1 Corinthians
STUDENT'S GOAL
1 CORINTHIANS
| WRITER:Paul | DATE:A.D. 55-57 (more likely 57) |
| PLACE:Ephesus | SUBJECT:The Lordship of Jesus (1 Cor. 1:2, 3, 7-10) |
BACKGROUND: Carnal Corinth was the sin center of the Roman Empire in Paul’s day. It was labeled “Vanity Fair.” Its location was about 40 miles west of Athens on a narrow isthmus between Peloponnesus and the mainland. It was the great commercial center of the Roman Empire with 3 harbors. The temple of Aphrodite, built on the Acrocorinthus, was attended by 1,000 priestesses of vice, actually nothing more than prostitutes. The city was given over to licentiousness and pleasure. The Isthmian games were conducted here. Against this corrupt background, Paul preached the gospel in Corinth, founded the church, and wrote two epistles to the church at Corinth. (Read Acts 18:1-18 for the account of Paul’s visit to Corinth).
First Corinthians is obviously Paul’s answer to a previous letter that he had written to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:9). They sent a delegation with a letter (1 Corinthians 7:1; 16:17) and 1 Corinthians is Paul’s reply concerning the conditions in the Corinthian church. It is a letter of correction of errors and confirmation of truth.
—J. Vernon McGee
Additional Requirements
Study Questions
In Be Wise, you will find ten Study Questions on each chapter. Choose any Two of these from each chapter (a total of 26 questions), and give your answers on separate paper.
Required Bible Reading Assignment
Read the corresponding chapter from 1 Corinthians in your Bible as you read the commentary, and complete this workbook. You will be asked to indicate at the end of this course that you read through the book of I Corinthians in your Bible.
Workbook prepared by Rick L. Dove, Sr.
Copyright © 2004, 2009
PBI Publications
All Rights Reserved
1 CORINTHIANS
Answer the following as you read
Be Wise
by Warren W. Wiersbe
PREFACE AND BACKGROUND
- The Christians in Corinth prided themselves in their spiritual and .
- Yet something was radically wrong with their lives and with their local .
- Paul had what they needed—true wisdom, not the wisdom of the , but the wisdom that comes only from .
- We need that same wisdom , and this letter to the is a good place to start discovering it.
- Paul tells us how to b about the and the of the Gospel, so that we will not get trapped.
- He tells us what kind of we should have in our and how we should and our spiritual .
- He also tells us how to keep our lives clean so that we God and the pollutions of the world.
- List the four areas of reproof listed in the outline on page eighteen.
in the
in the
in the
in the
BE WISE ABOUT...THE CHRISTIAN’S CALLING: CHAPTER 1
I CORINTHIANS 1
- The local Corinthian church was in serious trouble. Sad to say, the problems did not stay within the church ; they were known by the outside the church.
- To begin with, the church at Corinth was a church.
- Some of its members were guilty of immorality; others got ; still others were using the grace of God to excuse living.
- The Corinthian church was also a church, with at least four different groups competing for .
- Finally, the Corinthian church was a church. Instead of glorifying God, it was the progress of the Gospel.
- How did these problems all come about?
- In order to help the church solve their problems, Paul opened his letter by reminding them of their in .
- List the three important aspects of this calling Paul pointed out.
Called to be
Called into
Called to - Paul first attacked the serious problem of in the church. He reminded the believers of their and position in Jesus Christ.
- What we are in Jesus Christ ought to be what we practice in daily life.
- List the four characteristics of the church because of our holy calling in Jesus Christ.
by
by
to
on
- The second aspect of the Christian’s calling includes .
- Having mentioned the problem of in the church, now Paul turned to the matter of in the church.
- List the three important questions Paul asked in 1:13. They are the key to these verses.
- The mention of the in chapter 1, verse 17, introduced the section on the of the versus the of man’s .
- Paul approached the problem of division in the church by, first, pointing to the of : there is one and one body.
- Then he reminded them of their , a picture of their spiritual into body.
- Finally he takes them to the
- The key word in this paragraph is . It is used times.
- The key idea is that we dare not mix man’s with God’s message.
