Why was Paul so negative about the Corinthians, claiming they were not wise or influential or noble? He also called them foolish, weak, lowly and despised. Wouldn’t Paul’s words hurt their self-image? A better question is, Does God want us to have a high self-image? There is ample evidence -- both in the secular world and in the Bible -- questioning the value of self-esteem. One study at the University of Michigan found that American school children rank far ahead of students in the rest of the western world in self-confidence but rank near the bottom in actual performance. A study by the National Institute of Mental Health found no correlation between delinquency and self-esteem. Apparently many of these kids are able to feel very positive about themselves while they are engaged in such negative behavior! The apostle Paul warned: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.” The weight of scripture seems clear -- though we can think too lowly of ourselves, the greater danger is to think too highly of ourselves.
So you don’t have much self-confidence? You don’t think you have much to offer others? That isn’t a bad place to be -- just don’t let it keep you from moving toward other people, serving their needs. A lack of confidence in yourself can quickly be turned into confidence in God: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”


Assignment: Many people complain that the Bible is hard to understand or that it is boring. If I picked up Tolstoy's War & Peace, read two pages out of the middle of the book, and then complained that it was boring and incomprehensible, what would you say to me? Isn’t that how we read the Bible? Before next week try to read the whole book of I Corinthians all the way through once or twice. That overview will help you interpret the chapters and verses that we study each week.


Questions for I Cor.2:1-15
1.What was Paul’s strategy and state of mind when coming to Corinth? Did his preceding ministry in Athens have anything to do with it? (acts.17:16-34)
2.What do verses 1-5 tell us about how the gospel should be proclaimed?
3.Why do non-Christians reject the gospel?
4.What is this secret wisdom of God? who is it revealed to? how is it revealed?

Fighting for Unity

The New Testament is filled with appeals for unity among Christians. In this chapter Paul pleaded with warring factions to “agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” Wow! Paul set a towering standard. We can’t rest until perfection is met. In other words, we can’t rest -- because perfect unity cannot be achieved in this life. But as Paul stated elsewhere, we are to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.” We must continually work to not let disunity rule our church. We must not become entrenched by only defending the perspective of a particular age group or worship service or ministry team or pastor. A maturing church will have regular conflicts. But we must labor together so that those conflicts don’t push us apart and destroy what God is doing among us. If we quarrel without resolution we are not any different than the pagan world and have little to offer them.

Assignment: This Sunday we will study I Cor.1:18-31. What is true wisdom? Is God against learning? How has God destroyed the wisdom of the wise?

Prayer/Potluck: 6:00 P.M. Bernie & Cathy Schock's home: 3000 S. George St. (371-1889.) We will have maps on Sunday. Potluck. Bring anything except a dessert.

Giving Respect

Paul began his letter to the Corinthians by stating: “I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.” Who were the Corinthians? In the rest of the letter Paul had almost nothing good to say to them -- they were bickering with each other (1:11), they were still in their spiritual diapers (3:1-3), they were arrogant (4:18), they permitted gross immorality (5:1), they were greedy (6:1), etc. How could Paul have any gratitude for them?

Paul was able to be grateful for them because he understood that respect is something God calls us to give to everyone. The sixth commandment tells children to respect their parents. Paul told wives to respect their husbands. Paul wrote that the preachers and teachers in a church deserve a “double honor”.

But how can we give honor to those who act dishonorably? This passage gives us the key: Paul was thankful for these carnal believers because he recognized the “grace given [them] in Christ Jesus.” He saw God at work in their lives. If bitterness or contempt grasps us, it tells us that we are sinners. If I disrespect my wife, “it’s because I’m weak, not because my wife is failing. If I were really mature, I would have the same compassion for her weaknesses as Christ does. Respect is a spiritual discipline, an obligation that I owe my wife.” (Gary Thomas, Sacred Marriage).

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the failings of spouses, children, parents, friends. But God calls us to find some measure of His grace at work in them. A few years ago I had a student write in a final paper that she had been planning to leave her husband. But after opening her life to God, she realized that her husband wasn’t the ghoul she had made him out to be. She had simply let his failings fill her mind, neglecting to focus on his good qualities. When she recognized her error, she went to her husband -- who knew what she had been contemplating -- and threw her arms around him and told him that she would never leave.


Application: Think about a relationship you are struggling with. Make a list of all of the evidences of God’s grace in that person’s life. Then honor them by telling them what you appreciate about them. Gary Thomas explains that a husband’s respect for his wife isn’t merely an internal feeling: “We honor our wives by demonstrating our esteem and respect: complimenting them in public; affirming their gifts, abilities, and accomplishments; and declaring our appreciation for all they do. Honor not expressed is not honor.”

Assignment: In next Sunday’s class we will study I Cor.1:10-31. What was causing quarrels in the church? How does God’s wisdom compare with man’s wisdom?

Prayer fellowship: We will meet on Sept.25 at 6:00 P.M. at Bernie and Cathy’s house. It is a potluck. Kids are welcome. We will be done by 8:00.
Call for directions. 371-1889.