The earth is the Lords   

I Corinthians

Updated: August 6, 2007

..........do not lack any spiritual gift..............


God's grace brings a life transforming deliverance from the bondage of sin that is common to one's social environment. Then God calls us to reach out to those in that environment that are still enslaved.

    I Corinthians
    [C]2000-07 by Richard L Zorek

    • I Cor 1:1: This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of christ jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes Sosthenes may have been Paul's secretary who had written this letter as Paul dictated it. He was probably the Jewish synagogue leader in Corinth (Acts 18:17) who had been beaten during an attack on Paul and then later became a believer.

    • I Cor 1:2: To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours Corinth, a giant cultural metling pot with a great diversity of wealth, relgions, and moral standards, had a reputation for being fiercely independent and as decadent as any city in the world. The Romans had destroyed Corinth in 146 BC after a rebellion, but Julius Caesaer had it rebuilt in 46 BC because of its strategic seaport. By Paul's day (AD 50), the Romans had made corinth the capital of Achaia (present0day Greece).
    • I Cor 1:3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and the God of all comfort "Grace" and "Peace" are both standard greetings in Greek and Jewish letters.
    • I Cor 1:4: I thank God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ Paul gives thanks to God for the Corinthian believers because only by the grace of God can anyone come to believe and be accepted into Gods family. This grace could never come as a response to human merit.
    • I Cor 1:5: That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge Grace enables believers to be enriched. As a result of grace, God made them rich in every way, including their oratory skills and knowledge.
    • I Cor 1:6: Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you The changed lives of the beleivers validated the truth of the gospel message that had been preached to them.
    • I Cor 1:7: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ The word translated "spiritual gift" is "charisma" a word used in three different ways in the New Testament: 1) for salvation (Rom 5:15), 2) for Gods good gifts (Rom 11:29), 3) for special gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit (Rom 12). In this verse Paul was probably referring to the second option. These gifts would help the church battle sin both inside the congregation and outside in the world.
    • I Cor 1:8: Who shall also comfirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The "day of the Lord" is Christs' second coming.
    • I Cor 1:9: God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Somn Jesus Christ our Lord Believers need never doubt God's grace, because God is faithful. As God called the believers, so will He complete his promises to them because he is faithful.
    • I Cor 1:10: Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you: but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment Paul was telling the brothers and sisters of the church to stop arguing about the factions and divisions that were arising. To be perfectly united does not mean Paul required everyone to be exactly the same. Instead, he wanted them to set aside their arguments and focus on what truly mattered--Jesus Christ.
    • I Cor 1:11: For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you quarrels, divisions, dissensions, strifes.....take your pick.
    • I Cor 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. A man must be sinking into the blackness of final despair who thinks Gods methods of salvation is "foolishness." He might as well call it foolishness to expect light from the sun.
    • I Cor 1:19: For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside. Paul writes that the wdisom of man is foolishness to the wisdom of God. It will be destroyed. The "foolish" who try and defy God or proclaim that God is not true or that the Bible is not true will be proven false. If not in this life, then in the judgment.
    • I Cor 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greek foolishness" Blinded by unbelief, the Jew has been stumbling over the cross since Christ rose. The cross, however, lies right in their path and they cannot get out of its way. The Greek philosophers sought after wisdom but deliberately passed by the wisdom of God.
    • I Cor 1:24: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God , and the wisdom of God The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to save to the uttermost of man's need, and the wisdom of God to satisfy to the uttermost man's search for truth. The quality of being wise belongs more to character than to thought.
    • I Cor 1:30: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Set apart, not as a recluse, but as a worker together with Him.
    • I Cor 2:2: Foe I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified The wordly, in their wisdom, would call this narrow-minded; but it is the wisdom of God to offer the Divine remedy for all the worlds woes.
    • 1 Cor 2:6: However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. The word "mature" comes from a Greek word which translates literally means "perfect." But it does not mean so much that one is without flaw as it does that all parts are being fully developed.
    • I Cor 2:9-10: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" The eye of man's carnal mind hath never seen it. The ear of man's worldly wisdom hath never heard it. Neither has it entered into the heart of man (apart from the Holy Spirit).
    • I Cor 2:13: Which words we also speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with the spiritual Without this power, preaching is without authority--"sounding brass." There may be a demonstration of eleoquent words and fleshly energy, but without the demonstration of the Spirit it is spirtually powerless.

