The Apostle Paul and the Corinthians—Outline
Sorry for the loooong delay in posts. My Facebook account was hacked and my Twitter/X account went loopy and then I had my final and oral exams for my PhD. Thus, things have been crazy and busy.
Let’s take a look at an overall outline of Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth and then we will unpack various issues that this New Testament book raises.
First Corinthians
1:1-9 Paul calls this jacked up church “set apart” because they have responded to the Gospel but now the Apostle is going to call the congregation to grow up and live up to their status as those who belong to King Jesus.
1:10-17 Part of a church maturing into their God given title of “saints” is to be united and not to divide over personalities, debatable issues or their favorite preacher, etc.
1:18-2:16 The Corinthians had one foot in the Kingdom of God and one in pagan philosophy. Paul was telling them (and us) that the perfect wisdom of God is not compatible with the so-called wisdom of sinful, mortal human beings. If God has spoken on an issue through His Word, it is the last word. True Christian unity centers on honoring Scripture.
3:1-23 As stated above, the Corinthians had their own favorite preachers. Paul is clear that truly faithful preachers are all on the same team and all serve King Jesus. One can elevate a mortal man to the level of idolatry (i.e., worship of someone or something other than God). Of course, we want to seek out ministers who prayerfully try their best to teach the Word of God but they (including me) are fallible. I have said to my congregation many, many times. In the Kingdom, there is no VIP or Champagne room, there is Jesus and everyone else! A key to unity is not thinking to much of yourself but thinking a lot of Christ.
4:1-21 However, Paul was an Apostle (i.e., one commissioned directly by the risen King). Thus, he spoke for Jesus! We no longer have apostles today (and anyone who claims to be is a false teacher!). Yet, what we can glean from this section is that along with faithfulness to Scripture, true church leaders should show they love you just as Paul sacrificed for the churches the Spirit led him to plant. Leaders who show true love is another pillar of unity.
5:1-13 Yet, church leaders are also called to exercise church discipline. Lord willing, I’ll have more to say about this later but it is enough to say that divisive people should be kicked out of a church with the prayerful hope that they will repent, return and be welcomed with open arms (cue the Journey song). Ridding the congregation of openly unrepentant people is a key to unity.
6:1-11 No Christian should have to sue another Christian. True unity insists on servants of King Jesus working out differences gracefully within the church.
6:12-20 Lust can ruin any community. The only way to conquer lust is to love King Jesus and your spouse more than carnal instincts. Faithful marriages are essential to unity.
7:1-6 The Corinthians had a jacked-up view of our God given bodies and sex. Lord willing, I’ll unpack that later as well. However, a key to a great Christian marriage is a great sex life between husband and wife. That’s right, church unity includes a husband and wife setting aside time for marriage business!
7:7-9 The Apostle Paul is okay with a person committed to a life of singleness as he had as a servant of King Jesus. However, Paul notes that this is a “gift.” A Christian marriage is a true blessing and not just for “marriage business”!
7:10-16 Unfortunately, divorce does happen. Yet, Paul exhorts couples to stick it out if at all possible even if a spouse is an unbeliever. I have seen faithful spouses eventually bring their husband or wife to Jesus. Unity begins with praying for the one you wed. Paul also states that even children of a marriage between a believer and an unbeliever is set apart because they are part of the covenant community of King Jesus.
7:17-24 Paul makes it clear that another pillar of unity is to recognize that God is always in control. We must try not to whine and complain about our situation but look for a way to serve King Jesus wherever we find ourselves. This life is the shortest part of eternity!
7:25-40 Paul urges Corinthians to avoid marriage at that time because of “this present crisis”, which was probably both a famine and the forthcoming persecution by Nero. Yet, we in the west have freedom and should marry a fellow Christian of the opposite sex and seek to be faithful to God and your spouse.
8:1-9:23 We have a lot of liberty in Christ but we should be willing to lay it down if it means reaching others or helping them to grow closer to King Jesus. If that means having a Diet Coke instead of a beer with dinner with immature believers or seekers, so be it. Unity can mean sacrificing your liberty and focusing on helping others.
9:24-10:22 Paul exhorts us to take a long look in the mirror and to rank the things in our lives according to their importance. Demote anything that takes more of your time, money, attention or affection more than God. Unity begins with putting the Lord first then family then the church family, etc.
10:23-11:1 The sacrifice of liberty hurts. It takes a lot of sacrifice and patience to truly help the immature believer. It can be frustrating because we can’t want it for them. We cannot take the place of the Holy Spirit but what else is eternal?
11:2-16 This sacrifice includes not trying to evoke jealousy or lust in how we dress, what car we drive, etc. Keep your eye on the true prize!
11:17-34 The Lord’s Supper is where we all meet as one under the King. It is a memorial of the life and death of King Jesus the Savior on our behalf. Yet, it is more than that as well. For we take it together but also in faithful churches with the presence of God Himself. It ain’t just a cracker and juice…it is a meal with the King.
12:1-31 Paul teaches that every Christian is given a spiritual gift. But we are given different gifts, and they are all intended to help others in the church, not ourselves. A lot more on this later (Lord willing)
13:1-13 As stated above, spiritual gifts are given to help others grow closer to King Jesus. If we don’t pervade these gifts with love for others, they are largely worthless.
14:1-25 What about miraculous gifts? Does God still grant them or were they for the Apostolic age. A lot more on this later Stay tuned.
15:1-19 The resurrection of King Jesus was His victory over death and Satan but it also our hope for resurrection. That hope is power to be a humble servant seeking the betterment of others.
15:20-28 Jesus will crush all of His enemies and then He will defeat death once and for all. I am a postmillennialist. I believe the Great Commission will be successful. This is also a great hope and, again, great hope grants great power.
15:29-58 Speaking of hope, we look forward to a new heavens AND a new earth. No Tom & Jerry theology here. Again, more on this later.
16:1-24 In the end, unity is also about generosity born out of love for others and the humility that comes from our undeserved salvation by the only true and perfect King.
Stay tuned as I unpack this…Lord willing.