As Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica. Click on the different category headings to find out more. But resurrection means, that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Sinners can have no peace with God, nor any from him, but through Christ. a. The path for Gods glory is Christ crucified; the evidence of Gods glory is His choice of the lowly. through the pride and cleverness of men! We need 2 cookies to store this setting. i. 1 Corinthians 15:1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, (NASB 1995 - Lockman)Now I make known 1Co 15:3-11 1:23,24 2:2-7 Ac 18:4,5 Ga 1:6-12 . Its wrong to say that Paul preached a watered-down gospel in Athens. That Paul did not regard baptism as essential to salvation is also seen by the fact that he did not keep careful track of those he baptized: Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other, . So also is the resurrection of the dead. He was once scandalized by a crucified Christ; it infuriated him that one obviously cursed by God (according to Deuteronomy 21:23) should be honored as Messiah and Lord. They did not value the wisdom expressed in the message of the cross. We are no longer subject to the penalty of the law (death), and we are set free from sin. Paul came speaking plainly, without any attempt to dazzle with eloquence or intellect. AND YOUR POINT, PAUL? Death is defeated by resurrection. ? e. It pleased God: God takes pleasure in accomplishing our salvation in a way no one would have expected. Paul tells them just what kind of apostle he is, . Paul quotes from an ancient, secular comedy play, Thais, written by Menander. They were called saints. 2. i. The righteous are put into their graves all weary and worn; but as such they will not rise. iii. The phrases foolishness of the message and foolishness of God do not mean Paul actually considered the message and God foolish. II. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. Their desire for wisdom was not bad, but their rejection of Gods wisdom was. The Corinthians boasting about their party leaders was really boasting about themselves. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. The problem is addressed. i. Freud was wrong when he said: And finally there is the painful riddle of death, for which no remedy at all has yet been found, nor probably ever will be. Compare that with Pauls triumphant declaration, Death is swallowed up in victory! Jesus met with these 500 followers in the region of Galilee. It was bad enough that these associations had affected their thinking on an important matter like the resurrection, but this. O Hades, where is your victory?. For the message of the cross: In 1 Corinthians 1:17, Paul declared the idea that the cross could be made of no effect if it were presented with the wisdom of words. b. An example of this is in Acts 23:12-13, when more than forty men took a vow that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ii. If there is no principle of resurrection, then, ii. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. We are not bound to make every minister our pastor, but we are bound to have a just respect for every minister, who by his doctrine and holy life answereth his profession and holy calling. (Poole). Grace is always first, peace always second. It was on a four-and-one-half mile-wide isthmus of land. If my sins are not completely paid for before God, then I am still in my sins. d. Lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect: Paul makes it clear that it is possible to preach the gospel in a way that makes it of no effect. Yes and no. O Death, where is your sting? For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. The plain fact is that Paul did not know when these events would take place, and nowhere does he claim to know. I speak this to your shame. (54-57) Resurrection is the final defeat of death. They could not have known this unless God revealed it to them. 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission. 1 CORINTHIANS - PROBLEMS OF A LOCAL CHURCH Click chart to enlarge Charts from Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission. : In the previous part of the chapter, Paul demonstrated beyond all doubt that Jesus rose from the dead, and the importance of that fact. In these first 10 verses, Paul refers to Jesus in every verse, for a total of 11 times. Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits. Where did the Corinthian Christians get their strange ideas about the resurrection, ideas Paul spent this chapter trying to correct? Should it not show us that gifts are nothing, unless they are laid on the altar of God; that it is nothing to have the gift of oratory; that it is nothing to have the power of eloquence; that it is nothing to have learning; that it is nothing to have influence, unless they all be dedicated to God, and consecrated to his service? (Spurgeon). It was bad enough that these associations had affected their thinking on an important matter like the resurrection, but this evil company could corrupt far more. Probably, Sosthenes was Pauls scribe (or, more technically, his amanuensis). Those who feel called to rebuke sin and correct error in the church today should follow Pauls example. iii. b. The Corinthians were a rich church, not only materially, but also in their speech and knowledge of Jesus (, all utterance and in all knowledge the testimony of Christ, ), and in that they lived in anticipation of Jesus coming (, i. Everything good the Corinthian Christians have from God has come to them by. Of course, Paul did baptize a few in Corinth. c. Enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and in all knowledge: This was the effect of grace in the life of the Corinthian Christians. