1 Corinthians Preview
The book of 1 Corinthians is a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. Corinth was an important port city and a big economic center for the ancient world, and Paul spent a year and a half planting this church and discipling believers there. After he left and continued on his missionary journey, he received word about some dysfunction and conflict happening back at the church in Corinth.
Because Paul wasn’t able to tend to these matters in person, he wrote a letter to this church, giving corrections on the issues causing disagreement: divisions in the church, sexual immorality, food rules, order in worship, and confusion over the resurrection of Jesus. Paul addresses each of these conflicts in his letter by using the Gospel as a way to reorient their thinking.
A main theme he repeats often is this: “you are not your own; you’ve been bought with a price–therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Because our lives have been purchased by Christ’s death, we are to honor God with the way we live. Not only that, but His Spirit lives within our bodies! Therefore, as Christians, we are to live each day as though Christ were actually living through us, because He actually is.
The book of 1 Corinthians is important for believers to read today because, like the church in Corinth, Christians today can struggle with similar divisive issues. Reading the way Paul handled these disagreements shows us how to work to make unity a priority in church today and reminds us how the gospel is to infiltrate every aspect of our lives.
Read 1 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
A Church Divided Over Leaders
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom
18 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. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Go Deeper
As Paul opens this letter to the church in Corinth, he starts off with a greeting and a reminder of how thankful he is for them. Then he gets to the matter at hand: they needed to come together. The church had become divided over time. The Corinthians were debating over who their favorite teachers were and other matters of preference, but Paul reminded them of the truth: Jesus is who matters. Paul is saying, “Focus on the message of the Gospel and not the messenger.”
This reminder to focus on the Gospel is just as relevant to us today as it was to the Corinthians. The enemy uses a world full of noise and distraction to take our eyes off of what really matters. Just walk into your local bookstore or briefly browse through Amazon, and you’ll find plenty of self-empowerment books meant to help you be the best version of you that you can be. These types of books sell millions of copies every year as authors write their latest and greatest “pump up” speech. People snatch up this content because there is something within the human condition that tells us we aren’t yet who we need to be. In our desire to grow, we’re told to look inward to access the power we need to become great.
However, 1 Corinthians 1 sets up a stark contrast to the popular thinking of the day. Rather than foolishly searching for one’s own inner strength, we’re told to find true power from somewhere else. Self-empowerment is not the goal: sanctification is.
The good news is that we don’t have to create our own holiness. Instead, we can rely on the only One who has the ability to change our hearts. In this chapter alone, we’re told that God enriches us in every way (v. 5), keeps us firm until the end (v. 8), makes foolish the wisdom of the world (v. 20), and chooses the lowly things to shame the strong (v. 28). What becomes clear throughout this passage is that we aren’t the main actors in our own stories. The one who sets each and every scene is the God who holds all things together. If we’re searching for strength, it’s found in Him. If we’re searching for hope, it’s found in Him. If we’re searching for love, it’s found in Him. This life isn’t about you. It’s about you finding yourself in Him.
Questions
- What word or phrase stuck out to you on your first reading of this chapter? Why?
- How have you seen the enemy use issues of preference to distract believers from the message of the Gospel?
- Verses 18-25 contrasts the wisdom of the world against the wisdom of God. What are some areas of your life in which you have bought into the world’s wisdom? How can you replace that with God’s knowledge?
Watch This
Check out this video overview of 1 Corinthians from The Bible Project!
4 thoughts on “1 Corinthians Introduction + 1”
I love Paul’s opening remarks. Although he specifically addresses the church in Corinth, he includes Christians everywhere who “have been made holy—whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord” (v2). Paul’s message resonates across time to our present culture. One of the enemy’s favorite tools is to divide the church. If we’re not careful we can lean heavily into our preferences and forget who belong to and represent, Christ. It’s the greatest privilege to belong to him. Colossians 3:17 reminds us “ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” This is what truly matters and will drive us into deeper unity and prevent divisions. The next time we are tempted to be offended by a preference, let’s remind ourselves of the “audience of One.”
God is wanting us to not get weighed down with our own wants/desires but to press into to Him, into the higher calling He has on our life. We are empowered with the Holy Spirit but for some reason we leak. So filling our “tank” with God’s Word, worshiping Him, sharing the gospel are just some ways to increase with more of Him. We have to cultivate our spiritual awareness of God. Our world is very similar to Corinth, we need to push back and walk the way that God is taking us. 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. We need to saturate ourselves in God’s Word, pray steadfastly and continually for each other,( Eph 6:18), love (agape) one another, worship together and come together like the first century church.
God thank You for opening the eyes of my understanding every time I read Your Word. Thank You that I am continually coming to a greater understanding of who You are and Your word being a lamp unto to my feet and a light for my path. God, let me not just type words but thank You for them being who I am and am becoming in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!
Paul addressing the church in Corinth is still so relevant to us today – we are seeing these same issues arise in the modern day church. But just like it says in verse 9, “God is faithful”! I’ve seen the enemy use preference to distract believers from being focused on representing Christ – they argue about which denomination is best, whether the parables or stories of the Bible are literal or metaphors, they focus on being “right” not righteous. But God… He is where our focus needs to remain – on His faithfulness, His great love, His sacrifice for our spiritual freedom.
Each of us individually have a role in God’s greater plan for the church and for His kingdom. We must be ready to do what he calls us to do. We are called to be holy. Sanctified through Christ. When I keep my eyes on Jesus and off of my selfish needs than I can see His grace, peace and love. When I stay in His word daily, then I can extend His grace, peace and love to others, therefore building up His kingdom. To God be the glory.