Strengthening Christ’s Church: The Message of 1 Corinthians
Overview
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was directed to a deeply troubled church in the midst of a very challenging world. The problem was that the church was contaminated by society's sins and confused in its thinking.
If this sounds hauntingly familiar it is because it hits perilously close to home. Today's church finds herself in a frighteningly secular world, one in which paganism is aggressive and militant. Opportunities are great but the church often seems to be as contaminated and confused as the church at Corinth.
Paul's letter is a clarion call to the Christians in Corinth and to Christians today to come away from contamination and confusion to function as salt and light.
Top Highlights
“But what can a physician do when she is suffering from the very illness she is trying to treat?” (Page 11)
“The tragedy of a divided church is twofold. She fails to achieve maturity in Christ, but succeeds in achieving notoriety in the world. Paul never grew tired of insisting upon spiritual maturity as the goal for God’s people.” (Page 23)
“‘They wanted to have the blessings of the new life but hang on to the pleasures of the old.’4 Their salt had indeed lost its savour, and their light had indeed been covered.” (Page 13)
“This church was both a marvel and a mess, and Paul’s concern was to help them clean up the mess so only the marvel would be left for the godless city of Corinth to see.” (Page 13)
“ Paul’s opening verses constitute his attempt to turn their eyes away from themselves and back to their Lord.” (Pages 17–18)
- Title: Strengthening Christ’s Church: The Message of 1 Corinthians
- Author: Roger Ellsworth
- Publisher: Evangelical Press
- Series: Welwyn Commentary Series
- Publication Date: 1995
- Pages: 272