An Introduction to 1 Corinthians

 

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)

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^[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.