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Through much of this book, Paul deals with the moral problems of the Corinthians: envy, divisions, pride, immorality, greed, irreverence, and selfishness. Their problem with the resurrection also indicated the source of many of their moral problems. It may simply be unrecorded, or Paul may mean . But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from Godand righteousness and sanctification and redemptionthat, as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.. ! A strong church once inscribed these words on an archway leading to the churchyard. Finally, one could only read, , and the church also just became another social gathering place, all about, To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ; perhaps this is better understood as an, . Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. We might also think saying called saints is mere flattery, Pauls way of preparing them for coming rebuke. O Hades, where is your victory? Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. Does we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed mean that Paul predicted Jesus would come in his lifetime? , and therefore an enemy we need not fear. They know Jesus rose from the dead., followers of Jesus before His Ascension, though Acts 1:15 mentions only the 120 who were in the Jerusalem area. Click on the different category headings to find out more. v. It is possible there was not an actual Paul Party or Apollos Party or Peter Party or Jesus Party at Corinth. Paul will tell the Corinthian Christians something they could not have known by reason or research. This is in contrast to the Galatian church, who was quickly being moved away to another gospel (Galatians 1:6). This remarkable, instant gathering of Christians unto Jesus in the clouds has been called the rapture, after the Latin word for caught up in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. ii. They both describe a work in progress. (42-44) Comparison of the two kinds of bodies. This is not always the case; some of the most brilliant men of history have been Christians (such as Isaac Newton). We dont need to waver, we dont need to change direction, we dont need to fall, and we dont need to quit. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-2. Paul praises God for their positives, and expresses confidence that God will take care of their weak points, and confirm them to the end, so that they would be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This thought will not only to keep you going, but 1 Corinthians 15:58 also says that it can motivate you to always abound in the work of the Lord.' I believe that God has used this exhortation to encourage the guardians to abound in the work of the Lord. God raises the dead. Some of them denied the reality of resurrection, while believing in a resurrected Jesus. He is. It is wisdom of a different order altogether. Verse 1. But God cannot be found through human wisdom, but only through the message of the cross. 3. Called to be an apostle is literally a called apostle. 3. But dont expose Him to the horror and the humiliation of hanging on a cross. But God wanted Christ crucified, and if we dont embrace the cross, even with all its strange contradictions and demands, then we are lost. i. Paul may be changing the names to protect the innocent, or to show mercy to the guilty. if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! No wonder it is foolishness to those who are perishing! What message does a cruel, humiliating, unrelenting instrument of death have? Crispus believed on the Lord with all his household (Acts 18:8), and was saved. Death has no power over the person found in Jesus Christ. Someone once said to him, Well, what church are you in now? He said, I am in the true church at last. How many belong to it? Just my wife and myself, and I am not sure about her sometimes.. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. Corinth was a major city of business, especially because of its location. 1 Corinthians 15:23. Instead of being torn apart, Paul pleads that they would be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. v. Those who thus veil an unwelcome truth imagine that they make disciples, whereas they are only paying homage to unbelief, and comforting men in their rejection of divine propitiation for sin. : In Pauls day, the Jewish world was looking for a, . Therefore, if Jesus is not risen, He is unable to save. This speaks to the vital need described in Romans 12:2: ii. Originally it said strongly, . But because of all the time Paul spent in Corinth, and all the letters he wrote them, we know more about the Christians at Corinth than we know about any other church in the New Testament. a. ii. It may simply be unrecorded, or Paul may mean beasts figuratively, in reference to his violent and wild human opponents (as he faced at Ephesus in Acts 19:21-41). Originally it said strongly, we preach Christ crucified. iii. That is of little importance to me, because I am not an apostle because of a popular election. But Hodge recognizes that Paul isnt necessarily referring to only believers of his day with all; it is a word that properly embraces all believers, over all time. Jesus does not belong to any one party. These cliques ignore the truth of unity over all diversity in the church, even if they were all in the name of spirituality. ii. I am, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, ? But largely, the smarter one sees himself, the less regard he has for God. those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. So he was fired from or quit his job as ruler of the synagogue! The good news or euangelion, rests on just such a confession which Paul first proclaimed at Corinth and by which they were in the process of being . There will come a day when in Gods eternal plan, He gives those dead in the Lord their resurrection bodies, and then in an instant He gathers all His people to meet Jesus in the air. Some mock the idea of resurrection. