Category: 1 Corinthians

  • “I’m Fully Who I Am”

    “I’m Fully Who I Am”

    Paul has addressed sin in the local church, from porneia to pugnaciousness. Now, he explains why sin is so bad. Have you ever wondered, when reading through Scripture, why God has certain rules and considers certain things to be sin? How can that be a sin when it makes me so happy? It doesn’t hurt…

  • When Someone Personally Offends Me

    When Someone Personally Offends Me

    As Paul addresses the division and immaturity of the local church at Corinth, He comes to the subject of personal offenses, quarrels, and lawsuits between members of the congregation. Immediately preceding his instruction concerning personal offenses, Paul instructed the church about church discipline and excommunication. Church discipline was to be practiced when a so-called brother…

  • Covenant Church Membership

    Covenant Church Membership

    Paul has made known the benefit of Christian judgment in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He criticized the local church body for withholding judgment when judgment was needed. He continues by clarifying his position on the matters of church discipline and excommunication from the body. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 9 Ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ…

  • Porneia

    Porneia

    After sharing his heart, Paul now jumps in head-first to the filth that is the church at Corinth. His first priority when addressing specific matters (he has addressed general matters up to this point) is the immorality present within the local church congregation. 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 5.1 Ὅλως ἀκούεται ἐν ὑμῖν πορνεία, καὶ τοιαύτη πορνεία…

  • A Kingdom of Power, Not Words

    A Kingdom of Power, Not Words

    Paul has been instructing the congregation about how it should view him and its pastors and how the pastors (elders) of the local church should view the congregation. The pericope in view, here, is transitional. Paul is transitioning from the place of the pastor to the immorality of the local church. Before he begins addressing…

  • Against Arrogance

    Against Arrogance

    Paul has been writing to admonish the local church toward maturity, which leads to unity. To this end, the church body is to regard her elders as servants of Christ set apart for their labor in the Lord, and the elders are to regard the church body as holy and worthy of their service for…

  • On Judging Pastors

    On Judging Pastors

    The church at Corinth is divided. The body hasn’t treated Paul well. Yet, Paul referred to the congregation as a holy temple and condemned anyone who might destroy the local church by building upon the gospel foundation with anything other than the gospel—teaching Christ’s person and work because He alone is sufficient. Pastors are slaves…

  • On Destroying the Local Church

    On Destroying the Local Church

    Paul has made clear the responsibility of the church elders (pastors). They are to build upon the foundation of Christ, not using any other material but the Gospel to build up the body of Christ. Each pastor is responsible to work hard at preaching and teaching in a way that is faithful to the explicit…

  • Be Careful How You Build

    Be Careful How You Build

    Paul continues to talk about his own ministry, the example he set when he served as pastor in Corinth for a-year-and-a-half. He and Apollos are God’s fellow workmen and the congregation is God’s garden (v. 9). Today, we see the importance of quality in the preaching and teaching ministry of the local church, which equips…

  • Immaturity in the Church

    Immaturity in the Church

    Paul desires to build maturity that leads to unity in the Corinthian church (1:10). He determines to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucified but speaks the depth of God’s wisdom to those who are mature (1-2). Paul believes the Corinthian church is in Christ (1:4-9), He also recognizes that her puffed-up knowledge leads to…