Introduction: “… the rude, the crude, and the lewd!”
The radio preacher's terminology was
startling. He was describing the content of many modern films and forms of
entertainment. He stressed how today's movies, TV programs, music videos, and
records are negatively impacting children, families, and the moral fabric of
this country.
“By the time the average youth reaches age
sixteen,” the preacher said, “he or she will have seen more than 200,000 acts
of violence and 33,000 murders. Movies are reviewed and rated by the degree of
socially offensive language, excessive violence, and/or graphic nudity. TV
‘soap operas’—both in the daytime and evening prime time—are admittedly seeing
‘just how far we can push it.’ ”
The radio preacher repeated his startling comment: “We are living in a land of the rude, the crude, and the lewd!” (Source Unknown)
Bible Reading
Read: 1Corinthians 1:1-17.
QUOTE: “To begin with, the church at Corinth was a defiled church. Some
of its members were guilty of sexual immorality, others got drunk; still others
were using the grace of God to excuse worldly living. It was also a divided
church, with at least four different groups competing for leadership (1 Cor
1:12). This meant it was a disgraced church. Instead of glorifying God,
it was hindering the progress of the Gospel.
How did this happen? The members of the church permitted the sins
of the city to get into the local assembly. Corinth was a polluted city,
filled with every kind of vice and worldly pleasure. About the lowest
accusation you could make against a man in that day would be to call him
"a Corinthians." People would know what you were talking about.
Corinth was also a proud, philosophical city, with
many itinerant teachers promoting their speculations. Unfortunately, this
philosophical approach was applied to the Gospel by some members of the church,
and this fostered division. The congregation was made up of different
"schools of thought" instead of being united behind the Gospel
message.
If you want to know what Corinth was like, read Rom 1:18-32. Paul
wrote the Roman epistle while in Corinth, and he could have looked out the
window and seen the very sins that he listed!
Of course, when you have proud people, depending on human wisdom, adopting the lifestyle of the world, you are going to have problems. In order to help them solve their problems, Paul opened his letter by reminding them of their calling in Christ.” — (from The Bible Exposition Commentary).
Discovery
Explore the Bible reading by discussing these questions.
I. The Corinthian Context
In the third millennium since the
birth of the Christian era, modern society is not unlike the sensual society
and pagan culture the apostle Paul found in ancient Corinth. The practical need
for spiritual purity and power to overcome “the world, the flesh, and the
devil” is equally evident then and now. As a wealthy commercial center and port
city on the southern tip of Greece, Corinth was known for its great temple of
Aphrodite (the Greek goddess of love), with its 1,000 ritual
priestess-prostitutes. The immoral conditions of Corinth are vividly seen in
the fact that the Greek term Korinthiazomai
(literally, “to act the Corinthian”) came to mean “to practice fornication.”
Corinth was noted for its carnality.
1. In that setting, the apostle Paul had planted
a church during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1–17). What were the names of the husband-and-wife team he met in
Corinth? (v. 2) This would be Aquila & Priscilla.
2. Why did he stay with them? (v. 3)
They were all tent makers–the
“same craft.”
3. What was the theme of his message to the
Jews? (v. 5)
The theme of the message to the
Jews was “that Jesus was Christ.”
4. Was his witness successful in the synagogue?
Why? (v. 6)
No, it was not well received
among the Jews.
5. What significant new strategy did Paul
announce to the Jews? (v. 6)
He declared that he would preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.
II. The Corinthian Correspondence
It was probably about five years
later, approximately a.d. 55,
during Paul's three-year ministry in Ephesus on his third missionary journey,
that he wrote the epistle known today as 1 Corinthians. In it Paul responded to
disturbing reports and questions about life in this problematic congregation.
He had received reports of sectarian divisions and moral disorders within the
church. Additionally, a delegation had arrived from Corinth, and (or with) a
letter seeking his advice on various difficulties and critical issues in the
spiritually gifted but morally weak congregation.
This first correspondence consists of Paul's response to problems related to ten separate issues: a sectarian spirit, incest, lawsuits, fornication, marriage and divorce, eating food offered to idols, wearing of the veil, the Lord's Supper, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection of the human body. With each problem Paul pointed to spiritual solutions. He wanted the Corinthians to learn the calling of the saints, the fellowship of Jesus Christ, and the unity of a spiritual church (1Cor. 1:2, 9, 10).
