Audio - Paul's Warning to the Corinthians

Play Audio
MP3 Download (16.5mb)

The Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity
Paul's Warning to the Corinthians
September 21, 2008

TEXT:  NKJ 1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also 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 into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
 
Paul is writing this letter to the church in Corinth—a church with many problems—the members of this church were believers—but the church was suffering from divisions of the members—abuse of the spiritual gifts of God—gross immorality—and other influences of the devil and his workers—Paul understood that when the Gospel is preached and the people respond to the truth of the Word—that he needs to send his workers to intermingle with God’s people
 
This letter is written by Paul to correct and admonish God’s people—Paul opens his discussion by reminding the Corinthians that they are God’s children—their inheritance includes everything—and it is theirs forever—BUT—everything they have is a gift of God—and since it is a gift, who are they to elevate themselves above others—who are they to cause divisions among themselves—God gave them everything—by faith in this world—and by inheritance for eternity—there is no room to boast
Paul begins by giving a personal example—he thanks God for the Corinthians—and he thanks God for the gift of salvation He gave to the Corinthians when He lifted the veil of spiritual blindness and revealed Himself to them—later Paul tells the Corinthians that their gift of understanding the things of God are a gift of the Holy Spirit
 
NKJ 1 Corinthians 12:3 ... no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
 
When Paul preached the Gospel message to the Corinthians—they believed—which means the Holy Spirit revealed these things to them—Paul and the other true preachers of the Word gave them the Christian tools they needed to sustain their faith—the Corinthians also had the Old Testament promises of God to sustain their faith—from the prophets of old they knew that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon all the world—and they should know from Paul’s teachings that they are special to know God by the gift of the Spirit
 
NKJ Zechariah 12:10 " And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
 
NKJ Joel 2:28 " And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; …
 
Believer and unbeliever receive the pouring out of the Holy Spirit—and the Law of God is written on our hearts to tell us the things of God—so the Holy Spirit is poured out upon us—the Law of God is written on our hearts—yet men choose to not follow what they know is right—but they follow the things of this world under the constant pressure and influence of the devil
 
NKJ Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
 
Paul is speaking to the Corinthians and reminding them that they have been enriched with the Spiritual gifts—they have everything they need to walk with the Lord—but they pursue the pleasures of this world instead—consider the gifts listed by Paul later in the letter
 
NKJ 1 Corinthians 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
 
The Corinthians were blessed with these many gifts to do the works they were chosen by God to do—and you can hear the pain in Paul’s letter because the Corinthians were wasting their day of work in this world—and simply waiting for their promised mansion in heaven—Paul wants everyone to understand that the gifts we are given are not for us—they are for the Church—how do we know that?—consider another part of Paul’s letter—in chapter 13 we read about the gift of love—Paul is telling the Corinthians that the gifts of the Spirit are for us to love one another
 
NKJ 1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
 
This entire chapter goes on to discuss love—John gives us the definition of love
 
NKJ 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
 
Jesus taught us that God the Father loved Him—He loves us—and through love we are all part of Him—but He began that lesson with a warning –just as Paul is warning the Corinthians in our lesson—if we are not part of Christ, we will be condemned for eternity—we must obey the law written on our hearts—listen to the urgings of the Holy Spirit within us—and do the work God provides
NKJ John 15:6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 " As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
 
The gifts of God are our Spiritual gifts—they are to be used to do the work of God—Paul is very concerned that the Corinthians are using the gifts of God for their own gain or purpose—that is why he is writing this letter
 
Peter has the same concerns as Paul—but Peter says it a different way—he knows that some will be tempted to turn from their walk with God—and again walk in the ways of the world—listen and hear his warning
 
NKJ 2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
 
Let us consider one more example of Paul’s message to the Corinthians—Paul wrote to Titus concerning Christian life in preparation to minister to God’s people
 
NKJ Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
 
As we continue our journey through life—we must remember that we are in this world to glorify God—and then He will take us home
 
NKJ Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!