Lessons from Corinth

Leif Holmes

I have been reading through the book of 1 Corinthians lately. It’s one of my favorite books of the Bible because of how messed up things were. That might sound strange, but it’s true. Check this out:

·       They had factions of people who liked one church leader better than another – 1:10-12, 3:1-4

·       Some were prideful and boastful. – 3:18-21, 4:6-7

·       Some were arrogant and rebellious – 4:18-21

·       They had a case of incest in their church and they boasted about it! – Chap. 5

·       They were taking each other to court – 6:1-11

·       Some were involved in sexual immorality. – 6:12-20

·       Some of the married people wanted to divorce their spouses. – Chap. 7

·       Some of the married people felt they shouldn’t engage in sexual relations now that they were followers of Jesus. – Chap. 7

·       Some were offended by others who were eating food sacrificed to idols. – Chap. 8

·       There was confusion on the roles of women in the church. – Chap. 11

·       There was confusion about the Lord’s Supper (communion), including some were actually getting drunk at the meal, while others were going hungry. – Chap. 11

·       Some were held in higher esteem because of their “platform” gifts while others who worked “behind the scenes” were considered unimportant. – Chap. 12

·       Church gatherings could be chaotic and disorderly. – Chap. 14

·       Some didn’t believe that there was a resurrection (afterlife). – Chap. 15

Perhaps Paul sums it up best when he writes, “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.” Yikes! You would think that all of those issues would disqualify the Corinthians from any kind of usefulness in God’s Kingdom, but you’d be wrong.

The Holy Spirit was active among them and many people came to know Jesus there (Acts 18). In fact, Paul ended up staying in Corinth for a year and half because of all that God was doing!

The Corinthian church is a great example of how God works in and through human brokenness. And here’s the thing – God wants to do the same thing in and through us. Whether it’s AD50 in Corinth or it’s 2022 in Olympia, God is in the business of redemption, restoration and hope. And as we continue to personally experience that on a daily basis, we in turn can serve as ambassadors of hope to others in our Oikos. For what is true for the church in Corinth, is true for us:

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 15:58