Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Corinthians 10:13-14

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it. Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." — 1 Corinthians 10:13-14 (ASV)

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. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

I should like to see this verse put over the top of every "sacramental" table in every "church" in England: Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. If this text were properly understood, every crucifix would be broken to pieces, and the altars themselves would be cleared away to make room for what should be there,– the table of the Lord; and we should have no more worship of visible things, which is idolatry.

O you who are the dearly beloved of God, flee from it! Keep as far from it as you ever can. I remember reading of a man of God who was the rector of a certain parish, and who had in the church a very ancient, sad, and famous painted window of which he was somewhat proud.

In the design there was a representation of the Godhead,– the Father was there, and oh, how blasphemous! – he was represented as an aged man; and, one day, this clergyman, who had seen no evil in the window, heard a rustic explaining to a companion that that was the God whom they worshipped. The rector did not deliberate for a moment, but he threw a stone right through that part of the painted window. I suppose that was an offence against the law of man, but certainly it was not against the law of God.

He would never have that figure replaced on any account whatever, and I think that he did well: Dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. Put it out of your sight; do not tamper with it, but hate it with a perfect hatred. In God's eyes, it is one of the most fearful of sins. He has said, I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and he will have nothing to come between us and the pure and simple worship of his invisible self.