1st Corinthians 1:1-3

We’re kicking off a new series this morning through the book of 1st Corinthians. Strap in because it’s going to be a longer series, taking us all the way through the Summer. This morning, before we get into the first few verses of chapter 1, I want to make sure that we all have a good grasp on the context in which this letter was written. 

Context

If you remember our journey through the book of Daniel, one thing we found to be true is that the city of Babylon where Daniel and his friends were exiled to was much like our culture in the West today. We find a similar thread when we explore the ancient city of Corinth. Corinth was an important city in the ancient world. It sat about 40 miles west of Athens on an Isthmus, a narrow piece of land joining to bigger areas. Because of this, it had 2 sea ports on either side used for import, export and trade. (Show picture of Isthmus, then picture of Paul’s journeys)

There was a large rock structure in the middle that provided a sort of defense for the city. This was called the Acrocorinthus. At the top of that rock structure sat the temple of Aphrodite who we’ll talk about in just a moment. 

Because this was such an important economic city in Greece, Jews and Gentiles alike flooded the city. There was great opportunity, and with the large population came many different ideas, pursuits, and religious practices. In the city there were at least 26 sacred places of worship, one of which being the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. At one point the temple had 1,000 prostitutes used for cult idol worship. In fact, the city had so many prostitutes that many well known Greeks in their writings, including Plato, referred to prostitutes as “Corinthians.” The Greek word “korinthiazo” means “to commit immorality.” We could probably relate much of what took place there to modern day Las Vegas, where “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Sexual immorality was so widely accepted in Corinth, that cultures around the world began to refer to sexual sinners as Corinthians.

But this wasn’t the only issue that plagued that ancient city. Here’s what one commentator says about it: “If Paul were to write a letter to the evangelical, Bible-believing churches of late twentieth century America, I believe it would be much like I Corinthians. Their world was like our world: the same thirst for intellectualism, the same permissiveness toward moral standards, the same fascination for the spectacular.” 

Corinth was “pluralistic, open-minded, religious, wealthy and progressive.” Corinth was much like the culture we find ourselves in today, especially in the west. The danger of this then, is that if we are not careful, culture can begin to influence and dictate the morality of God’s people rather than  God’s truth, THE truth, influencing and dictating the morality of God’s people. 

This is exactly where the church in Corinth found themselves. This young church was a mess. There was division, disagreement over truth and morality, and even the practical ministry of the church. If we skim through the pages of 1st Corinthians, here are some of the issues that we find Paul addressing: 

• People were divided

• Sexual immorality was being tolerated

• Believers were suing one another in court

• Confusion about God’s design for marriage and singleness

• He addresses the extent of Christian liberty. 

• He even talks about proper attire for worship services (that will be a fun one!)

We find the motivation for this letter in 1:10, and this really might be the overarching purpose, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” Paul wants them to be unified around the truth of the gospel, and so in addressing these issues, what we have in front of us is a sort of blueprint for a healthy church. How can we, as a church today, be unified around the truth of the gospel. How can we be a gospel-shaped church?

A few other notes before we jump into chapter 1. We see in Acts 18 that Paul spent 18 months in Corinth during his 2nd missionary journey, during which time he planted this church. We also see in Acts 16 that he wrote this letter from Ephesus during his 3rd missionary journey. He heard about the issues from a woman named Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11), and was so concerned that he was compelled to write this letter to help counsel this young church forward. 

Big Idea: A healthy church begins with an understanding of the privilege of belonging.

Read 1:1-3

Paul. We won’t do this on our whole journey through this book, but I want to focus on this one word, on this name, for just a minute.

(WHO WAS PAUL?)

We’re first introduced to a man named Saul in Acts chapter 7, when the young Christian Stephen is forced out of Jerusalem and stoned. As the religious leaders took off their coats to throw their stones, they laid them down at the feet of a man named Saul. Acts 8:1, “And Saul approved of his execution.” And in verse 3, “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” This is who Saul the Pharisee was. Then, on the way to Damascus to persecute some more, Jesus showed up and confronted Saul, humbling him by blinding him for 3 days. This experience completely changed Saul’s life. 

Side note: Saul didn’t become Paul. The names Saul and Paul are interchangeable. Saul is simply the Hebrew use of his name, and Paul is the Greek use. The reason we see him call himself Paul later on is because he was writing letters to churches that included many Gentile believers. 

