Devotional guide 1 Corinthians #2: 1 Cor 3-6

Monday: Read 1 Cor 3:16-23

As we mentioned in our last study, 1 Corinthians 3:5-4:17 is Paul’s longest discussion on leadership and how the members relate.

In 3:16 he continues with, “Do you not know? (16). This question/phrase occurs 10x in the letter. With it, Paul implies that they have not really considered the implications of their actions.

What is it that they haven’t considered? That they are the temple of God and that the Spirit dwells in them (16-17). Paul is arguing that they cannot destroy the Temple of God with their jealousy and their arguing.

Paul concludes that no one should boast in others (21)—some of them, of course, were boasting in their great orators and demanding that Paul become one of them.

Questions to ponder/discuss:

• I suppose that this lesson if followed would resolve thousands of church conflicts. Sadly, too many have failed to heed this charge.
• Now that we have addressed others, let’s look at ourselves. Have we been partakers of dissension in the church and thus degrading the temple of God?
• This does not mean that we cannot argue or debate in the Church. After all, Paul is doing just that. The primary context of this passage is the Corinthians’ desire to be able to boast about their great speakers and the presentation of the Gospel. Paul is using his authority as an apostle to say, “nope, we don’t do that. And those who disagree with me are trying to divide the temple of God.” This doesn’t help us, though, because we don’t have an apostle to authoritatively make pronouncements. In light of all this, what are some things we can do to help resolve conflicts (or not cont in our churches?

Tuesday: Read 1 Cor 4:1-17

This chapter is steeped in the conflict between the Corinthians and Paul. The problem continued because many in the church in Corinth were not listening to Paul. They denied that he was a legitimate apostle.

Paul’s address here continues the desire of some in Corinth to judge Paul by worldly standards. For them, Paul was not meeting the expectations of how speeches were to be given.

Paul’s response is that he should be judged by whether or not he was faithful to his mission (2). After all, it is God who judges him (4).

Paul is very sarcastic in the passage (8-13). His point is simple: if we boast, it should be in the Lord. He adds that to do the Lord’s work will result in suffering. When suffering comes, Paul says they “bless” and they “endure” (12).

Questions to ponder/discuss:

• Some of the Corinthians wanted Paul to be more polished in his presentation. To use humor and ridicule and other forms of accepted practices in speaking that would elicit a response. In other words, they wanted Paul to look good: someone they could be proud of and boast about. Paul, as we have seen, says that this undermines the very Gospel that he is preaching.
• This does not mean that we cannot aim to be relevant with our message. In other words, when we preach in a foreign country or another culture we need to know the people. If one were preaching to a younger generation one would need to know the TikTok world. Paul is simply saying that we are not going to dress up the message in order to make it look good according to the standards of the world.
• There are many today who advocate for the mega-church model. Such a model certainly has its advantages. There is no question that well-resourced churches can do many things in a community. The question here (and I am only raising it as a question) is: does such a model correspond with what Paul is criticizing in the early part of 1 Corinthians? What are your thoughts?
• What do you think of Paul’s exhortation to “be imitators of me” (16)? Though it may come across as boastful, we must look at the context of what Paul is telling them to imitate: namely, he is hungry and thirsty, and homeless (11); he is persecuted and slandered (12-13), and he is the “scum” of the earth (13). I don’t think Paul is boasting when he says to imitate me.
• Is your walk with Christ something that you would encourage others to “imitate”? Should we be able to say this?

Wednesday: Read 1 Cor 4:18-5:13

1 Cor 4:18 begins a long discussion (4:18-7:40) on immorality and holiness in the Corinthian church and Paul’s exhortation for them to glorify God with their bodies. In 4:18-6:20, Paul deals with sexual immorality and addresses it negatively. In 7:1-40, Paul addresses it positively.

In 5:1-13, we have reached one of the most incredulous statements in all of Paul’s letters. One of the members has taken his stepmother for his wife (often men married younger women, so it is conceivable that the woman was the same age as the man). The church’s response was to be proud of him (2). Paul says they should be grieved (2). The man was likely a powerful elite. That nothing is said about the woman suggests she was not a part of the church.

We assume that the problems discussed here have already been addressed by Paul to the Corinthians. Paul’s response is that the man should be removed from the church (2-5, 13). For Paul, his removal would be both for the good of the community and for his own good.

Paul’s “handing him over to Satan” (5) means that the man should be removed from the fellowship of the Church and back into the world—the domain of Satan: i.e., the domain where Satan reigns. This would be for the man’s well-being. After all, maybe then he will realize the gravity of what he is doing.