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and hes our man. Jesus made a special appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7). You do not sow that body that shall be God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. Mans flesh only is informed by a reasonable and immortal soul, not so the flesh of other creatures: and hence the difference. (Trapp). Children are apt to be struck with novelty; but do not act like them. It isnt. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory., O Death, where is your sting? : The cumulative testimony of these witnesses is overwhelming. "Love is patient, love is kind" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) is a favorite Bible verse about love.It is used often in Christian wedding ceremonies.In this famous passage, the Apostle Paul describes 15 characteristics of love to the believers in the church at Corinth.With deep concern for the unity of the church, Paul focuses on various aspects of love between brothers and sisters in the body of . Death is swallowed up in victory: A resurrected body is not a resuscitated corpse. This is the sting of death to you, unconverted ones, not that you are dying, but that after death is the judgment, and that you must stand before the Judge of the quick and dead to receive a sentence for the sins which you have committed in your body against him. (Spurgeon), The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, : The principle of resurrection also proves that we are not under the law any longer. explains why animals do not rise in the resurrection. Paul quotes from an ancient, secular comedy play, Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God, : For Christians to resist Gods process of transformation by the renewing of our minds is to neglect the knowledge of God. i. There was an old, contentious Quaker who went from one meeting to another, never finding the true church. I speak, Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits., Where did the Corinthian Christians get their strange ideas about the resurrection, ideas Paul spent this chapter trying to correct? "THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS" Chapter Fifteen OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER 1) To see how the resurrection of Jesus is the basis of our faith 2) To determine why we believe that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead 3) To notice the sequence of events which will occur at the end of time as presented in this chapter 4) To understand The Greek word has both a Gentile and a Jewish background. i. The resurrection of Jesus, iv. 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. And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam, , gave us one kind of body. Paul writes this letter from Ephesus, where these people from Chloes household visited and told him about the condition of the the Corinthian church. Used by permission. 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: Corinth was an important and wealthy city on the isthmus (narrow strip of land) separating Northern and Southern Greece. i. iv. Answer: First Corinthians 13:8-10: "Love never fails. ii. We are following in the footsteps of no one less than Jesus Himself. This was the. But every man Shall be reanimated, raised, and glorified; in his own order Or in his own band, as more properly signifies, denoting a band of soldiers, a cohort, or legion; the word for order being rather . Therefore be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, : Because we know death is defeated and we have an eternal, resurrected destiny with Jesus Christ, we should stand firm and unshakable all the more for Him right now. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. d. Is Christ divided? iii. They were not the spiritual achievements of the Corinthians, but the work of the. e. Both theirs and ours: In his first few words, Paul lays the foundation for a fundamental issue he will address in this letter: Christian unity, based on the common Lordship of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the message of the cross. 1 Corinthians 15 NIV by Max McLean 0:05 8:06 Set Timer 1x Free download. is a softer way of describing the death of a believer, Paul tells us that not all Christians will die, but there will be a final generation who will be transformed into resurrection bodies at the return of Jesus before they ever face death. No doubt, many of the Corinthian Christians were beginning to think of themselves in high terms because of Gods work in them. Were the ones really right with God!, ii. Because church was a secular term (referring to the gatherings of the citizenry in a city-state to discuss and decide on matters of public interest [Mare]), Paul calls the gathering of Christians in Corinth the church of God. d. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed: Since sleep is a softer way of describing the death of a believer, Paul tells us that not all Christians will die, but there will be a final generation who will be transformed into resurrection bodies at the return of Jesus before they ever face death. Many noble men and women have died horrible deaths for righteous causes through the centuries. There is much in 1 Corinthians that is unflattering to the Christians of Corinth. We sometimes sing: You ask me how I know He lives; He lives, He lives inside my heart. But that is not the best way to prove Jesus lives. (30-31) True wisdom belongs to the believing. