1 Corinthians1 Corinthians

Practical Lessons on Unity

Thessalonica

Philippi

Athens

Corinth

Corinth

CorinthCorinth

• A smelting pot of many peoples.• Pagan cults.• Immorality.• Church plagued by division.• Divorce• Trend to glorify the scientific and

philosophical and to ridicule the spiritual.• The role of men and women in the church.• Questions of the uses and misuses of the

spiritual gifts.

Chapters 1-6 Chapters 7-10 Chapters 11-16

Unity Questions ErrorsProblem of DivisionsNeed for UnityNecessary Divisions

Single & MarriedMeat and Idols

Women & WorshipLord’s SupperGiftsResurrection

1 Corinthians 1:10-111 Corinthians 1:10-11

10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.

I am of Paul I am of Apollos

I am of Cephas I am of Christ

1 Corinthians 1:14-161 Corinthians 1:14-16

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 that no man should say you were baptized in my name.

16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

1 Corinthians 1:17-181 Corinthians 1:17-18

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void.

18 For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Unbeliever BelieverSees the message of the cross as

foolishness.Sees the message of the cross as the

power of God.

Those who are perishing (1:18). Those who are being saved (1:18).

Tried to come to know God through his wisdom (1:21).

Came to know God by the preaching of the cross (1:21).

The Jews ask for a sign and the Greeks search for wisdom (1:22).

But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to

Gentiles foolishness (1:23).

The wisdom of men (2:5). The wisdom of God (2:5).

We have not received the spirit of the world (2:12).

We have received the spirit of God (2:12).

The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God

(2:14).

But he who is spiritual appraises all things (2:15).

BelieverBeliever And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men… (3:1)

UnbelieverUnbeliever…but as to men of

flesh, as to babes in Christ. (3:1).

I gave you milk to drink… (3:2)

…not solid food (3:2)

Servants through whom you believed, Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each even as the Lord gave opportunity to each

one (3:5)one (3:5)

What is Apollos?

What is Paul?

PaulPlanted

ApollosWatered

God was causing the growth (3:5)God was causing the growth (3:5)

1 Corinthians 3:1-9 1 Corinthians 3:9-17

Analogy of Farming Analogy of Building

God’s field (3:9). God’s building (3:9).

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it.

11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (3:10-11).

1 Corinthians 3:12-151 Corinthians 3:12-15 12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.

14 If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.

1 Corinthians 3:12-151 Corinthians 3:12-15 16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

5:1-13 6:1-11 6:12-20Sexual misconduct that calls for church discipline

Legal lawsuits that call for church oversight

Lustful temptations that call for a connective reminder

Unity broken by sin.

Unity threatened by disagreements.

Unity shared in Christ.

Christians in CorinthChristians in Corinth

Those who felt it was wrong to eat

Those who felt it was okay to eat

They did not eat, but were troubled by those who did

They ate in spite of

thinking it was wrong and their

conscience was

troubled

They ate without

regard to the feelings

of others

They limited their liberty

from concern for

other brothers

8:1 9:1 9:15

A call to limit liberty for the sake of the weaker brother

An example of this type of limited liberty seen in Paul’s limitation of his liberty to be paid in the ministry

Paul has the right to be paid in ministry

Paul has limited his liberty for the sake of the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 9:24-251 Corinthians 9:24-25 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

1 Corinthians 9:26-271 Corinthians 9:26-27 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were… (10:1)

• All under the cloud• All passed through the sea• All were baptized into Moses in the

cloud and in the sea• All ate the same spiritual food• All drank the same spiritual drink

Nevertheless, with most of them God was Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in not well-pleased; for they were laid low in

the wilderness (10:5).the wilderness (10:5).

1 Corinthians 10:11-131 Corinthians 10:11-13 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

Chapters 1-6 Chapters 7-10 Chapters 11-16

Unity Questions ErrorsProblem of DivisionsNeed for UnityNecessary Divisions

Single & MarriedMeat and Idols

Women & WorshipLord’s SupperGiftsResurrection

Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14Paul teaches that there are

many different gifts, but that each are no

less a part of the body

Paul points out that having and

exhibiting various gifts is not nearly so important as having love

Paul deals with the specific issue

of the use of tongues in the

church and how it is better to do

that which edifies others

The ResurrectionThe Resurrection

• Christ rose from the dead• We will also rise from the dead

15:35 15:36 15:45 15:50Two questions Three Answers: The Resurrection Body is...

• How raised?• What body?

Illustrated in nature

Necessary from the Old Testament

Experienced at the coming of Christ