1 Corinthians 10

Here in chapter 10 Paul takes a moment to remind the Corinthians of the generation before them, how they had traveled with Moses in the desert, but that God was not pleased with them, for they did not obey his commands. Paul says "these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did" (vs 6).

The Israelites became idolators when they turned away from God in the wilderness. Certainly this was done for more than just our instruction, but not less. When we read the account of the Israelites in the wilderness, Paul says the lesson we are to learn is that we are to "flee from idolatry" (vs 14).

How do we flee from idolatry? Are we to spend every day at the church, studying our Bibles and praying to God? Well that's a wonderful way to rest and replenish our souls from time to time, but we cannot be a light to a dark world if we never leave the church. Rather, Paul wants us to go out into the world and live our lives, but we are to live a little differently than the rest of the world. Paul says that whatever we do should be done for the good of others (vs 24), and for the glory of God (vs 31).

That's really all there is to it. If before you do anything you can say confidently that you are doing that thing for the good of someone else or to the glory of God (or both), then Paul says you are imitating him, just as he imitated Christ (11:1).