Reading Through the Bible In a Year(ish): Days 282 & 283: 1 Corinthians 9-14

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Days 282 & 283: 1 Corinthians 9-14

1 Corinthians 10:13 is another one of my favorite verses of scripture and is one that is pretty well-known. I think it's one that is misapplied sometimes when people say things like, "Life will not give you more trouble than you can handle." That's not really what it says and experience has shown that thought to be untrue, anyway. Life consistently gives people more than they can handle. God never promised otherwise. What He promised is that whatever trouble you may face is only temporary and, however long it lasts, He will go through it with you.

This verse is not about difficulties and troubles but about temptation to sin. And I've discovered that this promise is a bit of a two-edged sword...

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

On the one hand it is a great promise of protection. Whenever I think the temptation that I face is difficult I need to consider how tough it would be if God wasn't somehow limiting its effect on me. We know that Satan will use whatever is at his disposal to get us distracted and lure us away from God. It's great to know that God is in control and somehow keeps a reign on how strong those temptations could be.

However, on the other hand, I have to ask myself why I ever sin at all? If God is limiting Satan's ability to tempt me beyond what I can bear then any temptation I face, I can overcome. Why do I not? When I sin, I'm giving in to a temptation that God assures me I am able to resist...but I don't. What this verse tells me is that there are no "accidental" sins. I sin because I choose to sin. Sin is an act of willful rebellion. Scripture tells us that no one is without sin, and I believe that's true, but I also believe that we have the choice. It is theoretically possible for a person to live sin-free. That's what this verse teaches. Other scripture teach that no one has ever or will ever accomplish it.

That's why we need Jesus.

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Year(ish)

I posted a link on FaceBook recently that was a plan for reading through the Bible in a year. It's designed to do the readings chronologically so that the reader can get a better feel for the flow of the Biblical narrative. I think this is a good approach. I noticed recently that the same plan is posted on my church's web site.

My problem is I've never been very successful in through-the-bible-in-a-year type reading plans before (notice the date of my first reading)...plus, the important thing is reading the Bible, right? Who cares if it takes a year?

So here's my plan: The chronological design is set up for 6 readings per week which equals 312 daily readings. I'm going to do the 312 daily readings - but they may not be 312 consecutive days. After each passage of scripture I'm going to write whatever comes to my mind from that reading. Don't expect a scholarly exegesis of the text - I'll leave that for others more qualified. What I plan to share is simply how that particular passage spoke to me. Please feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments. On day 312 this blog comes to an end.

There are 2 reasons for doing this on a blog: First, I'm hoping the fact that I'm doing this in a "public" way will provide motivation. Second, I'm inviting you to go on this journey with me. I'm hoping that by doing this together we will be able to "spur one another on" and get a better overview of God's word in 2011(ish).

You can download a .pdf of the plan here.