1 / 13

First Corinthians “Solving Church Problems”

First Corinthians “Solving Church Problems”. Lesson Two “Unity of Mind” First Corinthians 1:10-17 Pages 6-9. The Corinthians Problem: Division 1 Cor. 1:10-12. Paul was concerned about their lack of unity

jerold
Download Presentation

First Corinthians “Solving Church Problems”

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. First Corinthians“Solving Church Problems” Lesson Two “Unity of Mind” First Corinthians 1:10-17 Pages 6-9

  2. The Corinthians Problem: Division1 Cor. 1:10-12 • Paul was concerned about their lack of unity • This problem (and several others) was reported to Paul by concerned members of the Corinth church who visited him at Ephesus (11) • God hates division and those who cause it (Prov. 6:16-19) • Christ wants unity among His believers (John 17:20-22) • Jesus said, “Every house divided...shall not stand” (Matt. 12:25)

  3. The Corinthians Problem: Division1 Cor. 1:10-12 • Paul begged them to: • Speak the same thing • Be in the same mind [purpose] and in the same judgment [opinion] • Be “perfectly joined together” (10) • Why? • To not have divisions among them (10) • To eliminate the contentions [quarrels] (11) • They were showing inappropriate honor and allegiance to certain preachers [leaders] (12)

  4. Paul Speaks Against Division1 Cor. 1:13-17 • Causes of their divisions?? • Too much importance attached to certain leaders • Leaders accepting exaltations among the brethren • Not focusing on Christ - the only leader of the church • The folly of aligning with any sectarian leader: • Is Christ divided? • Was Paul crucified for you? • Were you baptized in the name of Paul? (13) • Paul baptized in the name of Christ -- not in his own name (15)

  5. Paul Speaks Against Division1 Cor. 1:13-17 • The tendency at Corinth -- too much of human involvement in the process of salvation (14-16) • Had Paul baptized more people, the problem may have been even greater (14) • Paul was commissioned to preach the gospel (17) • He obviously baptized some people but that was not the express purpose of him being sent • The act of baptism can be preformed by almost anyone who does so in the name of Christ

  6. Paul Speaks Against Division1 Cor. 1:13-17 • Remember -- It is the message, not the messenger, that is important

  7. First Corinthians“Solving Church Problems” Lesson Three “Problem One - Intimidation by the World” First Corinthians 1:18-31 Pages 10-13

  8. Wisdom of Man vs. Wisdom of God1 Cor. 1:18-31 • The Corinthians lacked God’s wisdom • They acted according to the wisdom of the world • This caused many of their problems • The core of God’s wisdom is the preaching of the cross of Christ (18) • It shows the sinfulness of man and his helpless state • It shows God’s power to save and sanctify the believers

  9. The “Foolishness” of Preaching1 Cor. 1:18-21 • Paul said to the unbeliever, “the preaching of the cross is...foolishness” [ridiculous] (18) • God chose, “the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (21) • The gospel of Christ is not logical to the human mind • God made foolish the wisdom of this world (20) • The world by wisdom knew not God (20)

  10. The “Foolishness” of Preaching1 Cor. 1:22-25 • Paul preached Christ crucified - • A stumbling block to the Jews • Foolishness to the Greeks (23) • But unto them that are called (both Jews and Greeks), it is: • The power of God • The wisdom of God (24) • “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (25)

  11. Glory Only In The Lord1 Cor. 1:26-29 • Paul reminds them that not many Christians come from the ranks of the wise of this world, the mighty [powerful], or noble [upper class] (26) • God chose things that were foolish and weak to confound [confuse] the wise and mighty of this world (27) • Man cannot claim personal glory for any part of God’s salvation (29) • There is no part of God’s plan that man in his own wisdom would have chosen

  12. Glory Only In The Lord1 Cor. 1:30-31 • God, through Christ, made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption (30) • “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (31)

  13. The Gospel: The Wisdom of God1 Cor. 1:18-31 In summary: • The gospel plan of salvation is plain and simple to those that believe • It is foolish in the wisdom of the world • The world wants more -- signs, philosophies, etc • The gospel is the power of God to those that are saved [obedient believers]

More Related