1 CORINTHIANS

"I follow Paul," "I follow Apollos"

Paul begins by addressing the primary problem: divisions. The Corinthians were forming factions around their favorite Christian leaders, treating them like rival philosophers or celebrities. "I follow Paul," one would say. Another, "I follow Apollos." They were evaluating leaders based on worldly standards of wisdom and eloquence. Paul’s response is to demolish this pride by pointing them to the cross.

The gospel is not a message of human wisdom or power; it is a message about a crucified Messiah, which looked like foolishness to the Greeks and weakness to the Jews. By glorying in human leaders, the Corinthians were abandoning the very heart of their faith. Paul reminds them that he, Apollos, and Peter are just servants; God is the one who gives the growth.

Scandal and Arrogance

Paul then confronts a shocking case of sexual immorality in the church: a man was in a relationship with his stepmother, a sin that even pagans would blush at. Worse still, the church was not grieving this sin; they were arrogant and tolerant about it. Paul commands them to exercise church discipline, to remove the man from their fellowship for the sake of his own soul and for the purity of the church.

He also rebukes them for suing one another in pagan courts, asking why they don't handle their disputes within the church family. He argues that it would be better to be wronged than to damage the witness of the church before unbelievers. Paul concludes this section with a powerful reminder that their bodies are not their own to do with as they please. They have been bought with a price—the blood of Christ—and are now temples of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they must honor God with their bodies.

A Series of Questions

The middle section of the letter addresses a series of specific questions the Corinthians had asked him. He gives practical wisdom on issues like marriage and singleness (affirming both as good gifts from God), and the controversial issue of eating food that had been sacrificed to idols. On this point, he lays down a crucial principle of Christian freedom: while an idol is nothing and we are free in Christ, we must limit our freedom for the sake of a weaker brother or sister. Love, not knowledge, should be our guiding principle.

Spiritual Gifts and the Supremacy of Love

Chapters 12-14 deal with the chaotic use of spiritual gifts in their worship services. The Corinthians were prizing the more spectacular gifts, like speaking in tongues, as a sign of spiritual status, leading to disorder and pride. Paul teaches that the Holy Spirit gives a variety of gifts to every believer, and all are essential for the body of Christ to function, just like the different parts of a human body.

He then inserts the famous "love chapter," 1 Corinthians 13, right in the middle of his discussion on gifts. This is a masterstroke. He shows that love is the "most excellent way." Spiritual gifts are temporary and useless if not exercised in love. Love is the defining characteristic of a true follower of Christ.

The Gospel's Non-Negotiable Core

Paul saves the most critical issue for last. Some in the Corinthian church, influenced by Greek philosophy which despised the physical body, were denying a future bodily resurrection for believers. Paul shows them that this is not a secondary issue; it is a fatal denial of the gospel itself. He constructs a powerful, logical argument.

He first reminds them of the core gospel message he delivered to them: "that Christ died for our sins... that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day" (1 Cor 15:3-4). He lists the numerous eyewitnesses to the resurrected Christ to establish it as a historical fact. Then he shows the devastating consequences of denying the resurrection:

• If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.
• If Christ has not been raised, their preaching is useless.
• If Christ has not been raised, their faith is futile.
• If Christ has not been raised, they are still in their sins.
• If Christ has not been raised, those who have died in Christ are lost.
• If Christ has not been raised, their hope is only for this life, and they are to be pitied above all people.

The resurrection is the lynchpin. Paul affirms that Christ *has* indeed been raised, as the "firstfruits" of a great harvest to come. His resurrection is the guarantee of our own future bodily resurrection into a new, glorious, and imperishable existence.

Conclusion: The Cross-Shaped Life

First Corinthians is a powerful and intensely practical letter. It shows us what it looks like to apply the gospel to the real, messy problems of church life. For every issue—from celebrity pastors to chaotic worship to theological error—Paul’s solution is the same: look to the cross. The cross humbles our pride, unifies our divisions, purifies our morality, and grounds our hope. The letter is a timeless call for the church in every generation to resist the temptation to conform to the patterns of the world and to instead build its life, its worship, and its hope on the foolish, weak, and utterly glorious message of the crucified and risen Christ.