Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Corinth

“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body.” I Corinthians 12:12 NKJV

The Church of Corinth was a problem child. To be a Corinthian Church is no complement.  Paul wrote twice to this church, each lengthy epistles, to straighten out serious problems. Forty years after Paul wrote his letters to Corinth, Clement of Rome sent them a lengthy stinging letter as well. Sadly, so much of what was seen in the Church of Corinth is now seen in the American church today.

They were a divided and divisive group. They were bragging, “I’m of Paul” and the next would say “So what, I’m of Peter!” Then they would brag about why they were better than others because of what they could do.  “I can preach”.  “Well, I can heal.”  “Well, I trump you all, I can speak in tongues.” Even at the Lord’s Table they were divisive segregating the meal out according to economic position. Paul said, “Listen, you were all called in Christ, so you are one, not many.  You were all gifted by the Spirit, so none of your gifts are your own talents and they are all equally useful. You are all one body, so when you eat the body of Christ – act like it.” To this church Paul actually gives the challenge to examine themselves to see if they are really believers in Christ. If we want to know how not to act as believers, we need to study Corinthians.

Dear Father, Help us to act like we ought in love and truth and oneness in Christ. Amen. 

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