1 Corinthians 1-8 Overview

1Corinthians 1:10, 18... The unity of believers in the local assembly is to be based on the doctrine revealed in God’s Word, for it is the basis of all church life.

Remember, we are all members of the one body, the body of Christ, His Church (Ephesians 4:4-6).

God’s Word centering around the cross of Christ is God’s provision, His gift of salvation to everyone; but only those who believe in and receive Christ are saved. Those who reject it, considering it to be foolishness, are considered to be morons according to God (Psalm 14:1), “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

1Corinthians 2:1-5, 11-16... This is so awesome! Paul started the church in Corinth and he taught them for 18 months; his priority of teaching to unbelievers was Jesus Christ, crucified, for until a person hears and believes this message there is nothing more important we can share with them, for it alone is the power of God for salvation.

We are commissioned by God to share the message of the Savior who died for sinners; we aren’t to use trickery or persuasive words in order to deceive people or to try and manipulate their emotions (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

As Christians we have been given God’s Spirit, we are therefore equipped and expected to appraise and make judgements about all things, for we have the mind [understanding] of of the Lord (Isaiah 40:13-14); we are able to know the very thoughts of God.

1Corinthians 3:1-3... We come into God’s family as newborn babies, and we must be nurtured and cared for, in order that we grow up and mature by first feeding upon the milk of God’s Word, understanding the simple truths found in a passage; but as we grow up we are able to discern the meatier deeper doctrines of a passage.

Selfishness is a sign of infancy, a lack of maturity that causes carnality and subsequent divisions within the family of believers, the body of Christ.

1Corinthians 4:1-4... We are servants [under rowers] of Christ, we are also stewards [house managers] of all that belongs to God; most importantly this is speaking of the “mysteries” of God, i.e., divine revelation from God that had previously been hidden or unknown, but is now revealed to the people of God, in order that we might understand and proclaim the sovereign truths and supernatural wisdom of God’s Word.

More than that, we are witnesses of the marvelous gospel and image bearers of the example of Christ, and our concern is not for how others may perceive or judge our words and deeds, but we desire to please the Lord, for ultimately it is His evaluation of us that matters.

1Corinthians 5:1-5, 9-13... As God’s servants and ministers of the gospel of Christ, we must not allow sin to go unchecked within the local church; sin must be exposed and turned away from, for the honor of God.

If anyone claims Christ and continues in a pattern of sin, unwilling to repent and turn away from it, that person must be removed from the local assembly of believers.

1Corinthians 6:1-8, 20... As Christians, we are one family, and we should therefore settle our affairs and accounts within that family. Paul reminds us (v. 2), that Christians will judge the world, i.e., we have the mind of Christ and the wisdom of God and we should be able to settle matters within the church.

It is shameful to drag our problems before the court of unbelievers, for they do not have God’s Spirit in them and they do not know God’s wisdom; in fact, that we even have lawsuits with our brothers and sisters in Christ is dishonoring to God. We would be better off (v. 7) to suffer financial loss ourselves then to bring these problems before the unbelieving courts; after all (v. 20), if you claim Christ as Lord & Savior, you belong to Him and your purpose is to serve Him, not yourself.

1Corinthians 7:10-16... At the very beginning of creation God made a man and a woman, and God blessed them and ordained that they would be [one flesh] husband and wife, committed to each other as servants and stewards over God’s creation and they were to have and raise children to know and to obey God’s commands.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

Marriage is very important to God (Hebrews 13:4), “Marriage is to be held in honor among all.” In fact, the marriage between a man and a woman is to symbolize the relationship we as believers have with God through Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33).

God’s plan never included divorce, for a marriage was to remain unbroken and undefiled during our tenure on earth (Matthew 19:4-9). God does allow divorce when an unbelieving spouse wants to leave, but a believing spouse should not initiate the dissolution of a marriage, for it is God’s desire that the unbeliever come to Christ through the witness of the believing spouse.

1Corinthians 8:4, 8-9... As we live out our lives for Christ, participating in a local assembly of believers, we need to understand and maintain a proper balance in reference to our liberties and freedoms, remembering that we belong to the Lord (cf. 1Corinthians 6:12-20).

Colossians 2:13-17, “When you were dead in your sins... God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations... nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

See Romans 14-15:6. The message to all Christians is that we are members of God’s family, brothers and sisters in Christ, servants of the Lord; and we have God’s presence, provision, protection, and power through the Word of God, that we might bring honor to God, blessings to God’s people, and the message of salvation to the lost.

And all God’s children said, Amen!