The Christian and the Church
Introduction
AD 54-55 – imagine that you are sitting in the Church in Corinth
This church is being charged as carnal – envy, strife, division
How would you feel about this?
How were Chloe’s household feeling?
All the church needed to listened to have the problems treated
Problems are not easy to deal with
Paul deals with these problems
Does a church not go forward because of it’s problems?
Paul knew that God was King over His Church and that Jesus was building His Church
Paul was confident that God would perfect the Church of Jesus Christ – 1 Cor 1:8
Paul was not complacent about the problems
Those in leadership and teach – their work will one day be tested by fire
The Church is holy
Wisdom should not come from the world but from God
v10-23, looking at the Christian & the Church
It’s Work
It’s Sacredness
It’s Work
The Church is compared to a building – the foundation is essential (example)
Paul was a master builder by the grace of God – v10
The foundation must be built on Jesus Christ – v11
Paul’s preaching was not about morality – he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ
Apollos taught (Acts 18/19)
Those in the Church need to be careful how they build – v12-14
The gold and the silver will remain though burned by fire – but wood, straw, hay will be burnt up
Some churches do not preach the gospel or believe only in social action
Some churches exist on mere activity
God, not man, is the judge of the Church of Jesus Christ – 1 Cor 4:3-4
It’s Sacredness
The Church of God is sacred
Christians are the temple of the living God
We are a universal and a local Church
The letters of the Bible are addressed to specific/local committed churches
Yet we are to fellowship with those of other congregrations
The Church of God can be defiled
Example of Ananias and Sapphira
Reading 1 Cor 6:13-20
Flee sexual immorality
1 Cor 5:1
1 Cor 5:12 – Judge not those outside the church – but those inside
1 Cor 10:20-22
The Church is supernatural / other worldly
v21-22 – do not act in carnal ways
Denominations and divisions (over secondary matters)
Example of baptism, prominent ‘Christians’, the Second coming
All things belong to us and we are Christ’s – v23
Do not be deceived – v18
Our wisdom is not be from the world
We are to follow Jesus – which to the world is foolishness
We are not to reject facts but to reject the schemes of man
Closing Remarks