God with us - Week 40: 1 Corinthians 1:19
The Corinthians didn’t have the best of reputations!
In Biblical times, negative lifestyle choices and dubious character traits were associated with the people of Corinth. Not everyone in the city lived up to this stereotype, but Corinth provided many opportunities to drink, live the party lifestyle, and spend the night with whoever you liked. Paul spent time teaching and sharing with the people of this colourful city, and many of them came to know Jesus. Despite their newfound faith, their old lifestyle still held an appeal, and things got a little spiritually bumpy at times. We know this because Paul regularly wrote to them from Ephesus, pointing out the areas of their Christian journey where they’d wandered from the path of discipleship. We no longer have the first letter Paul sent, but his second letter, known to us as 1 Corinthians, pulled no punches. It addressed divisions in the church, highlighted areas where Christian standards had slipped a little (a lot), and clarified some key theological issues.
For the average Corinthian Christian, it would have been a difficult read!
Or would it?
Paul had spent time sharing with the members of this church. He had laughed with them, cried with them, redirected their faulty thinking, and prayed with them in times of difficulty. As a result, the church at Corinth knew that Paul cared for them deeply and were thankful that he was part of their journey.
4-6 Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.
1 Corinthians 1:4-6 (MSG)
The Corinthian church knew they had a long way to go, but Paul opened his letter by focusing on how far they had come. He reminded them that they were not alone and that God’s guidance was given out of love rather than condemnation.
7-9 Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.
1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (MSG)
We all have such a long way to go on our quest to be like Jesus. When we fall back into old habits or make familiar foolish choices, it can be easy to isolate ourselves from God.
Whatever adjustments, U-turns, or lifestyle changes we need to make, then God is with us in it. We come as we are, but we don’t stay as we are. Paul’s letter is to the kind of people who love Jesus but mess up constantly, so that’s all of us. These words from Paul remind us that we are not alone in our spiritual adventure.
God shares our journey with us, and he will never give up on us.
Never forget that.
Kay Moorby
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