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It," 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

1 For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)

I. Intro. In Southern Baptist life, we have often misstated the doctrine of eternal security. It is true that a person once regenerated cannot be un-regenerated. But just because a person prays a prayer or their name is on a church roll somewhere, that does not necessarily mean he or she is a Christian.
II. Historical context. The Israelites had the right:
A. Experiences
B. Ceremonies
C. Nourishment
->But the majority of the Israelites were not eternally secure. Their desires were yet for evil.
III. Manifestations of the Israelites' desires for evil:
A. Idolatry. Evangelicalism today also tends toward idolatry, downplaying God's wrath.
B. Adultery. "An aberrant view of God leads to an aberrant view of self and sexuality."
C. Tempting Christ. This term refers to living according to our pleasures and expecting God to bless. All God's commandments are for our good.
D. Grumbling.
IV. God provides the believer a way of escape from every temptation:
A. So we need not grumble.
B. We need not chafe under God's commandments.
C. Christians are free from adultery.
D. We can rejoice in the true God and flee idolatry.