1 Corinthians 10:12

12. Wherefore As a deduction from the wilderness-history, Paul draws this inference: beware of apostasy. And as this whole passage (1 Corinthians 10:1-14) is parallel to 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, so this warning against apostasy (1 Corinthians 10:12-14) is parallel to Paul’s avoidance of becoming a castaway, 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Thinketh Each one’s own consciousness must decide for himself whether he standeth on the Christian journeying-ground or not. But the exhortation of persons not to fall, in this and all other cases, must presuppose that they are really standing in a state of grace. The presupposition is, that if they stand as they are they will be saved. If, as some maintain, they are false professors, either by hypocrisy or self-deception, the sooner they cease to stand the better. Hence all exhortations not to fall are made on the assumption of the possibility and practical liability to fall from a true state of grace, or they are absurd.

Take heed By believing it possible and guarding against it.

Fall From a state in which, if he persevered, he would be saved.

To all this it cannot be wisely replied that, although there is danger of a Christian’s fall, yet the danger will never result; the very warning will be successful and prevent the falling. For in the present case the warning is based on the historic fact that thousands of Israel did fall; and we must not fall as they DID. We are exhorted not to fall from a true state of grace as they fell from a true state of grace. And Paul has taken great pains to declare and show, in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, how they were all, all, all a true part of a true Church, baptized and sacramented, so that their final perdition was a true and fearful fall; a type for true Christians carefully to avoid. If they never truly stood, they never fell; and if they fell, they once stood. If their fault and ruin was in actually falling, then their salvation would have been in actually standing standing just as they were.