INTRODUCTION:
Corinth was a rich commercial city, influenced by many false gods.
Paul first visited there around 50ad on his 2nd mission journey, and stayed there 18 months.
(See Acts 18:1-8)

Corinth was a very corrupt town.
The great temple of Aphrodite was there, with 1,000 plus prostitutes.
There were also many taverns.

After Paul had left Corinth, he had written a letter to the church there (See 1Corinthians 5:9).
However, this letter has never been recovered.

In that letter, Paul had given some instructions about how to live in the church.
Later, Paul heard that the church was having difficulty with some of these things, and
were having other difficulties.
For instance, they were having "divisions" in the church (See 1Corinthians 1:11).
And, there was immorality in the church (See 1Corinthians 5, and 1Corinthians 6:9-20).

So, when Paul was in Ephesus (around 56ad), he wrote this letter which we call 1Corinthians.
There were other questions and misunderstandings which Paul addressed in this letter.
Questions concerning: food, worship, marriage, and the resurrection.

CHAPTER 1

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

On the Road to Damascus, with letters to arrest Christian Jews, Paul met Jesus (See Acts 9).
There, his life was dramatically and radically CHANGED!
His name was changed from Saul (Jewish) to Paul (Roman-Latin).
His mission in life was changed to being "a chosen vessel unto me (Jesus), to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:"(Acts 9:15)
Therefore, he was and is known as an "apostle," one who is commissioned and sent by the Lord, and
one who has had a personal meeting with the Lord.

Note that Paul had with him "Sosthenes" whom he calls "our brother."
This Sosthenes is possibly the "chief ruler of the synagogue" from Acts 18:17.

Paul calls those who are truly saved "sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours..."
Every person who is truly saved is:
sanctified by and in Christ Jesus;
called to be saints (hagios) -- sacred, consecrated or set apart by the Lord;
and calling upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord Who is the Lord of all truly saved, regardless of national origin!

3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace comes from the Greek charis, and means favor, benefit, or (and) joy.

Paul is obviously imparting a desire that God will exhibit divine favor upon them.

He also desires they have "peace".
That word comes from the Greek eirene, and means rest or being at one with God through Christ.

Paul's desire is that God, through the Lord Jesus, would impart both favor and rest.

4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 4
The "grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ" is SALVATION!
That charis (grace), which is given by Jesus Christ is God's divine favor which calls us to
repentance and surrender to Jesus as Lord.
That grace is given by and through what Jesus accomplished at Calvary.
There, He paid the sin-debt you and I owe God.
There, He made atonement (at one ment) for you and me.

The grace of salvation is offered to ALL!
Upon willing receipt of that grace, a person repents from sin, turns toward Jesus and pleads
for forgiveness.

Certainly, we must THANK God for that grace offered, and that grace received in any person!
BECAUSE ----

Verse 5
When God's grace is received, then we are "enriched by Him" in everything!
God's Holy Spirit takes up residence in the person who surrenders to Jesus as Lord.
Through the gift of His Holy Spirit indwelling the saved person, we gain access to the understanding of
God's Word - the Bible. ( John 14:26)
Not only does He teach us the Bible so we can understand, but He also helps us to REMEMBER what He's taught us!

Verse 6
When a person receives God's salvation through Christ, they are quite WILLING to give "testimony" to that fact!
It was, and is, the blood of God in Christ that saves sinners from eternal condemnation!
It is the testimony of every Christian!
It is THIS testimony that overcomes the devil and all his ploys!! (See Revelation 12:11)
Verse 7
The truly saved Christian possesses ALL the gifts of God which determine and prompt FAITH.
Faith is the ability to cling to Christ in all circumstances!
A truly saved person possesses: peace with God, knowledge and wisdom through the Scriptures,
a genuine expectation of Christ's return, and final declaration of NOT GUILTY at judgment day.
But WAIT!
There's MORE!
SO MUCH more:
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,
and a willing crucifiction (or death to) the affections and lust of the flesh! ( Galatians 5:22-24)

Verse 8
The gift of salvation through Christ Jesus also provides CONFIRMATION of that salvation!
*Isaiah 30:21 says,
"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand,
and when ye turn to the left.
*Philippians 1:6 says,
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
*1Peter 1:5 says,
"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time."

YES!
We are KEPT!
God CONTINUES to perform the miracle of salvation IN us!
He is ever faithful!

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

If a person is truly called by God to salvation, he/she will KNOW it!
If a person genuinely surrenders to Christ as Lord, he/she will SHOW it!

God makes it so!
He is FAITHFUL!

God will never let you down!
And, God will never let you go!

Now, may I pause for a moment and ask you a question?
If you died TODAY, are you absolutely CERTAIN that you would go to be with Jesus?
God WANTS you to KNOW!!

*John 20:31 says,
"But these are written, that ye might believe (Gk pisteuo place trust in the fact) that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
*1John 5:13 says,
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God;
that ye may know (Gk eido be aware of, perceive, understand) that ye have eternal life,
and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

If you have truly surrendered your life to Christ, then you KNOW that you have salvation!
If you DON'T KNOW for certain, DO IT NOW!!
Go here: LINK TO JESUS FOR REAL LIFE

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Paul had heard there were "contentions" (arguments, strife) among the people in the church.
It was not hearsay, or rumor.
It was FACT!

And notice, Paul did not mind mentioning the source of the fact!

This is a good test for hearsay, or rumors; what we normally call GOSSIP!
FIRST, is it FACT?
SECOND, can it be backed up with a reputable SOURCE?
If neither of those can be shown -- it's just GOSSIP!!

