BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
1 Corinthians
16 chapters
In a Corinthian church torn by division, sin, and confusion, Paul centers everything on Christ and Him crucified, rebuilding the community's unity, holiness, and love.
1 Corinthians
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Why this book was written
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church from Ephesus during his third missionary journey. Reports and a letter from Corinth had revealed factions, moral disorders, misuse of the Lord's Supper, confusion over spiritual gifts, and doubts about the resurrection. His aim was to correct error, answer their questions, restore a Christ-centered unity, and strengthen the believers' faith and hope.
Structure
- 1–4The Cross and the Unity of the Church
- 5–7Holiness of Life and the Sanctification of Marriage
- 8–11Freedom, Love, and the Christian Conscience
- 12–14Spiritual Gifts and Love
- 15–16The Certainty of the Resurrection and Practical Exhortations
Major themes
Unity and Division in the Church
Paul exhorts the Corinthian church against factions and insists that everything be done for the edification of the church (1 Cor 1:10-17; 3:1-9; 12:12-27).
The Wisdom and Foolishness of the Cross
The message of the cross is foolishness to those perishing but the power of God to those being saved; God's weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Cor 1:18-25; 2:1-5).
Holiness and Spiritual Gifts
Believers' bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, to be kept holy and free from sexual immorality; spiritual gifts are given for building up the body (1 Cor 6:12-20; 12:1–14:40).
Love as the Supreme Way
Chapter 13 presents love as surpassing all gifts and knowledge, an everlasting way that never ends (1 Cor 13:1-13).
The Hope of Resurrection
If Christ has not been raised, faith is futile; but believers will be raised with Christ into glorified bodies (1 Cor 15:1-58).
Gospel and Daily Ethical Order
Paul addresses marriage, food, worship, money, and the Lord's Day gathering, doing all things for the glory of God (1 Cor 7:1-40; 10:23–11:34; 16:1-4).
How it points to Christ
1 Corinthians exalts Christ and Him crucified (1:23; 2:2), presenting Jesus as God's power and wisdom. He is the Passover lamb sacrificed for us (5:7), the firstfruits of the resurrection (15:20-23), and through His Spirit He indwells the church as His body and temple (3:16; 6:19), uniting believers to Himself and to one another.
Key verses
- 1:18The message of the cross is the power of God, overturning all human reliance on wisdom and strength.
- 6:19–20Believers' bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, calling them to glorify God in holiness.
- 10:31Whatever we do, do all to the glory of God—the supreme principle of the Christian life.
- 13:13Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
- 15:3–4Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised the third day—the heart of the gospel.
- 15:58Because of the resurrection, believers are urged to be steadfast, immovable, and abounding in the work of the Lord.
- 3:11No other foundation can be laid than Jesus Christ already laid.
- 12:27The church is the body of Christ, with believers as its members, revealing the truth of unity.
Reflections on 1 Corinthians
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·When I am tempted to elevate certain leaders or gifts above others, how do I return to the simplicity of the cross and the fact that Christ alone is the foundation?
- ·Chapter 13 describes love as patient and all-trusting—does my love still carry pride and self-righteousness?
- ·If Christ truly rose from the dead, how does this change the way I face suffering, death, and daily pressures?
- ·Is my body treated as a temple of the Holy Spirit—what areas of speech, desire, or habit need repentance?
- ·In exercising spiritual gifts, am I seeking self-display or the edification of the church and the manifestation of Christ's body?
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Chapter 6
1Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
2Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?
4If then ye have to judge things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church?
5I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren,
6but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
7Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded?
8Nay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,
10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
12All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body:
14and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up us as through his power.
15Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid.
16Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.
17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;
20for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.