Transcript 1 Corinthians Lessons 2 & 3 - Pine Lane Church of Christ

First Corinthians
“Solving Church Problems”
Lesson Two
“Unity of Mind”
First Corinthians 1:10-17
Pages 6-9
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The Corinthians Problem: Division
1 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)
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The Corinthians Problem: Division
1 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)
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Paul Speaks Against Division
1 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)
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Paul Speaks Against Division
1 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
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Paul Speaks Against Division
1 Cor. 1:13-17
 Remember -- It is the message, not the
messenger, that is important
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First Corinthians
“Solving Church Problems”
Lesson Three
“Problem One - Intimidation by the World”
First Corinthians 1:18-31
Pages 10-13
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Wisdom of Man vs. Wisdom of God
1 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
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The “Foolishness” of Preaching
1 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)
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The “Foolishness” of Preaching
1 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)
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Glory Only In The Lord
1 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
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Glory Only In The Lord
1 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)
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The Gospel: The Wisdom of God
1 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]
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