Beginning in September we will be looking at Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians in our weekend services at St Stephens. Why look at this letter at this time?

Well, haven’t you noticed that when people become Christians, they don’t automatically become like Jesus?  Human character is incredibly resistant to change. The ancient church of Corinth had a widespread reputation for wild living. They were at the same time the New York, the Las Vegas and the Los Angeles of the ancient world. Situated at a cross roads of the Roman empire, Corinth had become famous for its economic prosperity, its multiculturalism, its fierce independence, and its wild living. 

When the gospel came to Corinth, many people received it with open and glad hearts.  But they soon found that their old life was not so easy to shake.  The church soon was infested with the very things that had infected the culture: autonomy and sexual immorality, factionalism and spiritual pride. They were all there.

1 Corinthians is Paul’s response to a troubled church.  It is primarily a pastoral letter, written by a surgeon who has to cut to heal. In it we hear the Apostle’s wisdom on division and spiritual pride, on sex and law suits, on worship and spiritual gifts and the coming future. As usual with Paul, all of his pastoral wisdom is rooted in the revelation of God and the coming of Jesus. It is gospel from beginning to end, good news and the hope of healing to a troubled church. 

It is a word for today!