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Ask God: Paul has a beautiful message for the Corinthian Church and for us today. Let us give glory to God as we study Paul's First Letter to the Corinthian Believers.

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Good Evening Reader,

I hope you had a good week. Today we will study parts of Paul's letter to the Corinthians. As you read compare the Corinthian Church to our Church today.

Know that God is with you always!

All Glory to God.

Elvin

A Study of First Corinthians

A study of the book of First Corinthians is essential for every believer because it addresses real-life issues within the church and Christian living.

Paul writes to a divided and morally struggling church in Corinth, offering Spirit-led guidance on unity, purity, love, worship, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection. This epistle teaches believers how to live out the gospel in a broken world while maintaining holiness and love.

It reminds us that Christ is the foundation of the church (1 Cor. 3:11)—and that love is the greatest virtue (1 Cor. 13:13). By studying it, believers learn to value godly wisdom over worldly thinking, confront sin with truth and grace, and use their gifts for the edification of the church.

Paul intends to be both corrective and encouraging, offering a blueprint for spiritual maturity and church health. First Corinthians equips believers to reflect Christ in behavior, relationships, and worship, strengthening both personal faith and community life.

Paul, the Author of First Corinthians

The Apostle Paul, a former persecutor turned passionate servant of Christ, wrote First Corinthians around 55 AD during his third missionary journey, likely from Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8). Paul wrote, "I will be staying here in Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost."

Paul first established the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey, around 50–51 AD (Acts 18:1–18), where he stayed for 18 months (Verse 11). He developed a close, pastoral relationship with the believers, viewing them as his spiritual children.

However, after his departure, divisions and immorality arose. Paul wrote First Corinthians to correct these problems, answer questions they had sent him (1 Cor. 7:1), and guide them toward unity, holiness, and love. The letter confronts worldly influences that had crept into the church and re-centers them on Christ.

Believers today should study this letter to learn how to live faithfully in a morally compromised culture, how to resolve conflicts biblically, and how to reflect Christ's character in every aspect of life and worship.

The City of Corinth

At the time of Paul, Corinth was a wealthy, influential city in southern Greece, strategically located on a narrow isthmus between two major ports. This location made it a bustling center of commerce, culture, and travel.

Its population was diverse—Greeks, Romans, Jews, and travelers from across the empire—bringing with them varied customs, philosophies, and religions. Corinth was known for its athletic games, grand architecture, and many debates.

However, it also had a reputation for moral corruption and sexual immorality. The city housed the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, where temple prostitution was part of pagan worship. Paul observed that their worship of "so-called gods" led to widespread spiritual confusion (1 Cor. 8:5).

Yet amid this darkness, the gospel took root. Paul saw both potential and danger in Corinth. The believers were gifted and "did not lack any spiritual gift" (1 Cor. 1:7), but they were immature and divided. First Cor. 3:1–4 says, "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ."

Studying Corinth helps believers compare and contrast living in prosperous America with the wealthy city of Corinth. Many of the challenges the believers faced in Corinth are challenges we face today.

Compare believers living in wealthy America with those living in wealthy Corinth.

Believers in wealthy America today face challenges similar to those of believers in ancient Corinth. Both live in prosperous, diverse, and morally complex societies, surrounded by materialism, entertainment, and a blend of worldviews.

Corinthian Christians struggled with pride, division, and immorality despite their spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 1:5–7; 1 Cor. 5:1), much like many American believers today who face temptations of comfort, individualism, and compromise. Paul warned the Corinthians not to conform to the world but to live as sanctified people in Christ (1 Cor. 6:19–20; 1 Cor. 1:2). Human nature in individuals changes little unless God is involved.

Similarly, American Christians are called to "not love the world" (1 John 2:15) and to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Rom. 12:2). Both groups must guard against letting wealth dull their dependence on God (1 Tim. 6:17–19).

The contrast highlights the timeless need for believers to live holy, unified lives that reflect Christ in affluent and morally confused cultures.

Paul's Greeting to the Corinthians

"1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.

² I am writing to God's church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord, and ours.

³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace" (1 Corinthians 1:1-4).

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​What does Paul's greeting tell us about Paul and the people of Corinth? As Paul does in his letters, he identifies himself as "chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus." He is straightforward about who he is in Christ and who put him in his position as an apostle.

Then Paul—specially—identifies the intended recipient of his letter. "I am writing to God's church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people" (Verse 2).

Throughout the rest of Paul's letter, it is evident that he is writing to believers, not non-believers. Sometimes, when reading Paul's words, it is easy to think Paul is speaking to non-believers, but no, he is addressing the church.

Why This is Important?

It is crucial to remember that Paul is writing to believers. This context shapes the tone, expectations, and corrections throughout the letter. Paul addresses the church of God in Corinth—those "sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints" (1 Cor. 1:2).

His rebukes regarding immorality, division, and the misuse of spiritual gifts are not directed at the world, but at those within the body of Christ. This highlights that even believers can fall into sin, immaturity, and confusion when they stray from God's Word.

Paul's purpose is not condemnation but correction and restoration (1 Cor. 4:14). He reminds them—and us—that God's people are to live differently, in holiness and unity (1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Cor. 12:27).

Understanding this helps believers today examine their own walk and recognize that being saved doesn't exempt us from accountability, but calls us to greater responsibility and spiritual maturity.

Reminders are Good

Christians need to be regularly reminded of who they are in Christ, because their identity shapes their behavior. When believers forget they are a "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17), they are more prone to conform to the world (Rom. 12:2) rather than live set apart for God.

Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were "washed, sanctified, and justified" (1 Cor. 6:11) to encourage them to holy living amidst a corrupt culture. Knowing we are adopted children of God (Eph. 1:5), temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), and co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17) strengthens us to resist temptation and live with purpose. Identity in Christ brings assurance, stability, and a sense of mission.

In a world full of shifting values and identity confusion, remembering who we are in Christ anchors us in truth and empowers us to walk in love, righteousness, and confidence as ambassadors for the Kingdom (2 Cor. 5:20).

Elvin

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Paul's Second Missionary Journey.

Ask God For Help

Christian faith

Reader,

Hosea said his people were destroyed for lack of knowledge. Knowledge give believers and non-believers a choice. When a person does not know, they cannot choose.

Feel free to forward this lesson to your friends and family.

Grow in the knowledge of God.

Elvin

Send your comments to elvin.aycock@AskGodForHelp.net and let me know what you think of the lessons.

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