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Grace means that God gives freely, for His own reasons. This isnt the gathering of the world, but of God. As the chief things, or matters of the greatest importance; fundamental truths.. That which I - received By revelations from God himself, and not from man.. That Christ died for our sins The death of Jesus Christ, as a vicarious sacrifice for sin, is ; among the things . iv. Jesus: The given name of the son of Mary, and adopted son of Joseph, which is the Greek pronunciation of Joshua. It was prosperous, busy, and growing; it had a deserved reputation for the reckless pursuit of pleasure. Specifically, they wanted the sign of a miraculous Messianic deliverance. b. David Guzik is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, California. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Spurgeon gives seven steps to dying daily in a sermon titled. Every Christian must take seriously their responsibility to not only have a good past, and a good present, but to determine to have a great future with the Lord, also. The hearing and trusting of the true gospel will bring the power of God into your life. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. c. Not with wisdom of words: How did Paul preach in Corinth? So also is the resurrection of the dead: Its hard to understand what our resurrection bodies will be like, so Paul will use contrast to help us, giving four contrasts between our present body and our future resurrection body. c. There are different bodies or structures in the universe (sun moon stars), and each is created with its own glory, and each is suited to its own particular environment and needs. . Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Even more foolish than dividing Jesus is to center parties in the church around men. c. Since we will bear the image of the heavenly Man, the best example we have of what a resurrection body will be like is to see what Jesus resurrection body was like. Today, some are told to embrace death as a friend, but that is not Biblical thinking. 1 Corinthians 15 In this chapter the apostle treats of that great article of Christianitythe resurrection of the dead. As much as Paul was once offended by a crucified Messiah, so the Greeks thought a message of salvation through a humiliating instrument of death foolish. It is certain that a blind man is no judge of colours, a deaf man is no judge of sound, and a man who has never been quickened into spiritual life can have no judgment as to spiritual things. (Spurgeon). (12-13) The resurrection of Jesus proves there is a resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul deals more fully with what makes a person an apostle. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. But in the first century, saying message of the cross was about the same as saying message of the electric chair except worse! Over time, two things happened: the church lost its passion for Jesus and His gospel, and ivy began to grow on the archway. He can be confident because. Later, in 2 Corinthians 6:1, Paul pleads that we might not receive the grace of God in vain: : Paul compares himself to the other apostles. Paul then received reports from people in Chloes household about disturbances in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:11); and he may have received a delegation from Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:7) who brought him questions from the congregation (1 Corinthians 7:1). We shall rise in a full and perfect age, (as is generally thought) and without those defects and deformities which may here make our bodies appear unlovely. (Poole), ii. a. I plead with you, brethren: Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. Jesus burial is also important because it fulfilled the Scriptures which declared. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, it (and not from man, but from Jesus Christ, according to Galatians 1:11-12), and Paul. 3. We ought to honour those most whom God most honoureth, either by a more plentiful giving out of his Spirit, or by a more plentiful success upon their labours; but we ought not so far to appropriate any ministers to ourselves, as for them to despise others. The idea is that we have been purchased to permanent freedom. Finally, have all your affairs in order so that you are ready to die. In His work, He communicates three things to those who are, means that we are legally declared not only not guilty, but to have a, speaks of our behavior, and how the believers are to be separate, by focusing on ourselves, but on Jesus, because Jesus, is a word from the slave trade. He is a life-giving spirit. I am of Apollos: There was the Apollos Party, who declared We are following in the footsteps of a man who is great in power and spiritual gifts, and an impressive man. Before that he served as director and teacher at Calvary Chapel Bible College, Germany, following more than 20 years of pastoral ministry. i. iv. The lack of adequate respiration resulted in severe muscle cramps, which hindered breathing even further. Raised in incorruption raised in glory raised in power: Our resurrection body will be glorious! But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. But he had no desire to compete with other apostles for the Most Valuable Apostle award. Famous athletic contests known as the, iii. Expiring saints have often said that their last beds have been the best they have ever slept upon. (Spurgeon), iii. A hard