1 Corinthians 1 - You Don't Lack Anything!

1 Corinthians 1 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

Overview of Paul's 1st Letter to the Corinthians

  1. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians about 55 A.D., 32 years after Jesus' death and resurrection.
  2. Corinth was an "isthmus", which means an island with five sides. It was a cultural center for many activities. 
In the mid-1st century, Corinth was a booming, cosmopolitan metropolis. As the capital of the Roman province of Achaia, it was a major wealthy hub of commerce and diverse cultures. However, the city was also notorious for rampant materialism, hedonism, and pagan worship. - Got Questions.org

      3. There was much division in the Corinthians church over different issues most significant they began to choose one leader over against the over. I.e. Paul, Apollos, or Peter. 

      4. Paul also addresses many other specific questions the Corinthians had like: marriage, single, food offered to idols, and what true love really looks like. 

      5. Paul's letter contains the most significant teaching in the New Testament on spiritual gifts and the role of the Holy Spirit in giving each person at least ONE spiritual gift. Paul spends 3 chapters, chapters 12 through chapter 14 on this subject. 

Most of us live in cultures not too dissimilar to Corinth. For instance, I live in California, which has many things in common with Corinth. As we go through this book I think you will find many applications in your personal life and also for the Church. 

Thanksgiving

4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. - 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

I love these opening words from Paul to the church in Corinth. Paul is grateful they have received the grace of God in Christ Jesus. The Corinthians excelled at speaking the message of Christ and words of spiritual wisdom. They were knowledgeable. These were gifts of God that gave evidence of their faith in Jesus. It also gave Paul credibility as he talked about them in his travels. 

Paul then gives them a promise that he will flesh out more in chapters 12-14. He says they don't lack any spiritual gift, as they wait for Jesus to return. God gave them and us everything we need to be the church of Jesus Christ. We don't lack anything. Jesus didn't command us to obey the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and then not give us any means to accomplish it. 

Paul will talk later about the nature of the body of Christ. The eye doesn't say to the ear, "I have no need of you." God has put all the parts together so that working together we represent every part of who Jesus is to the world. 

Though the Corinthians were facing division on the inside and persecution from the outside, God still had them. God began this work in them, and God would be faithful to complete it. Though he is certainly going to have many admonitions for them, and they needed to be obedient to obey his teaching, it was God through the power of the Holy Spirit who would keep them blameless until the day of Jesus' return. 

Finally, though we are called to be faithful, sometimes we miss the mark. God is always faithful to keep every one of His promises. We can count on them. If God were to go back on one promise, He would not be God! 

The church of Corinth was an extremely gifted place, but there was also a great degree of spiritual immaturity, pride, and sexual immorality in the church. If the Church was going to make its impact on the world around them, they were going to need to turn from these idols. God had given them everything they needed but they still needed to submit to and obey him. 

Jesus, thank you for giving us every spiritual gift and continuing Your good work in us, even though we fail. Help to excel in speech, knowledge and using our spiritual gifts for Your glory, Amen. 

















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