Transcript FIRST CORINTHIANS How to Live in a Pagan World Two Mega-Themes In 1st Corinthians • Living as Christians in a pagan world. • Being the Church in.

FIRST
CORINTHIANS
How to Live in a
Pagan World
Two Mega-Themes
In 1st Corinthians
• Living as Christians in a pagan
world.
• Being the Church in a pagan
world.
Two Mega-Themes
In 1st Corinthians
• Living as Christians in a pagan
world.
• Being the Church in a pagan
world.
Being the Church in a Pagan World
Nine Issues:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Identity
Unity
Maturity
Authority
Purity
Orderly
Ministry
Generosity
Duty
1:1-9
1:10-17
3:1-17
3:18-4:21
5
11
12-14
16:1-4
16:5-24
Being the Church in a Pagan World
Nine Issues:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Identity
Unity
Maturity
Authority
Purity
Orderly
Ministry
Generosity
Duty
1:1-9
1:10-17
3:1-17
3:18-4:21
5
11
12-14
16:1-4
16:5-24
1st Corinthians 1:10-17
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all
speak the same thing, and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be perfectly
joined together in the same mind and in the
same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning
you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s
household, that there are contentions among
you.
12 Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am
of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of
Cephas," or "I am of Christ."
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for
you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1st Corinthians 1:10-17
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you
except Crispus and Gaius,
15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized
in my own name.
16 Yes, I also baptized the household of
Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether
I baptized any other.
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to
preach the gospel, not with wisdom of
words, lest the cross of Christ should be
made of no effect.
(NKJV)
Living in Unity
1:10-17
• A Definition of Unity
•
Vs. 10, NKJV “…that all of you
agree with one another so that
there may be no divisions among
you and that you may be perfectly
united in mind and thought.”
A Definition of Unity
1. A Common Message
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•
Vs. 10, Amplified “…that all of you
be in perfect harmony and full
agreement in what you say…”
NAS95 & NIV “that you all agree”
A Definition of Unity
2. The Absence of Factions
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“Divisions” – to split or rend
Vs. 10, Phillips “and not allow
yourselves to be split up into
parties”
A Definition of Unity
3. A Shared World View
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Vs. 10, “…that you be perfectly
joined together in the same mind
and in the same judgment.”
The mind: Beliefs, values, opinions
The judgment: Practical decisions,
things to be done
There is no unity without theology
A Definition of Unity
3. A Shared World View
In essentials, unity
In doubtful things, liberty
But in all things, love
Augustine
A Definition of Unity
3. A Shared World View
•
“Perfectly joined together”
•
Word refers to healing a wound,
or making whole a rent
For setting broken bones
For mending torn nets (Mark 1:19)
For restoring one overtaken in sin
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(Galatians 6:1)
Divisions are Based on Personal
Followings
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Vs. 11-12 “For it has been declared to
me concerning you, my brethren, by
those of Chloe’s household, that there
are contentions among you. Now I say
this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’
or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’
or ‘I am of Christ.’”
Vs. 12 NLT “Some of you are saying, ‘I
am a follower of Paul.’ Others are saying,
‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Peter,’ or ‘I
follow only Christ.’
Personal Followings are Illogical
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Vs. 13 “Is Christ divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized
in the name of Paul?”
NLT “Can Christ be divided into pieces?”
If Christ can’t be divided, neither can his
body.
Leaders can bless us, but they can’t save
us – our loyalty to them should be in
keeping with what they are to us.
Personal Followings Emphasize
Things Like Baptism & Preaching
Style
•
Vs. 14-15 “I thank God that I
baptized none of you except
Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone
should say that I had baptized in
my own name.”
Personal Followings Dilute the
Gospel by Adding to It
• Vs. 17 “For Christ did not
send me to baptize, but to
preach the gospel, not with
wisdom of words, lest the
cross of Christ should be made
of no effect.”
• Christ plus _______