1 Corinthians Part 1: The Foolish Things of This World...

The Book of 1 Corinthians is Paul's letter (epistle)to a troubled church in the town of Corinth; to understand this
in better detail, we need to understand the story leading up to the need for Paul to write this letter. During Paul's
2nd journey, he stayed in Corinth a total of 18 months to help get them started. It wasn't easy: Corinth was the
crossroad of several trade routes, and as such, was home to a lot of money, a lot of material goods, and a lot of
corruption and decadence. The city was home to a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, whose
priestesses spread out through Corinth in order to worship through prostitution. Then there was the matter of the
Corinthian Games, which were second only to the Olympics in terms of prestige and importance.

Paul's stay in Corinth is recounted in Acts chapter 18; at one point, Paul was so discouraged from the severe
persecution that the Lord had to encourage him to stay and continue his ministry there. After the year and a half
he remained there, Paul moved on, but it would be while he was in Ephesus that he would hear word from
brethren in Chloe's house (1:11) and new worries would arise for him. At this point, Paul probably wondered
why the Lord ever started a church in Corinth...

Those concerns are outlined in this epistle, and it is an important book in scripture to read and take to heart. In
writing this, I won't read into scripture what isn't there, and if I don't know, I'll admit it.

Lord, we ask in your name to reveal your word and your will in this study of a book in your scriptures. Help us
to understand, and help me to write not my own thoughts, but yours. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

And with that, we're off:

[I]"Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, [B]To the church of
God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling[/B], with all who in
every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace[B] from God
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was
given you in Christ Jesus[/B], that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,
even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,[B] so that you are not lacking in any gift,
awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the
day of our Lord Jesus Christ[/B]. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord."[/I] 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, NASB, emphasis mine)

Paul starts off with recognizing that those at Corinth were indeed called by the Lord and sanctified in Jesus
Christ. He felt it important that rather than accusing them of not being believers, that he instead addressed them
as brethren and recognized their standing in the Lord. There was enough division in the body at Corinth as it
stood, and Paul did not want to further divide them:

[I]"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,[B] that you all agree and that there be no
divisions among you[/B], but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.[B] For I
have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.[/B]
Now I mean this, [B]that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and
“I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the
name of Paul?[/B] I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say
you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know
whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, [B]but to preach the gospel, not in
cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.[/B]"[/I] (1 Corinthians 1:10-17,
NASB, emphasis mine)

Through Paul, the Lord spoke to the believers in Corinth, and had to remind them that it is through Jesus Christ
and not Paul or any other fellow believer through which we are saved. An argument had broken out about
whom had been baptized by who, and Paul had to put a stop to something that was poisoning the brethren
against one another. Paul also had to tell them that it wasn't by his own speaking ability, but by the power of the
Holy Spirit; otherwise, the Cross would have had no point. Christ did all the work, not us; to add our own works
to it would suggest it wasn't enough.

[I]"[B]For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the
power of God[/B]. For it is written, “[B]I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE
CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE[/B].” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age?[B] Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [/B]For since in the
wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the
foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search
for wisdom; [B]but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to
those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God[/B].
Because[B] the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men[/B]."[/I] (1
Corinthians 1:18-25, NASB, emphasis mine)

Continuing on, the Lord (through Paul's pen hand) makes it clear that the wisdom of men is worse than "the
foolishness of God". In other words: man's understanding is so limited that God uses foolish things to
demonstrate that even such foolish things that come from Him are by far wiser than man's wisdom. Man's best
effort at wisdom isn't even equal to silliness from the Lord!! That said, to man, the message of the cross is utter
nonsense, but for those who have accepted the Lord's gift, it is His power exemplified. Man, in his arrogance,
seeks wisdom, but cannot see what is true wisdom because he is blinded by his own importance and is
imprisoned in a cage of his own making, gilded with his so-called "knowledge". But even with the foolish
things He has used, the Lord has made a laughing-stock of man's "wisdom" and shown man to be little more
than a rebellious child who has revolted against his good, loving Creator. And now that Creator seeks to reunite
with man through the most costly gift ever. And in answer to a question that was probably even on Paul's mind:
"why a church at Corinth?", the Lord speaks through Paul's letter and answers that question:

[I]"For [B]consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh[/B], not many
mighty, not many noble; [B]but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise[/B], and
[B]God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the
world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that
no man may boast before God.[/B] But by [B]His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from
God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,[/B] so that, just as it is written,[B] “LET HIM WHO
BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” [/B][/I] (1 Corinthians 1:26-31, NASB, emphasis mine)

In creating the church at Corinth, the Lord knew that there would be those there who would believe on Him
alone for their salvation. So the Lord sought to create a church where it would make the [I]least[/I] sense to do
so, in order to make a mockery of man's "wisdom". It would not be through any innate strength of the church
there, save that of the Holy Spirit, that the church would come to be, let alone [I]grow[/I]. If it existed, let
alone[I] thrived at all[/I], it would be because of the Lord and [I]no one else[/I].

God chose Corinth to demonstrate that even in such a setting, He was God and none other was. And that all He
purposed to do would be done. And that included plant a church where none should be able to be planted.

Something to think about the next time we become discouraged and about ready to give up.

In Part 2, we'll examine more of Paul's initial visit with the church at Corinth.

I bid you all peace.

YBIC,

-Robert