III. Contemporary Conclusions
Corinth was a first-century
church with many problems: sectarianism, spiritual immaturity, church
discipline, immoral practices, the roles of the sexes, and the proper use of
spiritual gifts. Where these same problems exist in the modern church, the
remedies are the same. Studying the godly guidelines and applying the practical
insights revealed in this epistle will establish devoted disciples and heal the
problems of contemporary churches that may exist—as Corinth—in a “ … land of
the rude, the crude, and the lewd.”
Study
Let’s probe the depths of the thoughts and terms of Paul's introduction in his first epistle to the Corinthians (1:1–17):
1. How did Paul describe himself at the beginning of this Corinthian letter? (1Cor. 1:1)
A. Was this common in Paul's
correspondence? (Check the opening verses of some of Paul's other epistles.)
Why?
B. Give the primary meaning the
word apostle:
1. Paul's claim of apostolic
authority was based on two significant factors. Review the following scriptures
and then list those factors: (Acts 9:1–6, 15; 26:15–18; 1 Cor. 15:3–8; 1 Tim. 2:7).
2. Paul was called to be an
apostle of Jesus Christ on the Damascus road. This call did not come from
or through men, but directly from the Lord Jesus. An apostle is literally “a sent one.” The first apostles were
witnesses of Christ in resurrection. They also could perform miracles to
confirm that the message they preached was divine.[a]
3. “Called,” Paul was given a
special calling from God to preach about Jesus Christ. Each Christian has a job
to do, a role to take, or a contribution to make. One assignment may seem more
spectacular than another, but all are necessary to carry out God's greater
plans for his church and for his world (1Cor. 12:12-27). Be available to God by
placing your gifts at his service. Then as you discover what he calls you to
do, be ready to do it.
C. How did Peter classify Paul's
writings? (2 Pet.
3:14–16)
D. How did that validate Paul's
claim of apostolic authority?
2. What kind of people were
in the church at Corinth? (1Cor. 1:2)
A. How did Paul describe them in
his greeting? (1Cor. 1:2, 3)
The word church means “a
called-out people or assembly.” Each church has two addresses: a geographic
address ("at Corinth") and a spiritual address ("in Christ
Jesus").
B. FROM GOD TO US
As we read the opening words of
Paul's letter, we may wonder: How do these ancient words apply today? We are
distanced from the original readers by time, space, culture, and language. But
we do share five striking similarities with the Corinthian Christians:
1. We are people equally needing God's truthful
instruction.
2. We live in a similar aggressively pluralistic
society that denies absolutes and makes personal rights absolute.
3. This claim to personal rights challenges the
lordship of Jesus Christ within the church today, even as it did then.
4. The ancient philosophy that might and money
make right continues to divide churches and destroy people's lives.
5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the
solid fact upon which our faith rests. To some, it will always be a stumbling
block. So, in spite of the obvious differences between ourselves and the
Corinthians, the points of similarity make it crucial that we read this letter
as God's Word for our day.
C. Define the words “sanctified”
and “saints.” (1Cor. 1:2, 3)
The churches are made up of
saints, that is, people who have been or "set apart" by God. A saint
is not a dead person who has been honored by men because of his or her holy
life. No, Paul wrote to living saints, people who, through faith in Jesus
Christ had been set apart for God's special enjoyment and use.
In other words, every true
believer is a saint because every true believer has been set apart by God and
for God.
D.
Does Paul's use of the term “saint” imply perfection or potential? (Rom. 1:17; 2 Thess. 1:10–12 and Jude 3.)
E. What qualities and characteristics of life
should be seen in people who are “sanctified saints”? (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 Thess. 4:1–8.)
A Christian photographer told
about a lovely wedding that he "covered." The bride and groom came
out of the church, heading for the limousine, when the bride suddenly left her
husband and ran to a car parked across the street! The motor was running and a
man was at the wheel, and off they drove, leaving the bridegroom speechless.
The driver of the "get-away car" turned out to be an old boyfriend of
the bride, a man who had boasted that "he could get her anytime he wanted
her." Needless to say, the husband had the marriage annulled.
When a man and woman pledge their
love to each other, they are set apart for each other; and any other
relationship outside of marriage is sinful. Just so, the Christian belongs
completely to Jesus Christ he is set apart for Him and Him alone. But he is
also a part of his local fellowship, the church (1 Cor 1:2). A defiled and
unfaithful believer not only sins against the Lord, but he also sins against
his fellow Christians.
