"A Way of Escape" - 1 Corinthians 10:13

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 (KJV)

Then: Finally. An enouraging note in the middle of a list of warnings. Hayes, p. 166, brings out an incongruous situation. He points out and contrasts the commonality of sin and God's faithful forgiveness with the Corinthians' problem of worshiping other gods right alongside their worship of the one true God. He notes the big difference between man testing God and God testing man. If men purposely go to the evil, the only way out is to flee and flee instantly. If the evil came to men, God will show the way of escape. Other commentators (Baker, p. 145) look at the positive assurance this verse provides to those who always meet and bear temptation.

Now: Christians take comfort from this verse, but should not stop there. We need to study Bible principles, Bible characters and lives of other Christians to know what to do to escape. How did others do it? What's a good plan? When God makes the way, it's not a last-minute escape plan - although that sometimes works. Here is Answer Number One for idolatry: Look at the cross (as the Israelites looked at the bronze serpent on the pole see Num 21:4-9). Turn away. Run to the protection of Christ.

Extra Source: First Corinthians by Richard B. Hayes (John Knox Press, 1997) on line at http://books.google.com/books?id=M_PC0PAs3VYC&dq=1+Corinthians+and+Richard+B.+Hays&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=2oPcStDCIIvf8Aaq0Ki3BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=11&ved=0CCMQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=1%20Corinthians%20and%20Richard%20B.%20Hays&f=false
Cornerstone Biblical Commentary 1 Corinthians (William Baker), 2 Corinthians (Ralph Martin & Carl Toney), ed. by Philip Comfort. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, c2006.