So Saul, after his encounter with Jesus, becomes one of the most if not the most influential missionaries in the history of Christianity. He went on 4 different missionary journeys; 3 recorded in Acts and 1 alluded to in his letters. These took place over the course of about 13-14 years, and in that time Paul traveled over 10,000 miles, by boat and on foot. During that time, he planted at least 14 churches, some would say nearly 20. The point is this. He became a force for the gospel. 

One of those churches he planted was the church in Corinth, where, remember, he spent 18 months. This young church knew Paul. They knew his character. They knew his integrity. They knew his passion for Jesus. They had seen it firsthand. They had heard it from his lips. So when Paul writes this letter, and begins with, “I Paul,” it would have commanded immediate attention. But Paul knows all too well that it isn’t about him. 

“I, Paul, called by God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.” I, Paul, transformed by the gospel, called out of darkness into light, out of bondage into freedom, to be a proponent for the gospel of Jesus Christ, am writing this letter to you. I, Paul, who had nothing to do with it other than being called by God, am writing this letter to you. Paul understands his position before the Lord. But he also understands his responsibility to this young church. 

Not only Paul, but we see this man named Sosthenes. He may be the same Sosthenes from Acts 18:17, the leader of the Synagogue who was dragged out and beaten after charges were not brought against Paul. We don’t know for certain, but this is the only other mention of this man in Scripture.

And this is where it gets really important to us, because who does Paul say he is writing to? “To the church of God in Corinth.” And who is the church? “Those sanctified in Christ Jesus.” This is positional sanctification. Those who have been separated out of the world and into the family of God, whose position has changed. That is who comprises the church. But Paul takes it even further: “together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We learn here that the church is anyone who is sanctified, anyone who has, by grace, been saved through belief in and confession of the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

Paul writes this letter specifically to the church in Corinth because of what they were facing, a culture that had begun to infiltrate the church and create division amongst the believers. How can they ensure unity, and health, and the greatest kingdom impact, together? This is what Paul is answering and correcting in 1 Corinthians. 

So as we begin our journey together, our goal is to continue to establish a culture that is based in Scripture, that is God-honoring, that is gospel minded. We may not have the specific issues in this church that Paul is addressing in Corinth, but this can serve us well, to be together in protecting the mission and vision of God’s church manifested locally through this body of believers. 

Application

What Paul is claiming in these few verses for himself and for the church in Corinth is where we circle back to our big idea: A healthy church begins with an understanding of the privilege of belonging.

So what does Paul claim? 

1. We are called

This is an amazing truth. It’s also a difficult truth to wrestle with, because it leads to the question, “why does God call some and not others?” We don’t have time for that discussion this morning, However, for those who have been called, it should bring us to our knees in humility. Jesus says in John 6:44, “no one comes to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” Salvation is only possible, Jesus says, because God the Father draws men and women to Himself. Paul reiterates this in Romans when he says that “no one is righteous, and no one seeks God.” And when God calls us to Himself, we become sanctified. 

2. We are sanctified

We are separated from the world and placed into the family of God. We are pulled out of darkness into light. Our position has changed. Remember, positional sanctification. We no longer belong to the world, but we now belong to Jesus. Our status has gone from sinner to saint. 

3. We are saints

I mean it just keeps getting better. We are set apart for a purpose. This is what saint means. It’s a holy one, one set apart for a purpose. God calls us out of darkness, into light. God separates us from the world, and places us into a position of holiness. He does so, yes because He loves us and desires relationship with us, but He also does it so that we become the messengers. We become His mouthpiece for the gospel. We, collectively, as saints that make up the church have the responsibility to take the gospel to our families, our neighbors, our co-workers, to the end of the world. And the encouragement that Paul gives this church as they struggle through clarity of doctrine and unity in the midst of division is that they are not alone!

4. We are not alone

This should be a huge encouragement, individually and collectively as a church. Individually because we don’t have to fight the battle alone. We don’t have to go through this life alone. In fact, that is counter-intuitive to how the Lord created us! We are meant to live life in community. And then we look collectively, as a church family, and consider that all across the world there are millions of brothers and sisters fighting the fight of faith right alongside us. The gates of hell will not prevail against the Lord’s church. In fact, His church continues to grow! We want to be a healthy church that makes a tremendous impact in our communities, and around the world. 

And it starts with an understanding of who we are. We are called. We are sanctified. We are saints. And we are not alone.