3. What did Paul thank God
for in the lives and experiences of the Corinthian believers? (1Cor. 1:4-7)
A.
In this letter, Paul would include strong words to the Corinthians, but
he began on a positive note of thanksgiving. Paul affirmed their privilege of
belonging to the Lord. Paul gave thanks to . . . God for the Corinthian
believers because only by the grace of God can anyone come to believe and be
accepted into God's family. That grace has been made available only in Christ
Jesus -- which is the essence of the gospel message. Paul usually would begin
his letters with a word of thanks for the believers to whom he was writing
(see, for example, Rom 1:8; Phil 1:3-7; Col 1:3-8).
THANKSGIVING
Paul thanked God for the
Corinthian believers. During the Thanksgiving holiday, we focus on our
blessings and express our gratitude to God for them. But thanks should be
expressed every day. We can never say thank you enough to parents, friends,
leaders, and especially to God. When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of
your life, you will find that your attitude toward life will change. You will
become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble. Whom do you need to thank
today?
B. In what ways had they been
“enriched?” (1Cor. 1:5–7)
Enriched by God's grace (vv.
4-6). Salvation is a gracious gift from God, but when you are saved, you are
also given spiritual gifts. (Paul explained this in detail in 1 Cor. 12-14.)
The word "enriched" refers,
"a very wealthy person." The Corinthians were especially rich in
spiritual gifts (2 Cor. 8:7), but were not using these gifts in a spiritual
manner. The fact that God has called us, set us apart, and enriched us ought to
encourage us to live holy lives.
C. Expecting Jesus to return (v.
7). Paul will have a great deal to say about this truth in 1 Cor. 15.
Christians who are looking for their Saviour will want to keep their lives above
reproach (1 John 2:28-3:3).
4. Paul's confidence that
they would be declared “blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” was
based on what? (1Cor.
1:1:8, 9)
A. It Depends on God's
Faithfulness (1Cor. 1:8-9).
1.
The work of God was confirmed in them (1 Cor 1:6), but it was also
confirmed to them in the Word.
2.
This is a legal term that refers to the guarantee that settles a
transaction.
3.
We have the witness of the Spirit within us and the witness of the Word
before us, guaranteeing that God will keep His "contract" with us and save us to the very end.
4.
This guarantee is certainly not an excuse for sin! Rather, it is the
basis for a growing relationship of love, trust, and obedience.
Now, in the light of these great
truths, how could the people in the Corinthian assembly get involved in the
sins of the world and the flesh? They were an elect people, an enriched people,
and an established people. They were saints, set apart for the glory of God!
Alas, their practice was not in accord with their position.
B. It Depends on the Finished
Work of Christ.
Before tackling the problems,
Paul described his hope for the Corinthians.
1.
He guaranteed those believers that God would consider them "blameless" when Christ returns (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Heb 9:28).
2.
This guarantee was not because of their great gifts or their shining
performance, but because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for them through his
death and resurrection.
3.
All who believe in the Lord Jesus will be considered "blameless" when Jesus Christ returns (see
also 1 Thess 3:13; 2
Thess. 1:6-10).
4.
Today's struggles, difficulties, and failures don't tell the whole
story. Keep the big picture in mind. If you have faith in Christ, even if it is
weak, you are and will be saved.
C. We should thank God that He is
faithful.
He will “confirm [guarantee] you to the end” (1:8)!
And thank His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, for His fellowship, grace, and
peace.
5. What areas of fellowship
did Paul emphasize to create unity in the church? (1Cor. 1:9-17)
When Paul mentioned the word “fellowship” in 1 Cor. 1:9, he introduced a second aspect
of the Christian's calling.
A. Believers are Called into
Fellowship (1 Cor.
1:10-25). Having
mentioned the problem of defilement
in the church, now Paul turned to the matter of division in the church.
1.
Division has always been a problem among God's people, and almost every
New Testament epistle deals with this topic or mentions it in one way or
another.
2.
Even the 12 Apostles did not always get along with each other.
B. In 1 Cor. 1:13, Paul asked his readers three
important questions, and these three questions are the key to this long
paragraph.
1.
