Gold for the heart - 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1

The Lord has enriched us in everything

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God at Corinth, to those that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints with all that in every place call on the name/person of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which is given to you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing you are enriched by him, in all speech and in all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that you are not lacking in any gift; eagerly waiting for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 who will also will confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Confirm means to make stable.
He makes us stable and blameless.
Fellowship is partaking or partnership. (Dr. McGee, thru the Bible Radio).

He wants us to be united in Him

10 Now brothers, I strongly urge you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For, my brothers, it has been told me about you by those of the house of Chloe that there are quarrels among you. 12 I mean that each one of you says, I am of Paul; and I am of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius; 15 Lest any say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Now I did also baptize the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any others. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of speech/words, lest the cross of Christ be made ineffective.

If we all walk in the filling of the Holy Spirit and learn and follow all of God’s word we will all be united.
If it isn’t God’s word that we follow it is someone else’s.
Also, our ‘wise’ explanations can cancel God’s words.

Hebrews 4:12… the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

John 17:23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.

18 For the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those that perish; but to us who are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will set aside the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

God is pleased to use the foolishness of preaching to save us

Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God

21 Since in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom did not know God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness; 24 But to those are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers, how not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to bring down the things that are mighty; 28 And God has chosen the low things of the world and things which are despised, yes, and things which are nothing, to bring to nothing things that are: 29 So that no flesh glory/brag in his presence. 30 But of him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.

He alone is worthy of praise. Only He made all things, sustains all things, and died to save all.

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 2

The Lord of Glory was crucified out of love for us

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come with excellent speech or wisdom, declaring to you the evidence of God. 2 For I decided not to know any thing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

6 Yet we speak wisdom among those that are complete: but not the wisdom of this world, nor from the princes of this world, that comes to nothing: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom that God ordained before the world to our glory: 8 which none of the princes of this world knew: for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Colossians1:26 Even the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is shown to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

He has prepared things beyond imagining for those who love Him

9 But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those that love him. 10 But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For who among man knows the thoughts of a man, except the spirit of man that is in him? So also no one has known the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things we speak not in the words of taught by human wisdom, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual evaluates all things, but he himself, is evaluated by no man. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3

The Lord has given us all things

1 And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as to babies in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for before now you were not able to bear it, and you are still not able. 3 For you are still fleshly: for there is envying, and strife, and divisions among you, are you not fleshly, and walk according to men?

1Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow by it

4 For one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal/fleshly? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase.

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

8 Now he that plants and he that waters are one: and every man will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are laborers together with God: you are God's field/farm, you are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let every man watch how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay another foundation than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 Jesus says to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, except by me.

He made us His temple; He lives in us

12 Now if any man builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 every man's work will be shown: for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work remains that he has built, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss: but he himself will be saved; yet so as through fire. 16 Don’t you know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 If any man corrupts (by false teaching) the temple of God, God will corrupt him; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

To build gold, silver, and precious stones on the foundation of Christ Jesus we must build by faith.
Faith is built by trusting the truth—trusting what God has said.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ? Do I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16 What? Do you not know that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? For he says, two will be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is outside the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. 19 What? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, who you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

We belong to Christ and He belongs to us

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool so that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He catches the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23 And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's

1 Corinthians 4

1 Let a man think of us as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. 3 But it is a little thing to me that I be judged by you, or by man's day: I do not judge myself. 4 For I know nothing by myself; but I have not been justified by this: but he that judges me is the Lord.

God has made us stewards of His mysteries.

John 5:22 the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son

Romans 14:12 So then every one of us will give an account of himself to God.

The Lord will reveal the hidden things of darkness and the heart; He will praise every man

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will reveal the counsels of the hearts: then every man will have praise from God. 6 And brothers, I have figuratively applied these things, I to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that you might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that none of you be puffed up one over the other. 7 For who makes you different from each other? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

8 Now you are full, now you are rich, you have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God you did reign, that we also might reign with you. 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles last, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honorable, but we are despised. 11 Even until this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, are naked and are beaten, and have no certain dwelling; 12 And we labor working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure it: 13 Being slandered, we plead: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day.

Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you, when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for this is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 15 For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who will bring you into remembrance of my ways that are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and will not know the speech of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21 What do you desire? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?

1John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

John 15:4 Abide in me and I in you. Since the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it stays in the vine; no more can you, unless you abide in me.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

1 Corinthians 5

The Lord has given us His power

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one would have his father's wife. 2 And you are puffed up, and have not mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I truly, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged as though I were present concerning him that has done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus’ power created and sustains the universe (Psalm 33:6, 9, Colossians 1:16).
Paul used this power to put the guilty person under the sentence of death to save his spirit.
The person didn’t lose his salvation, but would lose the rest of his earthly life.
This caused him to repent.
In 2 Corinthians the death sentence is revoked.

Matthew 28:18 All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Christ is our Passover was sacrificed for us

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Leaven is yeast. It is the Bible illustration of pride because it puffs up.
Here is says that malice and wickedness also puff up.
In Exodus 12 God gave a vivid illustration of His love for us.
He had the Israelites slaughter an innocent lamb and place its shed blood on the top and sides of the doorway.
When the death angel passed through Egypt those inside the bloodstained doorway were passed over.
God took the firstborns of Egypt like He gave His firstborn for us.
But those inside, under the blood, were passed over.
God is holy. We are far from holy.
Christ died for our sins that we may enter the presence of our holy God.

John 1:29 Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

He takes His own home if they will not purify themselves from the world

9 I wrote to you in an epistle not to associate with fornicators: 10 not altogether with the fornicators of this world (unbelievers), or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then you must go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company, if any man who is called a brother is a fornicator (a saved fornicator), or covetous, or an idolater, or abusive, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; do not eat with one like this.

This Christian brother was meeting his sexual needs in a way forbidden by God (Leviticus 18).
These deeds are inspired by evil.
This person was following evil rather than the Lord.

12 For what do I have to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those that are within (the church)? 13 God judges those that are outside. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

God judges the unbelievers.
Paul told the church at Corinth to stop associating with this person who was having sex with his father’s wife or others who were following evil instead of God.
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he instructs them to receive this person back into their fellowship because he had turned from this sin, confessed, and been forgiven by God.

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be holy; for I am holy.

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SUMMARY: 1 Corinthians 1-5

The Lord has enriched us in everything
He wants us to be united in Him
God is pleased to use the foolishness of preaching to save us
Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God
The Lord of Glory was crucified out of love for us
He has prepared things beyond imagining for those who love Him
The Lord has given us all things
He made us His temple; He lives in us
We belong to Christ and He belongs to us
The Lord will reveal the hidden things of darkness and the heart; He will praise every man
The Lord has given us His power
Christ is our Passover who was sacrificed for us
He takes His own home if they will not purify themselves from the world