    • I Cor 2: 14: The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. That why there is usaully little profit in trying to explain them. They will perceive it as foolish anyway.
    • 1 Cor 3:1-3: And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? Carnal means "sense ruled." The carnally minded man is a Christian who has not yet come to the place where the Word rules him and governs his thinking. He is called a babe in Christ. He is ruled by the flesh, by what he sees with his eyes, what he feels, hears, tastes, and smells. He is a body-ruled, sense governed child of God.
    • I Cor 3:11: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ A foundation was needed, first, by God himself, second by man, on which to build his hopes for this life and the life to come.
    • I Cor 3:12: Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. He puts into his foundation that which is consistent with his character. The foolish builder is wise in his own conceit. He thinks that as long as you believe in the foundation it matters little what you build upon it, and so the false teaching becomes easy, and the vain philsophies of the proud in heart become attractive. "Wood, hay, and stubble" may be usefull in some ways, but they are after the tradition of men and not after Christ (Col 2:8).
    • I Cor 4:3: "It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgments." If I am believing or acting upon God's word...disbelief is a small thing.

    • I Cor 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." Men are converted by regeneration. At regeneration, the Holy Spirit implants in man the holy disposition lost in the Fall into which all men are born. This is the only way that man's nature can be changed. If man is to change ethically, he must be converted.

    • I Cor 6:1: "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?" The law here is not criminal law which would have been the exclusive domain of the Roman courts, nor was it moral law, as Paul had in the previous chapter ordered the church to officially take the initiative in handling such matters. The issue was civil matters of personal loss or injury. These were typically minor matters judges settled amongst the contestants. (It is a recent phenomenon for civil suits to be used for the ruin or confiscation of the defendants wealth or the enrichment of the plaintiff.) These complaints were brought to the princes, elders, or patriarchs, very often in public places such as the gates of the city. Paul's indignation was that the Christians were taking these suits before the "unjust." This does not refer to their lack of "fairness." The unjust are the unrighteous or heathen. They were appealing to the anti-God for justice.

    • I Cor 6:12: "All things are lawful unto me, but not all things are expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. We should not be brought under the power of anything. We are to exercise dominion, not bring ourselves under bondage to the sin from which we have been redeemed. No dominion is possible by slaves. We thus cannot defend indulgences on the grounds that they are not sinful if we become slaves to them.

    • I Cor 7:1: When Paul says "It is good for a man not to touch a woman," he uses the word "good" in the sense of expedient or profitable. He no sooner says this in vs 1 than he takes four verses (2-5) to defend marriage.

    • I Cor 7:12-15: Marital government is so important that God commands us to stay with and support an unbelieving spouse when possible, whereas we are not commanded to stay with and support and apostate church.

    • I Cor 7:20: .."let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called..." God's grace brings a life transforming deliverance from the bondage of sin that is common to one's social environment. Then God calls us to reach out to those in that environment that are still enslaved. The trend is usually for someone to try and get out of their situations in order to start a new life in Christ. The new life starts in the heart......the evironment is incidental.

    • I Cor 9:18: "What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel of Christ without charge. that I abuse not my power in the gospel." So whats with all the "charges" required by some "biblical" counselors? I've known some people who have gone through some hurts and pains, and not knowing anyone to turn to, attempted to find a biblical counselor.....only to find they could not afford it. There is nothing in the Bible anywhere to suggest that a bill should be given in return for truth...since it is truth which is part of the healing power of anyone's life. As Martin and Diedre Bobgan wrote in their newsletter, "For how many more years will church leaders hear biblical counselors close in prayer and ask 'Will you pay by cash, check, or credit card?"

    • I Cor 10:11: Now all these things happend unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whome the ends of the world are come. God may no longer destroy His people physically as he did in the Old testament. But his judgments on our belief today are spritual--and just as severe. Instead of being struck down, we die spiritually.
    • I Cor 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. No matter what happens in my life--good or bad--God will take me through it. Paul did not say that God would build a detour around temptations. God will never curb human desires. He will give us power to control them. God promises us that He will give us strength to overcome temptation and open a door whereby we may escape.

    • I Cor 11:1: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." Powerful preaching also requires more than just proclaiming true doctrine. John Calvin wrote, "..the duty of a good teacher is rather to exhort to a holy life, than to occupy the minds of men with useless questions." Erudite sermons that engage the mind but do not demand a change are just so many empty words in the air. God's people need truth, but they need truth applied.