- List the three attitudes Paul pointed out that there are toward the cross.
Some at the cross.
Some at the cross.
Some and the power and wisdom of the cross. - The Corinthians had a tendency to be “ with pride.
- The Gospel of God’s leaves no room for personal .
- Paul reminded them of what they were. They were not , mighty, or .
- Paul reminded the Corinthians of why God called them. He chose the , the the , and the to show the world their need and His grace.
- Finally, Paul reminded the Corinthians of all they in .
- MATCHING:
1. Righteousness
2. Sanctified
3. Redemption
4. Justified
A. We are set free because Jesus Christ died for us on the cross. B. Has to do with our standing before God. C. God declares us righteous in Jesus Christ. D. Set apart to belong to God and to serve Him. - In one sense, we have three tenses of salvation:
We from the of sin.
We from the of sin.
We from the of sin.
BE WISE ABOUT...THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE: CHAPTER 2
I CORINTHIANS 2
- What happened at Corinth is happening in today: men are mixing (man’s wisdom) with God’s message, and this is causing and .
- In this chapter, Paul explained three of the message and urged his readers to return to these .
- List these three fundamentals:
The Gospel centers in the of .
The Gospel is part of the .
The Gospel is revealed by the through the .
- In I Corinthians 2:1-2, Paul reminds the Corinthians of his approach. He had not come to Corinth to himself. He had come to God.
- Paul was an , not a “Christian .”
- Too many preachers of the Word so themselves and their that they fail to the glory of .
- Paul in the of Christ and made it the of his .
- Though he was an apostle, Paul came to them as a servant.
- Paul depended on the of the . It was not his experience or that gave his ministry its ; it was the of the of .
- His preaching was a “,” not a “.”
- Paul also reminded the Corinthians of his aim. He wanted them to in and not the God sent.
- The is still God’s to change men’s lives.
- The Gospel is part of the eternal .
- Salvation was by the , but it was by the .
- There is a “wisdom of God” in the Gospel. List six characteristics of this wisdom.
This wisdom comes from , not .
This wisdom has been .
This wisdom involves .
This wisdom results in the of .
This wisdom is from the .
This wisdom to the life .
- Name the two fundamental truths of the Gospel that have been considered thusfar.
This message centers in the of .
This message is part of the Father’s vast .
- The believers at Corinth had forgotten the of their . They had gotten their eyes off of the .
- They needed to return to the of the .
- The Gospel is revealed by the through the .
- Our salvation involves all three in the .
- You cannot be saved apart from the Father’s grace, the Son’s sacrifice, and the Spirit’s ministry of and .
- Check the four ministries of the Holy Spirit of God.
A. Indwells believers
B. Provides “electing grace” for the unsaved
C. Matures the believer
D. Died for believers
E. Teaches and guides us into truth
F. Searches our hearts
- One of the marks of maturity is .
- The maturing Christian grows in his spiritual and the ability (with the help) to understand more and more of the and of God.
- To “have the mind of Christ” means to look at life from the Savior’s of .
- It means to think God’s and not think as the thinks.
BE WISE ABOUT...THE LOCAl CCHURCH: CHAPTER 3
I CORINTHIANS 3
- Paul painted pictures of the church in this chapter and, using these pictures, he pointed out what the ministry is supposed to .
- List the three pictures of the church that Paul uses and his goal for each.
A —Goal:
A —Goal:
A —Goal:
- Paul had previously explained that there are kinds of people in the world— (unsaved) and (saved).
- Now he explained that there are two kinds of saved people: and (carnal).
- A Christian matures by allowing the to him and him by feeding on the .
- The Christian lives for the things of the (carnal) and has little interest in the things of the .
- What are the marks of maturity?
You can tell the mature person by his .
The mature Christian practices and to get along with .
- Give the usual interpretation for “milk” and “meat” as well as Dr. Wiersbe’s explanation for each.
Milk represents the .
While meat represents .
While meat concerns .
- The of is our spiritual food. Just as the physical man needs a balanced diet if his body is to be healthy, so the man needs a balanced diet of food.
