The Epistle of First Corinthians
Outline of 1 Corinthians SECTION ONE: Dealing with reported problems (1:1—6:20) A. Unity based on God’s wisdom (1:10—4:21) Greeting, thanksgiving, and exhortation to unity (1:1-17) God’s wisdom & power vs. human pride (1:18-31) Paul’s Example – relying on God’s wisdom and power (2:1-16) God’s foundation and building (3:1-23) The quality of Paul’s apostleship (4:1-21) B. Dealing with sin in the church (5-6) Dealing with the immoral (5:1-13) Dealing with those filing lawsuits (6:1-11) Flee Sexual Immorality (6:12-20)
Outline of 1 Corinthians SECTION TWO: Dealing with questions and concerns of the Corinthians (7:1--16:9) C. Their Concerns (7-9) Marriage problems & issues for singles (7:1-16) Live as you are called (7:17-40) Things offered to idols (8:1-13) The rights and responsibilities of preachers (9:1-27) D. Common Concerns (10-11) Old Testament warnings about temptation (10:1-13) Flee idolatry (10:14-33) Respecting headship when praying or prophesying (11:1-16) The Lord’s Supper (11:17-34)
Outline of 1 Corinthians SECTION TWO: Dealing with questions and concerns of the Corinthians (7:1--16:9) E. Spiritual Gifts (12-14) Gifts of Spirit (12:1-31) The superiority of love (13:1-13) Keeping tongues in perspective (14:1-22) Order and decorum in the assembly (14:23-40) F. The Gospel of the Resurrection (15) The Gospel and the FACT of the resurrection (15:1-20) The Character of Resurrection (15:21-58) G. Closing Words (16) Concerning the collection and Paul’s future plans (16:1-24)
Live as You are Called (7:17-40) “Remain in the calling” (7:17-24) This section deals with the effect that becoming a Christian may have on one’s station in life (7:17) These principles apply to those in every church. In general, Christians may continue in the whatever station or relationship God has already given them. Sinful relationships or occupations ARE NOT included (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Acts 19:11-28; 16:16-22) One’s status as circumcised or uncircumcised need not be changed (7:18-20; Galatians 5:6; 6:15, 2:3; Acts 16:3) One’s status as slave or free need not be changed, but being lawfully liberated may be useful (7:21-24) Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. Galatians 2:3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. Acts 16:3 Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
Live as You are Called (7:17-40) Unmarried Virgins and Widows (7:17-40) As a trusted servant of Christ, Paul now gives his advice about changing one’s marital status (7:25) In general, “because of the present distress,” it would be best for both the married and the unmarried to remain “as is” (7:26-27) One who goes ahead and marries has not sinned, but will “have trouble in the flesh” (7:28) The impending trouble and distress would force families to separate, cause emotional upheaval, financial distress, and instability in the use of material resources (7:29-31)
Live as You are Called (7:17-40) Unmarried Virgins and Widows (7:17-40) Paul desires that Christians have their focus undivided to serve the Lord (7:32-35) The man who is unmarried is better able to focus attention on pleasing the Lord (7:32-33) The unmarried virgin is better able to focus her attention on pleasing the Lord (7:34) Paul simply wants Christians do be able to serve the Lord without distraction (7:35) A father (or engaged man) must take these things into account in deciding whether to go through with a daughter/fiancé’s marriage (7:36-38)
Live as You are Called (7:17-40) Unmarried Virgins and Widows (7:17-40) Widows A widow is free to remarry “whom she wishes, but only in the Lord” (7:39) The phrase “in the Lord” is often used to refer to the fellowship/connection people who are Christians have in Christ (Romans 16:2, 8, 11, 12, 13; 1 Cor. 4:17; 7:22) Paul’s judgment is that she would be happier if she did not remarry (7:40) Rom_16:2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. Rom_16:8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. Rom_16:11 Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Rom_16:12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. Rom_16:13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Rom_16:22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord. 1Co_4:17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 1Co_7:22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave. 1Co_7:39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
Lesson Schedule for our study of First Corinthians Eastside Auditorium Fall Quarter 2017