1 Cor 3:5-23 shows us not to form factions behind human leaders or boast in our leaders. Positively it teaches that Christians leaders are servants of God who will be held accountable for their work. If their work is done with the right building materials (the true preaching of the Word of God) then it is work that God will praise in the Day. We belong to God, we do not belong to His servants. We should not give to people allegiance that should be reserved for God, which is what forming factions does (even though people would not realize this is what they are doing).

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Labels: leadership, servant

1 Cor 3:5-23 shows us not to form factions behind human leaders or boast in our leaders. Positively it teaches that Christians leaders are servants of God who will be held accountable for their work. If their work is done with the right building materials (the true preaching of the Word of God) then it is work that God will praise in the Day. We belong to God, we do not belong to His servants. We should not give to people allegiance that should be reserved for God, which is what forming factions does (even though people would not realize this is what they are doing).

Click here or title to listen.

Labels: leadership, servant

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 is about unity in the Spirit. I approached this text by observing that there are three kinds of food that may be in our diet. The first kind is junk food. It is "the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age" and leaves one unsatisfied. But whenever Christians are being fed Christ crucified and are going hungry it is either because they are being fed solid food and throwing it up or infant's milk when they need more. We need to mature to the solid food and get the junk food out of our diet. This will allow us to reflect deeply on verses like 1 Cor 1:31. But those who throw up solid food do so because they are still eating too much junk food and can only stomach a little milk. We know this was the case at Corinth because of the jealousy and strife in their congregation. Let us crave the body and blood of Christ and hunger and thirst for righteousness.

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Labels: food, spirit, wisdom

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 is about unity in the Spirit. I approached this text by observing that there are three kinds of food that may be in our diet. The first kind is junk food. It is "the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age" and leaves one unsatisfied. But whenever Christians are being fed Christ crucified and are going hungry it is either because they are being fed solid food and throwing it up or infant's milk when they need more. We need to mature to the solid food and get the junk food out of our diet. This will allow us to reflect deeply on verses like 1 Cor 1:31. But those who throw up solid food do so because they are still eating too much junk food and can only stomach a little milk. We know this was the case at Corinth because of the jealousy and strife in their congregation. Let us crave the body and blood of Christ and hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: food, spirit, wisdom

1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5 shows us how we can have unity in the message of Christ crucified. Paul was not trying to draw attention to himself, but to Christ crucified. This message is foolish to unbelieving Greeks and scandalous to unbelieving Jews, but for believing Jews and Greeks it is the power of God for salvation. Paul did not try to dress up the image of Christ crucified with flowery language or rhetorical flair, but he let it have its full effect. There are two reasons I look at briefly to show why we should be united behind this message. The first is that the philosophers, Torah scribes, and orators never would or could find this way of salvation. It is revealed by God through the preaching of Christ crucified. And secondly, we should be united behind this message because not many of us were wise, powerful, or of noble birth according to the world, but we were called by God through this shocking word of the cross. To clarify, Apollos is not Greek but he is apparently a Hellenistic Jew.

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Labels: 1 corinthians, christ, cross, salvation, unity

1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5 shows us how we can have unity in the message of Christ crucified. Paul was not trying to draw attention to himself, but to Christ crucified. This message is foolish to unbelieving Greeks and scandalous to unbelieving Jews, but for believing Jews and Greeks it is the power of God for salvation. Paul did not try to dress up the image of Christ crucified with flowery language or rhetorical flair, but he let it have its full effect. There are two reasons I look at briefly to show why we should be united behind this message. The first is that the philosophers, Torah scribes, and orators never would or could find this way of salvation. It is revealed by God through the preaching of Christ crucified. And secondly, we should be united behind this message because not many of us were wise, powerful, or of noble birth according to the world, but we were called by God through this shocking word of the cross.

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: 1 corinthians, christ, cross, salvation, unity