The Apostle Paul's
relationship with the Christians in the cosmopolitan and spiritually corrupt
city of Corinth was both prolong and complex.
He knew them well, having visited them a few times on his travels, on
one occasion staying for some 18 months. And when he wasn't with them, he was
writing to them often: 1 and 2
Corinthians are not the only letters he wrote but the only ones we have. Paul
would look back to his times in Corinth with deep affection both for the blessings he experienced as he preached the
Gospel and trained up the young converts in the faith, and also for ways that
the Church had been a true encouragement to him in times of his own spiritual discouragement and depression.
However, they also
broke his heart. Maybe it was just that
living in such a pagan and tempting place the Corinthian Christians found it
difficult to maintain any momentum of spiritual growth. But whatever the reasons,
in his letters Paul has to repeatedly deal with the pastoral problems that
arose because of their childish behaviour, their worldly thinking, and their
failure to live out the Gospel. The opening verses of the letter set the tone
for the rest: he writes to those who,
through the Gospel have already been "sanctified
(that is, made holy, cleansed, set apart for God - through faith in the Gospel)
in Christ Jesus, called to be saints
(holy ones)" (1 Cor 1:2). Paul is convinced of the reality of their
Christian faith (v4-9). However, becoming a Christian is just the
beginning. Having been saved by grace in
the past, they now need to show that they are being saved in the present, with
their old sinful ways and patterns of life being increasingly left behind. Paul is saying: God
has saved you and made you holy to Himself; now live that saintly holiness out
in your relationships among the fellowship and before a watching, unbelieving
world (see 1 Cor 14:24-25).
But their expected
spiritual maturing wasn't happening. The
church was cliquish, divisively so; they
need to unify again around the Gospel, not spiritual personalities (1 Cor 1:10-17).
They had not learned a necessary, early lesson (especially relevant in their
Greek context) that the Christian message does not depend or thrive on 'worldly
wisdom' (v17-21), that is human ingenuity or resourcefulness; but upon faith or
dependence in God's wisdom which, unexpectedly centres upon a crucified
Saviour (v18-25), God's ways, which cut across toxic human pride (v26-31), and
the ministry of the Holy Spirit, through which God's purposes are accomplished,
His Kingdom extended and lives are changed (2:1-16). Without the work of the Spirit, God's
servants cannot minister effectively, nor are those listening able to
understand, appreciate, welcome and believe what the messengers are saying
(v12-14). But the Corinthian Christians
were too 'unspiritual' (v14) to accept that.
They need to embrace the 'mind of Christ' (v16).
If they did, they
would see that Christian leadership is not rallying around those with the most
impressive talents and gifts (3:1-4), but an acknowledgement that leaders are
simply God's instruments given to His people to help and encourage them to grow
in spiritual maturity and usefulness as they build their lives on Jesus, the
only sure foundation (v5-10). Growth and
blessing is what God gives and is not a sign of the leader's
super-spirituality.
And here's where the
urgency and importance of this is recognised: how we live out our faith will be
tested by the Lord (v12-13). The true
nature or quality of our labour for the Lord will be displayed for all to see. It will not be a matter of our success, or
effectiveness, our popularity or what others think. Will what we have done for
the Lord be seen to have been accomplished in our own strength and wisdom for
our own reputation (wood, hay, straw) or
in dependence upon God's Spirit for His glory (gold,
silver, precious stones)? If we are truly the Lord's, we will be saved; but our life's ministry, if not built upon Christ - in whatever role we served
- may not survive (v14-15).
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