BECAUSE

Here are some more verses which refer to the SIN of gossip:
Proverbs 20:19,
Ephesians 4:29,
James 1:26,
Exodus 20:16.

Paul pleads with them in brotherly love, and "by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ".
His plea is that they will PUT AWAY the divisions and come TOGETHER in ONE mind...
That being the "mind of Christ" (See 1Corinthians 2:16).

Jesus is the Head of the church!
NOT some eloquent philosopher - a point which Paul elaborates one in verses 17-31 of this same chapter.

If we do not study the Bible, we cannot HAVE the "mind of Christ!"
And, if we do not have the mind of Christ, we cannot be ALL of the SAME mind!

You did not "sign on" as a Christian to be a MASTER!
You signed on to be a SERVANT!

We can disagree on many things, and yet be of the same mind of love BECAUSE,
we are given to Christ as LORD!

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

Some of the people in the church at Corinth had identified themselves with a name.
They developed factions in the church according to a presupposed doctrinal issue.

Paul had ministered to the church there in Corinth about 18 months.
He probably had lead many of them to Christ.
And, in particular, he probably led many Gentiles to Christ.
Some, no doubt, would identify with Paul.

Paul was God's apostle to the Gentiles, as mentioned before. (See Acts 9:15)
Apollos had followed Paul there at Corinth, and was a very eloquent speaker.
Some, no doubt would identify with Apollos.

Peter may, or may not have, visited that church.
But he was very prominent in areas around Corinth as Christian Jew.
Some, no doubt would identify with Peter.

Now, some would determine they were BETTER than the other factions and say they were aligned only with Christ!

Just this morning, my pastor (Warren Maxwell) touched on this subject.
They were more concerned with DIGNITY than with the DIETY of Christ!

Even today, we have many factions in churches.
Some identify with one great teacher, some identify with another.

This causes DIVISIONS in the church, and DOES NOT promote salvation through Christ!

17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

ANY preacher or evangelist SHOULD BE sent by CHRIST!
Thus, he is not there to start a faction, but to "preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."

Let it be known, that any who would begin a faction in his own name DID NOT come from Christ!!
BECAUSE ---

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

The preaching of the cross is the "power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth..." (Rom. 1:16).

To those who refuse the Gospel, that preaching seems foolish.
But, to those who receive the Gospel, it becomes "the power of God" moving in the soul!

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

In verse 19 above, Paul is loosely quoting Isaiah 29:14. (See here Isaiah 29:14)

God has indeed made "foolish the wisdom of the world."
If a person has the greatest intellect in the world, what will it accomplish for his eternal soul if he knows not Jesus?
Matthew 16:26)

Men may call the preaching of the Gospel foolishness.
But it is by that preaching, and the interaction of God's Holy Spirit that men are SAVED!
And, it is GOD Who designed that preaching!
REMEMBER, God is OMNISCIENT - all knowing -- all wise!
He is PREEMMINENT above and beyond ALL men!

Yet, God, in infinite wisdom, designed the simplicity of preaching the Gospel whereby men are SAVED!

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The Jews requested a "sign" from Jesus many times.
It was a manner by which they lived concerning someone who said they were a prophet.
They would decline to believe unless they saw a sign or miracle.
See Matthew 12:38,
Mark 8:11,
Luke 11:16.

It was also characteristic of the Greeks (and that may refer to all Gentiles) they wanted some elevated philosophy.
If it weren't highly intellectual, they wanted no part of it.

Let me just say at this point:
* Jesus DID provide MANY signs and miracles.
He healed lepers, blind people, lame people, and even called the dead out of the grave to live again!
But, they STILL wouldn't listen!
* And, Jesus' speeches were highly intellectual.
Though He used common and everyday examples, His preaching was still beyond their comprehension.
Which intellectual would use an example like a mustard seed to teach growth in faith?

Yes, "the weakness of God is stronger than men!"
In His weakness because of love, Jesus came and died for sinners such as you and me!
BUT -- HE LIVES!!
Even in His "weakness," He conquered death!
PRAISE GOD!
WHAT A SAVIOR!

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Not many who are "mighty, ... noble, are called".
WHY!
Because they're more concerned with their dignity than with God's DIETY!

Concerning verse 27, how does a seed produce a plant?
The scientist and botanist say, "It GERMINATES."
Well, HOW?
Scientist want to talk about the warmth of the earth, the fertility of the soil, etc.
But HOW does that make a seed germinate?
What?
No answer?
The foolish weak things of earth CONFOUND the wise!!

Someone might ask, where did the universe originate?
The scientist will explain, "Well, these 3 particles rubbed together and an explosion took place."
Question: From WHERE did the 3 particles originate?
WHAT?
No answer?
The foolish weak things of earth CONFOUND the wise!!

The reason?
God's DIETY!!
He SPOKE and it happened!!
And, He speaks today!
THAT'S why it happens!

Deuteronomy 8:3.
Matthew 8:4.

NO flesh will EVER glory of self in the presence of God!!
It's not about our dignity!
It's about humility in the presence of God's DIETY!

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Christian, you are not saved because of someone else.
You are saved by God's grace through Christ Jesus, and
by the grace that brought you that offer of salvation through His sacrifice.

Any wisdom you may have, is due to the indwelling presence of Christ by His Holy Spirit.
Any sanctification you may have is because Christ ransomed you in His blood.
Any redemption that you have is because of His matchless love!

So, if we seek to glory (rejoice or boast), let us "glory in the Lord", and
give HIM all the glory!!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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