This coming Sunday morning in our Adult Bible Study we will begin a study on First Corinthians. This letter is significant because it illustrates the ethical implications of the gospel in concrete situations. It shows Paul working across cultural boundaries. He comes with a Jewish apocalyptic theology that emphasizes monotheism and the sovereignty of God. With the resurrection of Christ the “end times” have begun and Paul, inspired by God, urges the Corinthians to now orient their behavior towards the kingdom of God.
But Paul must argue in terms that make sense to people steeped in Greek philosophy and religion. We often assume that the problems in Corinth arose from a misunderstanding of Christian doctrine. This is partly true, but most misunderstandings derived from their pre-Christian lives. They brought a lot of baggage from their previous philosophies, religions, and social customs which influenced their misunderstanding of Paul’s teaching.