I CORINTHIANS---CORRUPTION COMPOUNDED


INTRODUCTION

1.    The church at Corinth was founded by Paul as the result of eighteen months labor there.

         (I Cor. 4:15; Acts 18)

A.    Founded during Paul’s second missionary journey

B.   Apollos preached there.

C.   Later a party of Judaizers caused factions in the church.

 

2.    The city of Corinth

A.   Located in modern Greece

B.   The most important city of Greece in Paul’s day

C.   Luxury, dissipation, and public immorality were rampant.

D.   It was a great industrial and seaport city.

E.   The city was the center of a debased form of worship of Venus.

 

3.    Paul

A.   Was about 50 years of age when he went there

B.   He went into the tent making business with Priscilla and Aquila.

C.   He wrote the first letter to Corinth to correct them about certain matters which had been reported to him as having crept into the church.

 

THE PROBLEMS OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH

1.    This epistle is distinctly one of reproof.

 

2.    Even the doctrine it contains is there by way of reproof. (15:12)

 

3.    The problems

A.   Party spirit and divisions (chs. 1-4); there were at least four divisions in the church, all following different men. (1:12 and 3:3-8)

B.   Immorality (ch. 5); the saints were tolerant of vice, and allowed an incestuous man to continue in their fellowship without rebuke.

C.   They lacked in brotherly love and went to law with one another. (ch. 6)

D.   Marriage and divorce laws were being violated. (ch. 7)

E.   They practiced the eating of foods that had been offered to idols. (chs. 8-10) cf. Acts 15:28, 29

1)    Some don’t know the difference (8:6, 7)

2)    Stumbling block (8:8, 9) cf. 8:12

3)    Because of the intent of the sacrificial food (10:20)

F.    They had abused the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper, turning it into a contest of show. (11:17-34)

G.   Disorders had arisen in the conduct of the women. (11:1-16)

H.   They had abused the use of spiritual (miracle) gifts. (chs. 12-14)

I.     They had misunderstood and corrupted the doctrine of the resurrection. (ch. 15)

J.    They were urged to participate in the collection for the poor saints (16:1-4), to which they agreed, then failed to carry out their promise.

 

MESSAGE OF THE BOOK - The Lordship of Christ

A careful study of the New Testament reveals this fact, that our Lord’s full title - Lord Jesus Christ - is never given to Him, except when the writer is seeking to declare and emphasize the Lordship of Christ. How significant, then, is it to find this title given to our Lord six times in the first ten verses (2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10). The name “Lord” is very prominent (1:3I; 2:8, 16; 3:20; 4:4; 5:4, 5; 6:13, etc.) “There is deep significance in this, for all the disorders that had crept into their lives had arisen through failure to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord.” Oh, crown Him Lord of your life!


OUTLINE OF THE BOOK

  I.    INTRODUCTION (1:1-9)

 

 II.    DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH (1:10-4:21)

A.   The true narrowness of sectarianism (1:10-2:16)

1.    Its clannishness is a mistake (1:10-17)

2.    Its cleverness is a mistake (1:18-2:16)

B.   The true nature of sectarianism (3:1-4:21)

1.    Sectarianism is not spiritual (3:1-17)

2.    Sectarianism is not sensible (3:18-4:21)

 

III.   DISCIPLINE IN THE CHURCH (chs. 5-6)

A.   In moral issues (ch. 5)

B.   In material issues (ch. 6)

 

IV.   DIFFICULTIES IN THE CHURCH (chs. 7-14)

A.   The matter of one’s personal walk (chs. 7-10)

1.    Paul’s exhortation (chs. 7-8)

a.    Regarding marriage (ch. 7)

b.    Regarding meats (ch. 8)

2.    Paul’s example (ch. 9)

3.    Paul’s explanation (ch. 10)

B.   The matter of one’s public worship (chs. 11-14)

1.    The gift of the Lord’s Supper (ch. 11)

2.    The gifts of the Lord’s servants (chs. 12-14)

 

V.   DISBELIEF IN THE CHURCH (ch. 15)

A.   The resurrection of Christ (15:1-19)

B.   The resurrection of Christians (15:20-58)

 

VI.   CONCLUSION (ch. 16)

 

       Exploring the Scriptures

John Phillips