Sermon Tone Analysis

Overall tone of the sermon

This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.

A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.

Emotion Tone

Anger

0.58LIKELY

Disgust

0.07UNLIKELY

Fear

0.09UNLIKELY

Joy

0.65LIKELY

Sadness

0.54LIKELY

Language Tone

Analytical

0.64LIKELY

Confident

0UNLIKELY

Tentative

0.26UNLIKELY

Social Tone

Openness

0.89LIKELY

Conscientiousness

0.8LIKELY

Extraversion

0.38UNLIKELY

Agreeableness

0.61LIKELY

Emotional Range

0.58LIKELY

Tone of specific sentences

Tones

Emotion

Anger

Disgust

Fear

Joy

Sadness

Language

Analytical

Confident

Tentative

Social Tendencies

Openness

Conscientiousness

Extraversion

Agreeableness

Emotional Range

Anger

< .5

.5 - .6

.6 - .7

.7 - .8

.8 - .9

> .9

Intro:

In chapters 1-6, Paul addressed his concerns for the people in Corinth.

Now, in chapters 7-16

He’s going to answer their questions.

Not only had letters come to Paul, explaining the problems..

But letters had come, also, asking questions..

In chapt 7, they had questions on marriage..

In 8-10, they had questions on Christian liberty..

In chapter 11, they dealt with.. “conduct in the church”

In chapters 12-14… Paul responds to their questions regarding “spiritual gifts”

In chapter 15… the resurrection of the dead,

And 16..

w/giving.. and offerings.

The problems in Corinth arose.. mainly, from the state of their environment.

These were relatively new believers in a very young church..

These are people, who had come out of the world..

Who until very previously been walking in all forms of immorality..

How do we know this?

Because this was the norm in Corinth… and… many of the issues that Paul addresses in this church… makes just such a history obvious.

In the evenings, the streets of Corinth were filled with prostitutes..

Nearly a thousand of which came down from the temple of Aphrodites..

Crooked business procedures were normal, and thievery was rampant in the streets.

As a port city.. they were continually infiltrated w/ideas and philosophies from all over the known world..

And eventually.. the moral culture of its many merchants..

Was embraced.. and grew strong.. in this rich, diverse and busy citY

It gained a horrible reputation..

To such an extent, that the term, “corinthian” was used to identify and describe one who was given to practices of immorality.

In addition to these things.. there was also a strong presence of Gnostic philosophy being embraced in the city…

The Gnostics were a diverse group who held to many different forms of belief and philosophy..

But the one that seemed to hold the greatest amount of influence in Corinth..

..told its believers, that goodness and spiritual enlightenment could only be gained through knowledge..

… that all physical matter is bad.. and only that which is purely spiritual.. is good..

They subscribed to an idea, that there had been a digression in the world.. of a godly, spiritual presence..

The first of which, was purely spiritual..

But over time, the gods, which were once, purely spiritual, became more corrupt, and took on, in creation or composition.. “matter”

When this philosophy looked upon Christianity, it observed that the God of the O.T. may have been seen as being spiritual..

But his creation was matter.. and that made Him corrupt…

Gnostics looked upon themselves.. and generally came to one of two conclusions..

ONE: Knowing that they themselves are matter.. and the all matter is evil..

There is no harm, in practicing the deeds of fornication and drunkenness..

And so, on one side of the coin.. Gnostic philosophy drove many into a lifestyle of great sin..

This idea carried over into the church, and developed a mentality that abused the principles of grace.. and created the problem that Paul addressed in chapters 5 and 6.

TWO:

On the other side..

Many did all that they could do..

To deny their flesh..

They focused intently on “learning”

And forsook physical pleasure..

And it was through this philosophy..

that some esteemed celibacy as a good practice.. even in marriage..

and promoted it strongly…

In our world … these same ideals are faced..

For many would say.

There is no use in denying the hungers of the flesh..

There is no use in denying the way that our corrupt and broken state wants to express itself.

There’s no use in fighting against the ways we have our wires crossed… or the unnatural desires we might have.

Embrace it, claim it as your identity, walk in it… go with every feeling and desire you have.

And this philosophy, this abandonment of moral principle… has made the porn industry more profitable than professional sports..

And this philosophy has made the porn industry more profitable than professional sports..

This philosophy has pushed the envelope of moral acceptability on tv.

And this philosophy has made marriage.. a disposable institution.

On the other end of the spectrum..

Our world is also inundated w/ideals that denounce all forms of personal pleasure..

.. entertainment, and things that are deemed as being “fun”.. are denounced on all fronts..

And true devotion is only found in their sacrificial practices of abstinence.

As a result of the issues they faced… the people in Corinth, had some questions on marriage..

and as we’ll see, in some aspects.. their confusions.. their practices.. and their ideals..

stemmed from.. in many ways.. the influences of Gnosticism..

and also, their questions.. stemmed from the immoral influence..

of their city.

The examples that were all around them.. were, for the most part… ALL BAD bad.

The philosophies that were being promoted..

Were dangerous.. and wrong.

The world was speaking.. a message THAT severely contradicted, the things they were learning from the Scriptures.

++..

And since.. this city’s greatest fame, was it’s sexual immorality..

The one institution that faced the greatest threat..

Was marriage.

And it’s easy for us to recognize..

We see it clearly.. it’s evident.. it’s.. all too familiar..

In our culture.. over 1900 years later..

The same threats are strong..

And many of you.. have been victims..

You’ve been chewed up.. and spit out..

And your marriages have faced disaster..

And have come to an end.

To those of you, who are married right now..

No matter what the condition of your relationship.. you ARE engaged in a battle..

Unfortunately.. in some cases.. the two sides of that battle are “husband and wife”..

And such battles will almost always end in destruction..

But the battle that needs to be fought properly..

Has both.. husband and wife, on the same side..

In the same army.. on the same team..

For the two, have become one..

And the enemy of this world wants to divide..

… that one.. back into two..

, doesn’t give us the Bible’s complete education concerning marriage..

But in respect to the threats that Corinth was facing..

This education.. was practical.. and direct.

SLIDE 3

< .5

.5 - .6

.6 - .7

.7 - .8

.8 - .9

> .9