Maturity and Growth
N.B. The audio goes a bit funny between 9:30 and 10:30 minutes
Introduction
- Paul was writing his first letter to the Corinthians
- It was about 5 years after he last visited the church
- He preached earlier for about 18 months
- He has news of the Corinthian Church from Chloe's household - chapter 1
- You can read of the division in 1 Corinthians
- Paul was writing from Ephesus
- He longed to come to Corinth
- Lots of problems
- Doctrinal problems - 1 Cor 15
- Moral problems - 1 Cor 5 & 6
- Questions of conscience
- The first problem to deal with - unity
- If the church is not united - the other problems cannot be solved
- Paul pleads with the church - 1 Cor 1:10
- It is right that we examine ourselves before coming to the Communion Table
- He returns to the subject of division in chapter 3
- He tells them three times that they are carnal
- They are not spiritual but carnal (v1)
- They do not have spiritual discernment
- Paul must go back to the basics with them
- Looking at negative verses in a positive way
- What is Christian maturity?
- What makes a church grow? (v5-9)
What is Christian maturity?
- They are enriched in all things - 1 Cor 1:5,7
- Yet they were not mature
- This is a lesson for us!
- The graces of the Holy Spirit are more important on the gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Paul was not able to go into deep matters with them
- They were spiritually dull
- They could not be taught doctrine
- Even now (after 5 years) they could still not receive Paul's teaching
- Paul teaches the same truth
- Simple for the immature
- For the mature - given it's full understanding
- Example
- James 1:22-25
- v22 - The Corinthians were hearing the word but not practicing it
- v25 - The mature Christian
- The Corinthian church are taken up with matters of the world
- See chapter 2
- They weren't looking for the word in power but putting too much emphasis on the preacher
- They were interested in how eloquent the preacher was
- Corinth was said to be the centre of intellectual culture - this spirit had entered the church
- Heb 6:1 - the writer desires the Christian grows
- We need to put on Christ daily
- We need to put off the old man
- We need to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit
- Carnal Christians
- Paul is not setting up a different category of Christian - as some have taught
- The spiritual vs the carnal
- Rom 8:9
- We are in the spirit
- We are no longer in the flesh
- Rom 6:11
- Dead in sin but alive to Christ
- All Christians are spiritual
- These Christians are giving way to the flesh
- They needed to examine themselves to check they are Christians - 2 Cor
- They should not be deceived - Gal 5, 1 Cor 5
- There is no such thing as a carnal Christian
- There is a difference to those who fall back into old ways
- Maturity
- To war against the flesh
- Who feels his sin
- Who looks to Christ to overcome
- Who seeks peace with others
- Who thanks God for the gifts in others
- Humility
- Who yield to others
- Who are kind and generous
- Closing thoughts - 1 Pet 21:2
What makes a church grow? (v5-9)
- People say they are human preachers (v4)
- Paul, Apollos, Cephas and Jesus
- There now seems to be two main divisions - around Paul and Apollos
- Examples of favouritism
- Paul makes clear he is just a channel
- "What is Paul and what is Apollos?"
- He who scatters and waters does not make things grow - God makes the Church grow
- No titles - just brother Paul and brother Apollos
- They are complimentary (v8)
- They work together (v8)
- Different people have different gifts
- Rom 12:3,6-8
- God gives the gifts
- They are complimentary and all to be used
- Not people on pedestals - it is God's work
- Example of Revival - God raised up the men and God used them
- We must focus on Jesus Christ - especially as we come to the communion table
- We are to be faithful - 1 Cor 4:2
- Closing thoughts