    • I Cor 11: 10: "That is why women ought to have authority or power (exousia) on her head because of the angels." The almost universal mistranslation of this verse has been "veil." This has been traced back to Valentinus, a founder of the Gnostic sect about AD 140, Clement and Origen. In their native coptic tongue, the word "authority" or "power" would be ouershishi while the word "veil" was ouershoun. Valentinus deliberately corrupted the first term into the second in order to give biblical justification to his needed veil used in the sexual initiation rites of the Gnostic sect. Without carefully checking it, the church fathers and modern translators merely followed along in this same erroneous rut.
    • I Cor 11:19: No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. Truth and orthodoxy are always worked out against error and heresy.

    • I Cor 12:26: "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all members rejoice with it." Christians are required to spring into action to defend their oppressed and persecuted brethren throughout the world.

    • I Cor 13:1: 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. No matter what I am doing or how great the gift, if I am not motivated by love, I am just a noise...and sometimes an irritating noise. Then also comes the question of where love comes from. God is the source of love. (I John 4:8). So, to operate in love we must be in touch with the source. Anything outside of that is just noise. "Tongues of men and angels" might suggest the possibility of men spoeaking in the tongues of angels, the gift of glossolalia, which is the language used by angels, whereas some might have the gift of xenoglossia and are able to speak in other languages they had never been fluent in. This is, however, unclear based on just this verse.
    • I Cor 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.My faith means aboslutely nothing if I do not have love.
    • I Cor 13:3: And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. All the good deeds and even sacrifice of myself is nothing unless I have love.
    • I Cor 13:4: Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; Love is not arrogant or envious. If jealousy pokes up its head at you--it is not love. Instead, love seeks the beenfit of the other person.......even if you are not one of the "benefits."
    • I Cor 13:5: does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; One who operates in love does not seek the interest of himself. One doesnt do odd or rude things to draw attention to onses self. Drawing attention to ourselves is the opposite of what love is all about. We should focus on others. Love is rational and not easily provoked. True love is not easily shaken. Other kinds of love end quickly or they are based on feelings and emotions and changes postions as quick as the ocean waves. Bragging exalts onseself and looks down on others. An arrogant person sees themselves as better than others. Love does not become bitter or evil. No matter what kinds of hurts are inflicted.....forgiveness is the answer. Love doesn't make plans for revenge.
    • I Cor 13:6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Love rejoices at justice and truth.
    • I Cor 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love can withstand the shocks of sin and acts of depravity in a depraved world. Love is not suspicious. Love is not pessimistic.
    • I Cor 13:8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. All the other gifts will fail because they will end. Love does not end and endures forever. It's vision is farther than this life. I read a skeptics comments sugggesting that since Paul is prophesying that "prophesy will fail" that this prophesy, hence, fails. That's not being a "skeptic," that is just being a critic. Paul realizes that even his own prophesies will fail eventually....and they all fail if not motivated by love. The world has had successful prophesy since the beginning of time......but in the end....they are limited to a time-space creation. Love will go beyond that.
    • I Cor 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. Our gift may be fulfilling, but it is a small part of the whole thing.
    • I Cor 13: 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.Jesus, maturity...
    • I Cor 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. As we mature, the childish things are put away. Sometimes they do not just cease....but they have to actually be "put away." There are adults who have not put away childish things and still cling to them, and will even until death. 1
    • 1 Cor 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. We will not have the total picture on many things til we meet in eternity. It is an important part of maturity to accept that.
    • I Cor 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. The greatest of the virtues. God is the source of love.
    • I Cor 15:3: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for which our sins according to the scriptures;" The work for our redemption is finished. The foundation for our eternal life is laid. The last words of Jesus, while hanging on the cross, were "It is finished!"

    • I Cor 15:19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitied. If there is no ressurection, we need to be pitied for we are most miserable for placing any hope in Christ.

    • I Cor 15:20: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." As the firstfruit offering represented the whole of the harvest to come, Christ rose as the firstfruits of those who died in faith. The significance of the firstfruits was not just that it came first but because it was a pledge of faith that the entire harvest was part of God's grace and mercy to His people. Likewise, Christ was the first sheaf of the harvest presented as a token of the in gathering of the elect in the day of resurrection. Of the resurrection to eternal life, Christ is the first fruit. As He rose, His elect will rise. Christ resurrected is the proof of our resurrection.

    • I Cor 15:24: "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power." "The Last Days" refers to the period between Christ's past bodily resurrection and His future bodily return. Why is it termed "The Last Days?" Because it is the last period of God's redemptive work in the earth. The Last Days is the consummation of redemptive history--when we bask and work within the victory of Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and session.

    • I Cor 15:26: All enemies will be put down before the Second Coming. That final enemy to be subordinated is death. Death--and the sin that fuels it--will survive in "the last days;" it will not be defeated with finality until Christ returns to initiate the final resurrection.