Day 264 – 1 Corinthians: Introduction
“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no division in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT
On a bed of grass, a chameleon’s skin turns green. On the brown earth, it becomes brown. Its skin changes to match its environment. Many creatures blend into nature with God-given camouflage to aid their survival. It is completely natural for us to want to fit in and adapt to the current environment too. Followers of Jesus, however, are new creations born from above and changed within. We have values and lifestyles that confront the world and often clash with accepted morals. True believers don’t blend well with the world.
The Christians in Corinth were struggling with their environment. Surrounded by corruption and every conceivable sin, they felt the pressure to adapt by joining in. They knew that as followers of Jesus, they had been given new life, but they were having a hard time giving up their old, sinful way of life. And even within this young church, they were wrestling with what it meant to enjoy the freedom of following Jesus, this “new covenant” he had spoken about.
The questions they had were more than theoretical, and the church was being undermined by immorality, legalism, and spiritual immaturity. Paul heard of their struggles and wrote this letter to address their problems, heal their divisions, and answer their questions in love. This letter confronts the Corinthians about their sins and shortcomings, calling all Christians to be careful not to bend in with a sinful world and accept its values and lifestyles.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the first letter to Corinth, not only addressing their questions and problems, but in our modern day too. So many churches struggle with the same as highlighted in this book, and I pray that they would turn to Your Word for the answers. Amen.
