Putting Christ to the Test

“We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents.” (1 Corinthians 10:9)

Paul makes clear that the Israelites who departed Egypt were blessed in unique ways, and they rebelled in unique ways. But their story, as he says, was not recorded merely to add bulk to the Bible; it was recorded for our edification.

The first striking observation is the fickleness of the Hebrew wanderers. Barely have they left Egypt before they are doubting the goodness of God. All the miracles seem wasted on them; they seem entirely unimpressed by the God they claim to serve. While foreign nations tremble in fear at Yahweh, the Israelites boldly dare to ask whether He even exists.

The second striking observation is the similarity between the Hebrews and ourselves. As quick as we are to condemn them, it is only too easy to see our own fickleness. How many times have we distrusted God, ignoring previous blessings and doubting future mercies?

Within this context, then, Paul brings this particular command: “We must not put Christ to the test.” This is not the only command he gives. He also urges against idolatry, sexual immorality, and grumbling. But it is the sin of ‘putting Christ to the test’ which brought a plague of serpents on the Israelites, and which remains a danger for us today.

To ‘put Christ to the test’ is to faithlessly test whether his provisions and mercies will continue. It is similar to the temptation which Satan offered Christ: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down…” Then he offered biblical verses to prove that God must protect him. But Jesus saw the trap. God’s faithfulness does not need to be tested daily; he is not like a moody teenager whose affection and generosity change from one moment to the next.

To continually need to ‘check’ God’s faithfulness – or to doubt it – is a supreme sign of unbelief. It is the exact opposite of what Christians are called to, namely, the life of faith. But we are guilty of it every time that we fall prey to anxiety, fear of the future, or pessimism about God’s plan for our lives. It shows that we have forgotten his previous mercies, and it is a reminder that we are frighteningly similar to the ancient Hebrews.

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