- The believer knows little about the present ministry of Christ in heaven.
- He knows about the about our Lord’s life and ministry on the earth, but not the about His present ministry in heaven.
- He lives on “bible ” and not bible .
- When Christians, without spiritual discernment, get into places of leadership in the church, the results will be .
- The work of the pastor is to help the church spiritually and in the Lord.
- God gives spiritual to His people, and then He gives these people to various to up the saints.
- As believers grow, they the church.
- What is the ministry all about? It involves , feeding, and God’s family so that His children mature in the faith and become more like Jesus Christ.
- In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus compared the human to soil and the Word of God to .
- Paul took this image and made it : the local church is a that ought to bear .
- The task of the ministry is the of the seed, the of the soil, the of the plants, and the of the fruit.
- List the three main lessons that appear from this image of the field:
of
of
The for
- God wants to see in His field. He wants each local church to produce:
of the
to the
won to
A measure of growth
- The usual explanation for I Corinthians 3:9B-23 is that it describes the of the life.
- While this may be a valid application of this passage, it is not the basic . Paul is discussing the building of the church.
- If we are going to build the local church the way God wants it built, we must meet certain conditions.
First, we must build on the right .
Second, we must build with the right .
Third, we must build according to the right .
Finally, we must build with the right .
- The right foundation is .
- You can find wood, hay, and stubble in your backyard, and it will not take too much effort to pick it up. But if you want gold, silver, and jewels, you have to for . We must dig treasure out of our .
- It comes as a shock to some church members that you cannot a local church the same way you run a .
- The world depends on , prestige, and the influence of and people.
- The church depends on , the of the , humility,, and .
- Ministers of the Word must the and children to . They must sow the in the field and pray for an increase. They must the treasures of the and build these treasures into the temple.
Paul said,
“I have planted,
Apollos watered;
but God gave the
increase.” (3:6)
A Christian church is a body or collectionM of persons, voluntarily associated together, professing to believe what Christ teaches, to do what Christ enjoins, to imitate his example, cherish his spirit, and make known his gospel to others.—R.E. Sample
BE WISE ABOUT...THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY: CHAPTER 4
I CORINTHIANS 4
- List the three pictures Paul uses to present minsters with their character traits.
Faithfulness—The
Humbleness—The
Tenderness—The
- In these three pictures of the ministry, Paul presents three characteristics of a true of Jesus Christ.
- Paul explained the image of the , as a servant who manages everything for his master, but who owns nothing.
- The responsibility of the steward is to be to his .
- Check the three judgments Paul pointed out in the life of the steward.
A. Man’s judgment
B. The judgment of the courts
C. Self-judgment
D. God’s judgment
- What is the most important judgment?
- Paul closes these chapters with a threefold rebuke.
You are judging God’s servants at the wrong .
You are judging God’s servants at the wrong .
You are judging God’s servants at the wrong .
- The Corinthians who were passing judgment on Paul were actually “ God” and assuming to themselves the privileges that only has.
- The only true basis for evaluation is “that which is written”— .
- God’s servants are stewards of His truth, and the key test for the correct motive is:
- There is no place for in the ministry.
- in and of : these are two important characteristics of a minister of Jesus Christ.
- He must be willing to and to .
- What is the third characteristic that helps balance the others?
- List the important ministries Paul reminded the church he had performed on their behalf.
First Paul had the .
Second, Paul was an to the .
Third, Paul was faithful to the .
- Paul was a good . It takes both and to bring a child to maturity.
- A faithful parent must his children. He must also them when they rebel and refuse to obey.
- It is a principle of life that those who will not themselves must be .
It is not what we take up, but what we give up that makes us rich.—Henry Ward Beecher
(1813–1887)
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God
Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.(1 Cor. 4:1-2)
BE WISE ABOUT...CHURCH DISCIPLINE: CHAPTER 5
I CORINTHIANS 5-6
- The church at Corinth was not only a church, but it was also a church.
- It was disgraced because there was in the assembly.
- Church is not a group of “pious policemen” out to catch a criminal. Rather, it is a group of brokenhearted and seeking to an erring member of the family.
