Examples

But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. 10:5-12).

In a hunter’s safety class that I took years back, the instructor gave us an example of a fellow out in the woods coming back from a disappointing day of hunting. Before he put his rifle up, he checked to see if it was on safe. He did this by pointing the gun at his foot and pulling the trigger. It was not on safe. As Christians, are we like this hunter? Do we need to shoot ourselves in the foot, or can we learn from examples?