Through the Bible: 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV 1900)

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Pauls first letter to Corinth, a major port city.

greek and roman temples

economic center

Paul focused on Corinth, spending 1.5 years here building a church. (Acts 18)

Purpose: highlight true wisdom, address proper use of the body, introduce sexual ethics, proper use of spritual freedom and spiritual gifts.

Theme: the cross is the height of Gods wisdom and love, sacrificial love is the foundation of ALL right action and the end to which all action should be directed.

Paul moved on to start other churches but started heard concerning reports of major problems in the church.

Write this letter to correct the problems, focusing on the five major problems he had heard about.

Disunity/division (chapters 1-4)

Sex (chapters 5-7)

Food (chapters 8-10)

The Gathering (chapters 11-14)

The Resurrection (chapter 15)

It reads like a collection of short essays on different topics…

He would define the problem and the fix in relationship to the Gospel.

He would prove that because they have these issues/problems that they are not living out what they claim to believe.

Bottom line with Paul is that the Gospel affects every area of your life!

Paul is dealing with Church problems and solutions!

This makes 1 Corinthians one of the most important books of the New Testament on how church should function.

Chapter 1-4: Other teachers had come through Corinth - Paul, Apollos, Peter (Cephas), others (Philo of Alexandria or Philo Judaeus Hellenistic Jewish philosopher of Alexandria Egypt - wisdom)

Each person had chosen their favorites and built little followings after each of them. Each claiming to have privilege over the others.

Pauls supporters: he was the founding pastor…

Apollos supporters: he was the greatest preacher, charisma …

Peter’s supporters: he was among the original 12, chosen by Jesus…

Others like Philo: taught that wisdom was the way to God, more wisdom = closer to God.

Paul chastises them saying I’m glad I didn’t baptize any other you but Stephanas and his house…

Nothing wrong with having your favorite preacher but but not participating because your guy is not up… THAT IS SIN!

Pastor’s gone so I’m not coming…

Bro. George is not preaching so I’m just going to sit…

Ministers are servants!

Don’t make a personality the center of the church!

Jesus is the center of the church!

There can be no division in the church!

Chapter 5-7: SEX (Christian Liberty - GRACE)

One guy sleeping with his stepmother

Others worshiping at the temples

Food offered to idols

Temple prostitutes

Teachers in the church saying that this was ALL ok!

Free in Christ!

God’s grace and mercy… (SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE)

Paul reminds them that Jesus died for our sin!

He introduces sexual integrity to the church.

One of the ways that proves that the Gospel works!

Goes on to remind them that just as Jesus was raised from the dead, our bodies will be raised from the dead.

So as our bodies are redeemed, not only in the future but NOW!

So what you do with your body matters!

As a matter of fact, you don’t even own yourself!

There can be NO comprise when it comes to sexual integrity!

There were two philosophies at work here:

Libertines - “All things are lawful to me”. What they did in the flesh had no connection to the spirit.

Visiting temple prostitutes committing fornication

Abstainers - everything that the body does is bad, including sex even within marriage.

Never having sex which increased the likelihood of fornication.

Paul was teaching that the answer was right in the middle of the extremes.

He would teach that sex is a holy act between a man and a woman who is married to each other.

The act is in the physical body but has it’s roots in the soul and spirit of a couple.

There is a part of yourself that you give to every sexual partner you have that stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Sex matters!

You have to be holy!

So where does fornication begin? Where is the line?

The point you get caught up in lust?

What should you do or not do in dating?

Is holding hand wrong?

Is kissing wrong?

Prolonged kissing?

Does this have anything to do with how long you’ve been dating?

Later he would teach about the overall power if living for God; LOVE.

When we love God and each other, we will never take advantage of a brother or sister!