Introduction to 1 Corinthians

Introduction – the general background

I: THE PEOPLE TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN

Corinth was a modern city …
• A cultural melting pot
• Obsessed with sports
• Religious pluralism
• Sexually immoral
• Permissive, relativistic, and individualistic

“The ideal of the Corinthian was the reckless development of the individual. The merchant who made his gain by all and every means, the man of pleasure surrendering himself to every lust, the athlete steeled to every bodily exercise and proud in his physical strength, are the true Corinthian types: in a word the man who recognized no superior and no law but his own desires.” Ernst Von Dobschütz

II: THE DOCTRINES THAT IT TEACHES

• Doctrine of the church -
• The Lord’s Supper -
• The resurrection, marriage and singleness, Christian love, Spiritual gifts
• The Gospel of Christ (2:2)

III: THE PROBLEMS THAT IT CONFRONTS

How to live as Christians in a fallen world –
• Withdrawing too much from the world (the ‘weak’)
• Becoming too involved with the world (the ‘strong’)

The true nature of the Christian Faith –

IV: THE INSTRUCTION THAT IT GIVES

“The Corinthians were just like us; they were mentally lazy. They didn’t want thoughtful principles, they wanted simple slogans.” D. A. Carson

Instruction in how to think, not what to do (2:2).

Conclusion – The power of the Gospel of Christ.