“Is Christ divided?” (vv. 10-13 a) The verb means, "Has Christ been divided and different
parts handed out to different people?" The very idea is grotesque and
must be rejected. Paul did not preach one Christ, Apollos another, and Peter
another. There is but one Saviour and one Gospel (Gal 1:6-9).
A. How, then,
did the Corinthians create this four-way division? Why were there quarrels
(“contentions”) among them?
B. One answer is that they were looking at the
Gospel from a philosophical point of view. Corinth was a city filled with
teachers and philosophers, all of whom wanted to share their “wisdom.”
C. Another answer is that human nature enjoys
following human leaders.
— We tend to identify
more with spiritual leaders who help us and whose ministry we understand and
enjoy.
— Instead of emphasizing
the message of the Word, the Corinthians emphasized the messenger.
— They got their eyes
off the Lord and on the Lord's servants, and this led to competition.
D. Paul will point out in 1 Cor 3 that there can be no competition
among true servants of God.
— It is sinful for
church members to compare pastors, or for believers to follow human leaders as
disciples of men and not disciples of Jesus Christ.
— The “personality cults” in the churches
today are in direct disobedience to the Word of God.
E. Only Jesus Christ should have the place of
preeminence (Col 1:18).
F.
When such divisions grip a church it is time for a TIME-OUT!
1. Like a frustrated coach watching his team
bicker on the court, Paul called for a time-out. He saw the danger of divisions
and arguments. The Corinthian believers' lack of unity was obvious.
2. They may have been playing in the same "uniform," but they were doing
as much as the opposition to bring about their own defeat.
3. The problems weren't so much differences of
opinion as divided allegiances. They were arguing over which position on the
team was most important in a way that made them ineffective as a unit. They
were on the field, but out of the game.
4. Divisions between Christians work like brick
walls and barbed-wire fences to undermine the effectiveness of the message that
believers are to proclaim.
5. Focus on your coach, Jesus Christ, and the
purpose he has for you. Strive for harmony. Keep arguments about allegiances
off the team.
2.
Paul used several key words in this section to emphasize the unity of
the saints in Christ.
A. He called his readers “brethren,” reminding them that they
belonged to one family.
B. The phrase “perfectly joined together” is a medical term that describes
the unity of the human body knit together. So, they had a loving union as
members of the body.
C. They were also identified by “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. This was probably a reference
to the Person of Christ and all that He has done for believers. The Corinthians were exalting the names of
men instead of Christ which could only lead to division.
D. We must avoid developing Christian FAN CLUBS.
Paul wondered whether the
Corinthians' quarrels had "divided" Christ. This is a graphic picture of what happens when the
local church (the body of Christ) is divided.
— With so many churches
and styles of worship available today, believers can get caught up in the same
game of "my preacher is better than
yours!" They follow personalities and even change churches based on
who is popular. To act this way is to divide Christ.
— But Christ is not
divided, and his true followers should not allow anything to divide their
church.
E. Don't let your appreciation for any teacher,
preacher, speaker, or writer lead you into intellectual pride. Believers'
allegiance must be to Christ and to the unity that he desires.
3.
We do not know who the people were who belonged to "the house of Chloe," but we commend them for their
courage and devotion.
A. They did not try to hide the problems. They
were burdened about them; they went to the right person with them, and they
were not afraid to be mentioned by Paul. This was not the kind of "cloak
and dagger" affair that we often see in churches - activities that usually
make the problem worse and not better.
B.
Paul was the minister who founded the church, so most of the members
would have been converted through his ministry. Apollos followed Paul (Acts 18:24-28) and had an effective ministry.
We have no record that Peter (Cephas) ever visited Corinth, unless 1 Cor 9:5 records it Each of these men had
a different personality and a different approach to the ministry of the Word;
yet they were one (1
Cor 3:3-8; 4:6).
4.
Were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1Cor. 1:13b-17)
A. Keep in mind that baptism was an important
matter in the New Testament church. When a sinner trusted Christ and was
baptized, he cut himself off from his old life and often was rejected by his
family and friends. It cost something to be baptized in that day.
B. Just as Jesus did not baptize people (John 4:1-2), so both Peter (Acts 10:48) and Paul allowed their
associates to baptize the new converts. Until the church grew in Corinth, Paul
did some of the baptizing, but that was not his main ministry. In this section,
Paul was not minimizing baptism, but rather was putting it into its proper
perspective, because the Corinthians were making too much of it "I was
baptized by Apollos!" one would boast, while another would say, "Oh,
but I was baptized by Paul!"