Such an action would also be for the well-being of the Church. This is because “a little leaven leavens the whole batch” (6). What Paul means by this is that if they allow this man’s evil influences to remain it will corrupt the whole of the work that the Church is trying to accomplish.

Questions to ponder/discuss:

• Church discipline is an explosive topic and one that we have not done well.. Some churches do not do any discipline. Others way too much! My first thought is that it should always be done in love and humility. What are your thoughts?
• (I suspect that I am going to be misunderstood here. But space only allows me to say so much). I would note that disciplining a young woman because she became pregnant is probably not what the Church should be doing. Sure, some should come alongside her and counsel, but this must be done in love. I suspect that in most instances it should not be to condemn her. She probably feels bad enough. And if they want to condemn her, I suggest that they should probably condemn all the rest in their church that are sexually immoral too! Instead, the church should be a resource of support for her. She likely fears her future. There are many who have done this well. And many more that have not! I suppose that the lack of unity in the church today makes church discipline almost impossible.
• We must recall that Paul was talking about a person who was flaunting his sin and gaining the approval of some.

Thursday: Read 1 Cor 6:1-11

Paul now addresses lawsuits among believers (1). Paul’s answer is that “we will judge the world” (2). The theology behind Paul’s refusal to allow secular courts to decide between matters of believers is often overlooked. The principle is that we are called to image God by ruling (Gen 1:26-28) over creation. We are to serve as kings/queens in His kingdom (Luke 22:29-30; Rev 1:6; 5:10).

The basic principle is that we should allow ourselves to be wronged by another instead of taking the matter to a secular authority. But this must be qualified.

Paul’s answer here is to allow ourselves to be wronged rather than to allow members of the church to be brought before secular authorities. Paul doesn’t deny the need for justice and the desire to seek a just resolution. He offers the option of having someone from the church decide the case (5).

Paul explains that those who inherit the kingdom of God are those who suffer righteously and do not seek justice against a brother or sister in secular courts.

Questions to ponder/discuss:

• Not that what Paul says here is hard to apply in our modern contexts. The Roman world was simply much different than many of our contexts.
• Read Luke 22:29-30, Rev 1:6, and 5:10. To rule in Christ’s kingdom mean to rule as He rules. What do you think it means to rule as He rules? Note: Mark 8:34.
• It is sad that Christians read 1 Cor 6:9-10 as though it were a weapon. Many Christians look at this list in order to judge who is in the church and who is not. And then they begin condemning those who are not—especially homosexuals. Paul, however, is writing to the church about the church. He is saying that when we do these things we are not living in accord with the kingdom to which we have been saved. To use this list to condemn others is hypocritical because every one of us is guilty of coveting: and Paul says those who covet are condemned (10).
• Paul’s reason for listing the sins here (9-10: note there are “10” of them) is because that is what they were permitting (see 5:1-13). His answer is that “you used to be this way also.” What Paul means here is likely that their way of life used to be characterized by these things. But now they have been “sanctified” (11). That is, their life is no longer characterized by these things.

Friday: Read 1 Cor 6:12-20

This passage is difficult. The problem is that Paul appears to be quoting some in the Corinthian church that we causing the trouble, and then responding to them. But it is hard to know what sayings are quotes from them and which are Paul’s. The context is still the sexual immorality that was the focus in 5:1-13. This is evident because Paul now appeals to marriage as it was instituted in Gen 2:24 (16).

It appears that some in Corinth were saying that their acts of sexual immorality (or perhaps the one man’s immorality in 5:1-13) were acceptable or “lawful” (12)—the “everything is lawful for me” was probably something they were saying. Paul counters by saying that even if this were true, this would not make it profitable (12); nor is Paul willing to be enslaved by anything (12).

Paul, then, goes on to say, in what is effectively his summary point of the whole passage that began in 4:18: “and it is not true,” therefore, we must flee immorality (18) because we are the temple of God (19).

Questions to ponder/discuss:

• There is a lot here. Certainly, this passage warns anyone in the church about the danger of habitual sins. If you are struggling with sin, seek out someone who can help counsel and guide you through and out of it.
• In addition, we must be careful about assuming that we are “in the clear” because we go to church, pray, and do all that religious stuff. There is a zeal for holiness that must accompany our walk with Christ. After all, we are the temple of God (19-20).
• What do you think it means to “glorify God with your body” (20)?

[1] This guide is meant to be done either as a group study over the course of 2 or 4 meetings (Day 1-5; 6-10; 11-15; 16-20) or as a private devotion over the course of 4 weeks (or a calendar month—5 lessons per week).