Journey through 1 Corinthians

I want to warn you that our journey through 1 Corinthians will begin with a negative, but we will end on a positive note. If you are familiar with the church in Corinth, you know that these were rather carnal believers. These were Christians who struggled with lots of pitfalls and even sin. It was an imperfect church. But let me remind you, we are all sinners, and there is no such thing as a perfect church. My grandpa used to say, “If you find a perfect church, don’t go there. You will mess it up.” He was exactly right.

The Apostle Paul established this church through the aid of the Holy Spirit during his first visit to the city of Corinth. You can read about that in Acts 18. Now, some time later, he has either heard of some of the problems in this young church or he has briefly visited there on one of his missionary journeys. So he writes two letters, 1 and 2 Corinthians, back to this church as a response to their needs. When we have problems and struggles, God always gives His truth to guide and strengthen us. The Lord has a message for us.

Listen: Journeying through 1 Corinthians

Overview of 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians follows the Book of Romans in our New Testament, and you might see it this way. Things that are doctrinally stated in Romans are now related to the church and everyday life in Corinthians.

Romans shows the interpretation, and 1 Corinthians demonstrates the applications. It is filled with applications. Additionally, this book has some of the most well-known, definitive chapters in the Bible. For example, if I said to you, “What is the greatest passage on love in the Bible?” You would say, “1 Corinthians 13.” If I said, “What is the great resurrection chapter of the Bible?” It is 1 Corinthians 15.

There are some amazing passages in 1 Corinthians. And why is that? Because it is the truth that helps us work through our sin. It is the truth that helps us overcome our struggles and our difficulties. Though we like to criticize them, we have a lot in common with the Corinthians. We can identify with the believers in Corinth in many areas.

The Keyword in 1 Corinthians

The keyword of the book is the word “reproof.” In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul said that the Word of God was “profitable for doctrine, for reproof.” Think of that divine order: first doctrine, then reproof. The Book of Romans was full of doctrine. Now we come to 1 Corinthians, right on its heels. It is a book of reproof.

Nobody likes to be reproved. We all can feel pretty good about ourselves when someone is patting us on the back. But when someone gets in our face and says, “You are to blame. This must be corrected,” Then you can tell how spiritual a person is by how they respond.

But the reproof that is given in this book is a loving reproof. It is a reproof by the Apostle Paul, who loves them. But more than that, it is reproof by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, because He wants them to be everything He called them to be. When God reproves you, when the Holy Spirit prods your heart and points out sin in your life, do not rebel against him. Realize that He loves you enough to show you what must be corrected. We may not like His reproving work, but we must have it.

Theme of 1 Corinthians

The theme of this book, if I can summarize in a phrase, is the behavior of the body. Remember, a church is a body. It is a body, a local group of baptized believers who join themselves together to carry out the Great Commission. They are a body. And just like a body has many members, we have many members. And just like a body has a head, we have a head. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. And just like a body has problems and issues that must be worked on and exercised, and sometimes the doctor has to work on it, sometimes the body, the local church has issues that must be dealt with.

You do not abandon your body. You do not just cut off members of the body and say, “Well, I do not need this anymore.” No, you work on the body so that it becomes what it is supposed to become, and it behaves the way it is supposed to behave. And so it brings us to this book of 1 Corinthians, one of the most practical books in the Bible, because it is going to tell us how to work through things.

Outline of 1 Corinthians

Chapter 1

Chapter one is an introduction. Paul, under inspiration, reminds the Corinthians Christians that they belong to Jesus. Aren’t you glad for that? With all of our flaws, failures, and all of our weaknesses, we are still a part of Christ’s body. Praise the Lord for that today.

Chapters 2-6

In this section, the Lord, through Paul, reproves their divisions. There was so much division, and they were divided amongst themselves. They were fighting amongst themselves. Some of it was unnecessary, some of it was necessary. Sin had brought some division. One of Satan’s strategies in our day and age is to bring division among God’s people, but our Christ brings unity, and the Holy Spirit brings one mind and one accord. If we are going to be what God wants us to be, we are going to have to deal with our divisions.

Chapters 7-10

Then Paul reproves their deportment. In chapters seven, eight, nine, and ten, he deals with behavioral problems. He deals with the subject of marriage, Christian liberty, and doing things that offend weaker brothers, how we treat the man of God, lust, idolatry, fornication, and murmuring. He deals with every area of the Christian life in these chapters.

Sometimes Christ just has to do a thorough examination of every area and put His finger on things that need to be dealt with. Pause right now and ask yourself, “What is the Holy Spirit speaking to me about? What is He putting His finger on in my life right now?” That is His reproof.

Chapters 11-14

The Apostle Paul then reproves their disorders. The Corinthians were disorderly in the way they came to the Lord’s table. They have been disorderly in the way they treated each other. There were disorders in the use of the sign gift of tongues in the early church. There were disorders in their worship. And so, he says, “Bring it back in line.” Everything must be measured by the Word of God. (Read: Do You Really Believe In The Authority of the Bible?)

Chapter 15

In 1 Corinthians 15, he reproves their doctrine. People were trying to pervert the gospel. Therefore, Paul needed to return them to the basics, back to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The best way to combat error is not by debate or mere dialogue, it is by declaration. Simply preach the truth. Spurgeon believed that you do not have to defend the gospel. But it is like a caged lion; all you have to do is just let it loose. Always remember that Preaching the truth deals with error effectively. The pure gospel clarifies.

Chapter 16

The final chapter bears out Paul’s conclusion. It deals with the body – the church. Let the Lord deal with you today, not just collectively as a group, but individually. How do these chapters apply to your life? What areas need to be corrected in your heart and life?

Key Verses of 1 Corinthians

We have dealt with some negatives, but I said to you we would end with a positive. Carefully read all of 1 Corinthians 15. This is the great resurrection chapter of the Bible. And I believe the key verses of this book are 1 Corinthians 15:57-58:

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Despite every problem, every failure, and every difficulty, these Corinthians still had victory through Christ. Whatever you are dealing with today, you still have Christ, and Christ still has you.

Therefore…

I love this word, “therefore.” “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” You see, sometimes the Lord has to reprove us, but we still have the victory. We must continue to labor faithfully for the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not let the accuser of the brethren beat you down today like a club. Do not permit him to use your sins and problems against you and against the church. Instead, be reminded that Christ is the Victor and He wants to conquer in us. And the same Christ that was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead has ascended and is alive forevermore.

The same Christ Who is coming back for His church wants to rule and reign in us today. Let Him reprove, let Him correct. And then, by the grace of God, “be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,”

This is not just the message to the church at Corinth, my friend. This is the message to every Christian. And may God help you today to enjoy the journey.