Paul started a lot of churches. He had great churches like Philippi and Ephesus, who brought him constant joy, who demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit and a passion for the gospel. He had the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what he preached was true. He started churches in Thessalonica, Galatia and all over the Roman world.
And then there was Corinth, the dysfunctional family of God. We can deduce that Paul wrote 4 letters to Corinth, two in addition to two we have in the New Testament. One he referred to as his "painful letter" - which is amazing because 1 and 2 Corinthians were hardly Hallmark Cards.
But in his greeting, which opened the letter of 1 Corinthians, Paul made some amazing statements about the Corinthian church.
I always thank my God for you because of God’s grace given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that by Him you were enriched in everything—in all speech and all knowledge. 6 In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; you were called by Him into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9
Paul spent the rest of the book confronting the sin of the church at Corinth.
- He confronted the disunity and schism that was so prevalent among the Corinthians in chapters 1-4.
- Chapter 5 addressed the immorality that was not only permitted, but even prized. They were so full of "grace" they arrogantly accepted unrepentant sinners into their fellowship.
- They brought shame to Christ by taking one another to court, in chapter 6.
- In the same chapter Paul returned to the embrace of sexual immorality within the church.
- Chapter 7 discusses problems in their views of marriage and chapters 8-10 talk about their attitudes toward disputable issues.
- In chapter 11, Paul discusses both the impropriety in worship at Corinth, especially in regard to gender roles and he also gives a powerful rebuke about their how they profaned the Lord's Supper.
- Chapters 12-14 delve into their dysfunctional appropriation of spiritual gifts, focusing on self-aggrandizement instead of building up the Body of Christ.
- Chapter 15 regales the importance of the resurrection in the face of the fact that Corinth was tolerating those who denied this fundamental truth.
1 Corinthians is all about correcting problems in the church. But in verses 4-9, he affirmed them and the work that God was doing in them. He was thankful for the grace God had given them, which had enriched them in every way. Every problem they had was solvable, not because of their potential but because of the riches of God's grace at work within them. He was confident that they had the spiritual resources that they needed and that God would be faithful and would strengthen them in every way.
He was confident in the work that God was going to do in them. Even in his rebuke, he was encouraging. He was not disdaining them or trying to savage them, but was simply trying to help them take a step toward something better. Encouragement is always the foundation for rebuke and correction.
When I arrived in Tequesta, Florida, for my first ministry position, the church was in the middle of a building project. The new sanctuary was under construction and it was a complete mess. It was filthy and debris was strewn around everywhere. There was a sunken area in the front of the sanctuary and water had collected there - it was dirty brown with nasty stuff floating in it.
But never once did anyone walk into the sanctuary and complain about the mess. "Wow, this is going to be beautiful when it is done." They saw it in terms of what it would be when it was finished, not simply according to the mess that was there. As they continued to process of construction, everyone had their eyes focused on the finished product.
That's how Paul did it. He saw the Corinthians in terms of what they would be when Christ was finished with them, even as he performed the necessary spiritual construction tasks.
That is how we ought to treat one another. The process continues as God works on us to make us like Christ and make the church what it is supposed to be. But in the meantime, we look for the best in one another. Love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." We look at what God can do; no, what God will do!
Father, help me to see other believers in terms of what you are doing in them and what they will be when you are finished.
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