knot must have a hard wedge, a dead heart a rousing reproof. (Trapp). Certain divines tell us that they must adapt truth to the advance of the age, which means that they must murder it and fling its dead body to the dogs which simply means that a popular lie shall take the place of an offensive truth. (Spurgeon). And with what body do they come?. The gospel, Those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved. ii. The Corinthian Christians are called saints, but this was not based on the outward performance of the Corinthians. You have lost a dear friend: yes, but only lost that friend that you may find him again, and find more than you lost. d. That no flesh should glory in His presence: This is the end result. Sin is the ultimate cause of death (Romans 6:23, Genesis 2:17), and the result cant be defeated unless the cause is defeated. By man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead, : Here, Paul communicates the same ideas found in Romans 5:12-21. So when he says we he means we believers. (Morris). I am not an apostle through the appointment of the other apostles. He was not shy about saying he worked harder than any of the other apostles did. The Corinthians were a rich church, not only materially, but also in their speech and knowledge of Jesus (all utterance and in all knowledge the testimony of Christ), in their abounding in the gifts (come short in no gift), and in that they lived in anticipation of Jesus coming (eagerly waiting). Paul knew this by experience. If you must execute this man, do it honorably. d. To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness: The Jews regarded Christ crucified as a stumbling block; perhaps this is better understood as an offense or a scandal. Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and hes our man. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. This conflict had made them divide up into parties or cliques, each party having its own leader., i. This conflict had made them divide up into parties or cliques, each party having its own leader., : There was the Paul Party, who declared We are following in the footsteps of the man who founded our church, the apostle Paul. The unspiritual, worldly conduct of the Corinthians . At some point before He died, before the veil was torn in two, before He cried out, ii. A thousand times no. How much of this came in because of they kept. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. 2. (1-2) Preface to the proclamation of Pauls gospel. To remain willfully ignorant of the truth is sin. Lifting up Jesus, honoring, and proclaiming His goodness to all mankind And in the midst of judgement, God remembers mercy: he many times punishes those whom he loves. 2. Paul tells them just what kind of apostle he is, a called apostle. Now, after preparing their minds for rebuke, acting like a good, experienced surgeon, who touches the wound gently when a painful remedy must be used, Paul begins to handle them more severely. (Calvin). They preached the resurrection of Jesus, and the early Christians believed the resurrection of Jesus. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, : The apostle Paul follows the normal pattern for writing a letter in ancient times. Conceivably, if Paul had not worked as hard as he did, the grace of God would still have been given to him, but in some measure it would be given. Death has no power over the person found in Jesus Christ. It is important to understand that when Paul says, . Surely, Paul remembered his converts, but the issue of baptism, though important, was not as important to Paul. The church also had even lost Jesus in the message, preaching religious platitudes and social graces. : Its hard to understand what our resurrection bodies will be like, so Paul will use, Raised in incorruption raised in glory raised in power. Whether there are degrees of glory, as it seems probable, so we shall certainly know, when we come to heaven. (Trapp). Mans flesh only is informed by a reasonable and immortal soul, not so the flesh of other creatures: and hence the difference. (Trapp). We dont grow in sanctification by focusing on ourselves, but on Jesus, because Jesus became for us sanctification. He recognizes that the gifts were not the problem, but wrong attitudes and beliefs about the gifts. Some people think that Paul was disappointed by the results in Athens, and resolved to preach differently in Corinth. When we understand what Paul meant when he wrote, , If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable, , then we understand what a difficult life Paul lived. i. Lord: A title designating not only master and boss, but also the Lord revealed in the Old Testament (known as Yahweh or Jehovah). Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. With enemies like that, no wonder Paul could say, , ii. Paul, knowing death is a defeated enemy because of Jesus work, can almost taunt death, and mock it. While therefore it is unscriptural to make baptism essential to salvation or a certain means of regeneration, it is nevertheless a dangerous act of disobedience to undervalue or neglect it. (Hodge). 6. describes the Christians marching orders at the rapture of the Church. ii. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. The ivy kept growing, and one could soon only read, . Enduring Word Info It is truly the, i. Paul reminds us of something important: death is an, . Next, come every day, just as you did at conversion, to the cross of Jesus, as a poor guilty sinner. It is the heart shown in God when it is said of the Lord, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance ( 2 Peter 3:9 ).

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