Problems that rocked a famous Christian Church
Reference : 1 Corinthians 1-6
Paul ministered 18 months in Corinth during his second missionary journey.
The city, Corinth was destroyed totally in 146 BC. by Roman emperor and in 46 BC the city was rebuilt by another Roman emperor, Julius Caesar. It was a famous and busy port city and the city was made as Capital for Achaia (now Greece) in AD 50. The city was experiencing wicked and immoral culture and the church in Corinth happened to be influenced by the world. Paul, when he was in Ephesus was complained on the serious issues rocking the church founded by him. There are couple of problems that are highlighted in these chapters.
1. Divisions in the church.
There were various groups formed around the personalities like Paul, Apollos and others. It could be out of jealousy and pride. The church which was supposed to multiply started dividing. Paul clarified them that the ministers and ministries are mere means used by God to bring each one of the believers in to the fellowship of Lord Jesus Christ. It is foolish and spiritually immature to create, favor and develop groupisms in the church and in Christendom at large. It is a time to examine ourselves if we are involved directly or indirectly in bringing divisions in our church, organization or in any way.
2. Sexual Immorality
Paul out rightly condemned the behavior of the church justifying and protecting those involved in Sexual immorality. Corinthian Church was greatly influenced by the immoral culture around them. Paul ordered to expel the sexually immoral members and to disassociate with them. He clarified that our body is member of Christ. Our body is temple of Holy spirit. We (including our body) are bought by God and it belongs to Him and we are expected to honor God with our body at all times in every aspect. Is God honored and glorified by our body?
Paul answers Corinthians’ queries on marriage
Reference: 1cor 7
Paul responds and clarifies to Corinthian Christians, when he was asked to clarify few issues related to marriage.The concept of marriage was introduced by God. He also added the necessary attractions, love and affection, responsibility to the created human kind to keep the marriage in tact. The marriage could be an environment where each one involved in family can experience heaven on earth, when every thing is kept as per the rules and expectations of God.
1. Which is better for a believer – to be unmarried or married?
Paul advised that each one has own gift concerning marriage, whether to marry or to remain single and the decision making is left to the individual. An unmarried believer is concerned about things related to God but the married ones have the obligation to please their spouses and to take care of their children in addition to their devotion to God and godly things and their their attentions are divided. He also urged the believers to marry to avoid any immorality.
2. Can a Believer and non-believer live together in marriage?
When Paul was writing this epistle, many Christians had their spouses from pagan culture. Paul clarified them that they have to live together and should not separate, citing this reason. In this case, an unbeliever can be led to Christ through believing spouse and the children would be sanctified because of them (till they grow up). This is an exception against the established Biblical truth that believer has to marry believer only.
3. Can the partners separate after marriage?
Paul clarified that the partners should live together except for a period of prayer, meaning that they should not separate as this would harm their relationship. In case, if they are separated, they have to spend their lives unmarried and should not divorce. If a partner dies, other is free to remarry.
4. Is it wrong to separate after engagement?
The ones who are engaged to get married are under no compulsion to marry each other.The decision making is left to the individuals till they get married.
Issues concerning food sacrificed to Idols”
Reference: 1Cor 8; 1Cor 10:14-33
In Corinth, Christians were in minority and the city was influenced by Pagan culture. The city had lot of temples and foods were given freely for needy ones in the temples. The new Christians from the pagan culture background had a serious question related to their faith ” Is it wrong to eat foods sacrificed to Idols?”
Paul clarifies them in two contexts, viz. 1 Cor 8 (Food sacrificed to Idols) and in 1 Cor 10:14-33 (Fellowship feast at pagan temple). Instead of giving direct Yes/No answer, he lets the reader to decide the best for themselves. One of the plain teaching of Bible is to flee from Idolatry. People trust in 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional replicas of so called gods and give reverence to the images and statues. They happened to trust them for help, health, wealth, lucks, fortunes etc.(Our modern idols could be those symbols of power, pleasure, prestige etc that we highly regard in our life)
Paul clarified that
- There is only one God and the other so called gods are nothing and it will not be able to influence those who trust in the real God.
- Idols are just the materials and they do not possess any power
- Foods do not bring anyone closer or farer to God. Eating or not eating food will not make any difference with respect to our devotion to God and the same principle applies to food sacrificed to idols
- We cannot control foods being sacrificed to gods. Poojas and other type of rituals are done at different stages of food cycle.
By all means, we have to avoid foods sacrificed to idols. When we participate in fellowship feast with non believers at the temple, we acknowledge our fellowship with them (like we confess our fellowship with God in holy communion). It also affect the faith of new believers with weak conscience and we would become a stumbling block . There may be unavoidable circumstances in places, where we work and live and may be under compulsion to eat the foods being sacrificed to idols .In such situations, we ought act/react wisely so that the relationship with a non believer will not be affected.
” Gifts of Holy Spirit” Refer: I Cor 12, 13, 14
In the church, God established different ministries, works, services and gifts to evangelize, edify and equip the members in the Universal church of God. The purpose of God concerning each one of us is to conform us to the likeness of Lord Jesus Christ.
The manifestation of the Holy Spirit (gifts,miracle working) is given for the common good of the body of Christ, the universal church. God established apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers,healers etc in the church and they are equipped with different gifts (appropriate to their role/ministry). Each of these ministries are not expected to operate in isolation, misusing the gifts, building their own empires.The purpose of any gift given and operated by Holy Spirit is to compliment other ministries in the church of God.
All gifts have to be exercised in love. When we discharge our ministries and operate gifts in Love, there will be no self-seeking, no boasting, no envy and will be no divisions. Then the will of God will be done in the church and through the church.
We are expected to operate the gifts in orderly manner (not creating and confusions). Every ones’ work is as important as others in the body of Christ. No one is bigger or better because of so called spectacular spiritual gifts. As we engage in seeking the gifts of Holy Spirit, we need to ensure that the will of God be done in and through us. When we commit ourselves to the execution of the will of God, God will entrust us with various responsibilities in the body of Christ and we would be provided with the gifts of Holy Spirit so that we will be powerful and effective in our roles.
” Bodily Resurrection” Refer: I Cor 15
The central point of Christian faith is bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is an established historic fact. Lord Jesus Christ preached bodily resurrection, foretold His resurrection and rose from the dead as forewritten in the Scripture.The resurrected Christ appeared to 500 plus persons at various instances for 40 days before ascending to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Paul, the author of this epistle as well. Greeks did not believe in bodily resurrection as it is against their belief that Souls alone departs from body at death and nothing would happen to physical body. Paul clarified their doubts concerning bodily resurrection. Perhaps majority of Christians want to follow Lord Jesus Christ for worldly gains. Paul warned that if only for this life, we have hope in Lord Jesus Christ, we are to be pitied than all other men. A believer/follower of Lord Jesus Christ need to hope for bodily resurrection and eternal life as promised in the Bible. If death is the end of our life, enjoying the moment is only what would matter but as a follower of Lord Jesus Christ, we believe in the life after death and the type of life we live on earth determines the type of our life after death. What we do today matter for eternity.
When we die, our body is sown as perishable seed and we would have new type of imperishable powerful spiritual body. If we believe in Christ’s bodily resurrection and hope for our bodily, Our life ought to affirm our faith. Do you really believe in the bodily resurrection and living a life confirming it?
