How Christ helps us overcome sin: 1 Corinthians 10

How Christ helps us overcome sin: 1 Corinthians 10

     In 1 Corinthians 10:4 Paul talks about Ancient Israel rebelling against Christ, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” So why is the Savior called the “Rock”? The footnote in the verse takes us to 3 Nephi 15:5, “Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law therefore it hath an end.”  The footnote also takes us to “cornerstone” in the Topical Guide. From there I chose one of my favorite scriptures, Helaman 5:12 which says, “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” From the Topical Guide under “rock” I found a scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 50:44, “Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall.” From Dictionary.com I found a definition for cornerstone, “the chief foundation on which something is constructed or developed.” I know that the Savior is my “Rock,” he is my foundation. It is through Christ that we can receive eternal glory and be with our families forever. We are promised that when we rely on the Savior, we will not fall.

     Paul discusses through verses 1-14 the many sins that the people struggle with. Today, there are so many temptations and ways to sin. We can receive comfort knowing that Christ will never give us a trial that we cannot endure. This is explained in verse 13 of chapter 10, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” We are not perfect and will make mistakes even when trying to do our best. Alma 13:28 better describes how our attitude should be, “But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering.” When we are humble and rely on the “Rock” of our Salvation, we can repent from sins and become more like Christ.