Articles
The Corinthian Church
The church at Corinth—to put it lightly—had problems. They were terribly divided. They put emphasis on men, arguing who was greater (1-3). They had members caught up in sin, sleeping with step moms or visiting prostitutes (5,6). They were defrauding one another, and in response, taking each other to court (6). They were divided about marriage (7) and whether it was okay to eat meats sacrificed to idols (8,10). They were divided about whether a woman should have her head covered or not (11). They were divided about the Lord’s Supper, as to what it meant and who could partake (10-11). They argued about who had the most important spiritual gifts (12-14). They had some people who denied the foundational doctrine of the resurrection (15). Those are no minor problems. Their division was everything from personal to moral to doctrinal to differing opinions to fleshly heart issues to external ways they were treating one another. In other words, they were about as divided as a church can get.
What would you do if you were part of a church with as many problems as the one at Corinth?
Some Christians would fall away after becoming discouraged at the rotten behavior of some Christians and thinking that is the way all Christians behave. I’ve known several people who have left the church of Christ for exactly this reason. They had a few bad experiences and then boldly rebuke all of the churches as if they are all guilty and all the same. My experience has been very different. There are troubled churches (like Corinth) but then there are amazing churches and what’s more, there are truly outstanding Christians all across the country. The church at Corinth apparently had some encouraging men, if a person was inclined to look for them. Paul rejoiced over “the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus…for they have refreshed my spirit” (I Cor. 16:17-18). Will we be encouraged by the faithful Christians or will we be distracted and destroyed by the hypocrites?
In a place like northern Alabama, where there are so many other churches to choose from, I suppose it would be common to simply go to another church. Maybe there is a time where such an action should be taken. But, I notice that Paul is not calling the Christians to leave the Corinthian church. That isn’t the point of his letter.
What Paul does instead is important and impressive.
First, Paul still declares them to be a church of God (I Cor. 1:2). They had problems, but they were still the “sanctified” and the “saints” (I Cor. 1:2) and had “fellowship with…Jesus Christ our Lord” (I Cor. 1:9). It is true that there is a point where a church can be cut off from Christ (Rev. 2:5) but that doesn’t happen instantaneously. A church can have a tremendous amount of problems and still be the Lord’s church.
Second, Paul did not allow the problems to poison his view of the Corinthians. He begins his letter thanking God for them (I Cor. 1:4) and looking hopefully to their future when God “will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 1:8).
Third, Paul called on the Corinthians to no longer be divided but rather to be “made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I Cor. 1:10). It amazes me that Paul, through the Holy Spirit, was convinced that a church like Corinth could get its act together. They could solve their problems and be united. What a hopeful message and approach!
Paul isn’t ignoring their problems. It is his letter that shines the timeless spotlight on their serious flaws. We know of their struggles because of him. Further, Paul spends much more time rebuking the Corinthians rather than commending them. But still he was hopeful. Still, he made every effort to get them in line.
May we be equally dedicated to resolving our problems and finding unity when trouble rises. May we have an enduring, hopeful attitude toward one another.
