Christ Alone

1 Corinthians 2:1 ESV

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.

1 Corinthians 2:3–5 ESV

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Paul had a lot to say, but all of it was about Christ and Christ alone.

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

So in practice, what does that mean?

Hey Paul, how do we solve division in our church?

1 Corinthians 1:13 ESV

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 3:11 ESV

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Division is healed in Christ alone.

Hey Paul, what about people in our church who have make no effort to live morally at all?

1 Corinthians 5:6–8 ESV

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sin is repented of and forgiven in Christ alone.

Hey Paul, we have questions about marriage and divorce and messy relationship stuff ...

1 Corinthians 7:10–11 ESV

To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

Our marriages and families are shaped and ruled by Christ alone.

Hey Paul, what about eating food offered in worship to pagan gods?

1 Corinthians 8:5–6 ESV

For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

1 Corinthians 8:10–13 ESV

For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

There is no other God but the one revealed through Christ alone.

There is no price to high for a brother redeemed by Christ alone.

Hey Paul, is it okay to give financial support to preachers of the gospel?

1 Corinthians 9:14 ESV

In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:12 ESV

If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Christ commanded gospels preachers be supported, but Paul’s willing to give it up if it would serve Christ alone.

Hey Paul, is it okay to keep worshipping as pagan’s as long as we also worship as Christians?

1 Corinthians 10:14–17 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

1 Corinthians 10:21 ESV

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

Christians worship God alone through Christ alone.

Hey Paul, when women pray in our church, what should they wear?

1 Corinthians 11:13 ESV

Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?

1 Corinthians 11:2–3 ESV

Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

1 Corinthians 11:16 ESV

If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

It probably doesn’t matter, but if you are going to keep a human tradition, at least make sure it honors Christ alone.

Hey Paul, which spiritual gifts are the most important.

1 Corinthians 12:27–30 ESV

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

All gifts in all their variety serve Christ alone.

Okay fine, Paul, but … really, which one is best? What is most important?

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

We get the point. Any last words for us?

1 Corinthians 16:24 ESV

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Every question for the Christian is answered in Christ alone.

2 Corinthians 1:18–20 ESV

As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.