C. It is wrong to identify any man's name with
your baptism other than the name of Jesus Christ. To do so is to create
division. I have read accounts about people who had to be baptized by a certain
preacher, using special water (usually from the Jordan River), on a special
day, as though these are the matters that are important! Instead of honoring
the Lord Jesus Christ and promoting the unity of the church, these people exalt
men and create disunity.
D. Crispus had been the ruler of the synagogue
in Corinth (Acts 18:8); and Gaius was probably the man
Paul lived with when he wrote Romans (Rom 16:23). "The
household of Stephanas" (1 Cor
1:16) is probably
described in part in 1 Cor 16:15-18. Apparently Paul did not carry with him a
record of the names of all the people he baptized. It was sufficient that they
were written in God's book.
E. The Christian servant should not have to
choose between STYLE AND SUBSTANCE.
Some speakers use impressive
words, but they are weak on content. Some preachers make the Bible marginal in
their sermons in order to hold people's attention. Even Bible studies give less
focus to the Bible than they do to fellowship. Paul stressed solid content and
practical help for his listeners. He wanted them to be impressed with his
message, not just his style (see 2:1-5).
You don't need to be a great speaker with a large vocabulary to share the
gospel effectively. The persuasive power is in the story, not the storyteller.
Paul was not against those who carefully prepare what they say (see 2:6), but against those who try to impress others only with
their own knowledge or speaking ability. Make Christ the center of your
preaching, teaching and witnessing rather than trying to be impressive.
In the latter part of verse 17,
Paul is making an easy transition to the verses that follow. He did not preach
the gospel by using wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of
no effect. He knew that if men were impressed by his oratory or rhetoric, then
to that extent he had defeated himself in his efforts to set forth the true
meaning of the cross of Christ.
It will help us to understand the section that follows if we remember that the Corinthians, being Greeks, were great lovers of human wisdom. They regarded their philosophers as national heroes. Some of this spirit had apparently crept into the assembly at Corinth. There were those who desired to make the gospel more acceptable to the intelligentsia. They did not feel that it had status among scholars, and so they wanted to intellectualize the message. This worship of intellectualism was apparently one of the issues that was causing the people to form parties around human leaders. Efforts to make the gospel more acceptable are completely misguided. There is a vast difference between God’s wisdom and man’s, and there is no use trying to reconcile them.[b]
CONCLUSION:
An Indian was walking up a
mountain when he heard a voice.
“Carry me with you,” it
requested.
The Indian turned and saw a
snake. He refused. “If I carry you up the mountain you will bite me.”
“I wouldn't do that,” the snake
assured. “All I need is some help. I am slow and you are fast; please be kind
and carry me to the top of the mountain.”
It was against his better
judgment, but the Indian agreed. He picked up the snake, put him in his shirt,
and resumed the journey. When they reached the top, he reached in his shirt to
remove the snake and got bit.
He fell to the ground, and the
snake slithered away.
“You lied!” the Indian cried.
“You said you wouldn't bite me.”
The snake stopped and looked
back, “I didn't lie. You knew who I was when you picked me up.”
We hear the legend and shake our
heads. He should have known better, we bemoan. And we are right. He should
have. And so should we. But don't we do the same? Don't we believe the lies of
the snake? Don't we pick up what we should leave alone?
The Corinthian Christians did.
One snake after another had hissed lies in their ears, and they had believed
it. How many lies did they believe?
How much time do you have?
The list is long and ugly:
sectarianism, disunity, sexual immorality. And that is only the first six
chapters.
But First Corinthians is more
than a list of sins, it is an epistle of patience. Paul initiates the letter by
calling these Christians “brothers.” He could have called them heretics or
hypocrites or skirt-chasers (and in so many words he does), but not before he
calls them brothers.
He patiently teaches them about
worship, unity, the role of women, and the Lord's Supper. He writes as if he
can see them face to face. He is disturbed but not despondent. Angry but not
desperate. His driving passion is love. And his treatise on love in chapter 13
remains the greatest essay ever penned.
The letter, however personal, is
not just for Corinth. It is for all who have heard the whisper and felt the
fangs. We, like the Indian, should have known better. We, like the Corinthians,
sometimes need a second chance. (Max Lucado)
[a]
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible
Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (pp.
1746–1747). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[b]
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible
Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1749).
Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
