1 Corinthians 1-2 – The Divisions
Corinth was a
wealthy, but wicked sinful city. The new
church in Corinth found it hard not to act like their neighbors; therefore they
had problems. Some members were arguing
and taking sides against each other. Some
were living sinful lives. Paul wrote his
letter to scold them and teach them how Christians should act.
Paul wrote this
letter is to all believers. He used the
phrase “Do you not know” several times in the book. He wanted so much more for them and was
concerned how they were living. Being a
Christian is living differently from others.
He reminded them that they were set apart and chosen. He described the grace God had given them. He told them that they were enriched in every
way – in all their speaking and in all their knowledge and they were not
lacking in any spiritual gifts. Jesus
would keep them strong to the end and they would be held blameless when He
returns. (1 Corin. 1:5-7).
Do you have
one foot in God’s kingdom and one foot in the world?
Do you think
you will be held blameless?
Principle: God
calls believers to live according to their new identity in Christ.
There was a major
problem in the church at Corinth. It was
division. There was disunity, pride and quarreling. They had formed little cliques and were
divided in beliefs and were definitely not living in Christian unity. Each little clique said they were following
“Paul” or “Apollos” or Cephas” or “Christ”.
Each boasted about their “party leader”.
Paul reminded them that Christ was not divided so there’s no reason for
them to be divided if they are followers of Christ. They should live by the fruits of the
Spirit. (See Galatians 5:22-26 for a list of the fruits of the Spirit.)
There is the
same danger today when we follow or promote Christian celebrities. To follow them and let them be our example,
we can fall into sin. Remember no one is
perfect. Everyone sins. Watching someone else and letting ourselves
be influenced by them can be dangerous.
If their life doesn’t line up with God’s Word, you could get into
trouble. Jesus should be our example.
Paul explained
that the cross is foolish to some people.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”
– 1 Corn. 1:18. Why does the message of the cross seem
foolish to some? Some think
salvation is just too easy while others think it’s too hard. They see the gospel as losing control of
their lives.
Paul compared
human wisdom to God’s wisdom. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and
the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (1 Corin. 1:25) God gives wisdom to His people through His
Holy Spirit. Paul’s message illustrates
God’s wisdom and the Spirit’s power. “I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much
trembling. My message and my preaching
were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the
Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s
power.” (1 Corin. 2:3-5)
How do you
compare human wisdom with God’s wisdom? There is no
comparison. Our thoughts are not His
thoughts and our ways are not His ways. When Christians
brag on their talents, personality or intelligence, they are showing pride
instead of dependence on the cross to reveal God’s true wisdom.
Why does God
use the weak and the foolish in His plans? God uses the weak
and foolish to shame the wise and to reveal His power. If He chose the strong, they would say it’s
because they are strong, educated, rich, influential, etc. Then God’s power would be in question.
Only the Holy
Spirit can tell us about God’s wisdom.
He searches all things, even the deep things of God. No one can know what someone else is
thinking. No one can know the thoughts
of God except God Himself. Only the Holy
Spirit knows the thoughts of God. Those
without the Holy Spirit can’t understand spiritual things, because to them they
seem foolish. But the saved accept God’s
Spirit and let Him lead them. The Spirit
helps them make the right decision. They
know the mind of Christ.
Principle:
God foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom.
1 Corinthians 3 – The Consequences
Paul told the
Corinthians that they were still living as infants in Christ. They were still living worldly. There was jealousy and quarreling. They were acting no different than non
believers. Believers are called to live
differently. Standing out for Christ is
not easy. Maturity in Christ is hard,
but don’t give up. It’s not easy, but we
don’t have to do it alone.
Paul was hindered
from speaking of the deep wisdom of God because they were still worldly and
infants in Christ. They were still on
“milk” and not ready for “solid food”.
They were only ready for the basics and not for the deep teachings of
scripture. Sometimes God’s Word is not
easy to understand and they needed to become more mature before getting the
“solid food”. We get that maturity by
staying in the Word, practicing the Word, and staying in fellowship with other
Christians.
By worldly Paul
meant they, like the world today, did not submit to God, they judged others,
and they loved money, power, success, self, etc. They lived by the standards of the
world. In other words, they were under
Satan’s control.
Where are you
not living set apart?
Is there
someone in your life not living up to Christ’s standards that you need to
confront?
How are you
encouraging your brothers and sisters in Christ?
There was
division in the church and Paul reminded them to be careful on what kind of
foundation they lay. If we build on a
weak foundation which is our own will and self-serving, it will not stand up to
the test. Nothing is this world lasts forever. Nothing will stand up to the test. Christ has already laid the sure foundation,
which is His will. Only God’s way will
stand up to the test. Look at Paul’s
life. It shows the power of Jesus
Christ.
How is the
power of God seen in your circumstances?
Are you
walking in your own power?
Will you ask
God to move you out of the way?
The foundation
on which we should live is Jesus Christ and God’s Word. Paul talked about how fire can test pure
metal. Fire can also destroy. God’s judgment is like fire. When Jesus returns, God will judge the value
of each person’s work. He will reward
those whose work was valuable and destroy what has no value. Jesus died in our place so we would not have
to suffer God’s wrath. Now we have
access to God. This doesn’t really make
sense to us, but we don’t need to understand it. We just need to trust it!
On what are
you building your foundation?
Where are
your treasurers?
How are you
spending your time?
Paul told them
that they are God’s temple and God’s Spirit lives in them. There were many temples in Corinth with many
idols in them. Only Christians in
Corinth had the one true God among them by means of His Spirit making them like
a temple.
Some thought
they were wise and proud of it. Paul
told them not to deceive themselves thinking they were wise. God thinks they are foolish. “For the wisdom of
this world is foolishness in God’s sight.” – 1 Corin. 3:19. If they want
to become wise, they must become humble.
He wants them to understand that only one person if in charge. That is Jesus.
Principle:
Jesus Christ is the foundation for all believers.
1 Corinthians 4 – The Servant
Paul showed how
foolish the Corinthians Christians were to think themselves more blessed than
the apostles were. He described his own
ministry of deprivation and humiliation. The Corinthians tended to look down on him and
had no respect of his authority. Paul
asked that he and the other apostles be regarded as servants of Christ and as
those entrusted with secret things of God.
He really didn’t care what they thought of him, because it’s what God
thought that is important. Paul had little
praise from the Corinthians, which didn’t concern him. He knew that his praise would come from God. (1
Corin. 4:1-5)
Paul told the
Corinthians that they thought they had it all and had no need to learn any more
spiritual truths. They were inflated
with pride. They thought very highly of
themselves. They thought they were wise
and powerful. They put themselves above
others. They didn’t give honor to Christ
or the apostles. Believers who have true
spiritual power are humble, fools for Christ but wise in Christ, weak but
strong, honored but dishonored. – (1
Corin.4:8-13)
Paul wrote to
them like a father who wanted his son to do what was right. He wrote to them not to shame them, but to
warn them. He urged them to imitate
him. Because he loved them he was
sending Timothy to them and that he, Paul would come later. He would come as a father scolding them or as
a father of love and gentle spirit. It
was their choice. (1 Corin. 4:14-21).
Principle: God
judges His people’s work.
Join me here
next week as we continue our study of 1
Corinthians -- I
encourage you to trust in Jesus.
Principle: God
calls believers to live according to their new identity in Christ.
__________________________________________
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