- Paul presented to the church three important considerations for performing church discipline.
Consider the .
Consider .
Consider the .
- If a Christian his church, he will not by and sin to it and perhaps ruin its testimony.
- Name the three specific instructions Paul gave for the church to follow in responding to sin.
over the sin.
the sin.
the sin.
- sin must be judged and condemned.
- The church was to gather together and the offender. Before the offender, the spiritual leaders of the church should first seek to .
- Expelling was to be done by the of —in His name—and not simply on the authority of the local .
- The church must not judge and condemn those who are the . That judgment is and will take care of it.
- Paul emphasized once again the importance of from the . Christians are not to be but .
- If church discipline is done properly, God can use it to and an erring believer.
- What 3 tragedies did Paul present that the Corinthian church was doing?
First the believers were presenting a poor to the
Second the had failed to live up to its full in Christ.
Third, the members suing each other had already lost because of their to the of .
- It is wrong for Christians to take their suits to. Better to lose or than to lose a and lose your besides.
- When Paul reminds us to consider the Lord, he tells us we should consider God the , God the , and God the Holy Spirit.
- Paul warned that sin is the most serious sin a person can commit against his body, for it involves the whole person.
- The Spirit can use our bodies to Him and Him.
- Our sins can the and the of the local church.
A sin is two sins when it is defended.—Henry Smith
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person (5:13).
BE WISE ABOUT...CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE: CHAPTER 6
I CORINTHIANS 7
- Up to this point, Paul had been dealing with the sins in the Corinthian congregation. Now he takes up the about which they had to him.
- List the five topics they wrote to Paul about.
offered to
The of the
The offering of the
- Paul explained God’s will concerning marriage, and he addressed his counsel to different groups of believers.
- Name the three groups Paul wrote about.
Christians married to
Christians married to
- What 2 causes does Paul indicate could cause a marriage to be broken?
A. B. - It is an act of disobedience for a Christian knowingly to marry an person.
- Marriage requires a measure of and age is no guarantee of maturity.
- In deciding whether or not to marry, one must realize that the married servant of God must his or her mate, as well as the God may give him; and this could lead to .
- It is possible to please both the Lord and your mate, if you are to and obeying the .
- Unmarried believers who feel a call to serve God should examine their own hearts to see if marriage will or their ministry. They must also be careful to wed mates who feel a to serve God.
- There is no place in a Christian marriage for a “,” nor is there any room for the “-” attitude.
- Marriage must be built on something sturdier than good looks, money, romantic excitement, and social acceptance. There must be Christian , character, and .
- God has put walls around marriage, not to make it a prison, but to make it a safe .
- What questions should one ask when marriage is being contemplated?
What is my from God?
Am I marrying a
Are the such that marriage is right?
How will marriage my for Christ?
Am I to enter into this for ?
BE WISE ABOUT...CHRISTIAN LIBERTY: CHAPTER 7
I CORINTHIANS 8;10
- In chapters 8-10 Paul enunciates basic principles that would guide believers in making decisions about those “” areas of the Christian life.
- The four principles are
must be balanced by .
must be balanced by .
must be balanced by .
must be balanced by .
- Paul addressed himself primarily to the Christians in the church, believers who had and experience and who understood their authority and freedom in Christ.
- It is the who must care for the .
- Because of potential division in the church, Paul called attention to three important factors.
- can be a weapon to fight with or a tool to build with depending on how it is used.
- Its one thing to know and quite something else to know .
- and must go together. Knowledge without love is , but love without knowledge is .
- Love must always be controlled by .
- It is the Christians who must have the security of and who are afraid to use their freedom in Christ.
- It is the Christians who are prone to and .
- Conscience is that court where our actions are judged and are either or .
- Conscience is not the . It bears to God’s moral law.
- Conscience depends on . The more we know and act upon, the stronger the conscience will become.
- Give three reasons Christians might have a weak conscience.
- The conscience of a weak Christian is easily wounded, and .
- It is important to note that the stronger believer defers to the weaker believer in only that he might him to . He does not “” him; he seeks to him, to help him . Otherwise, they will both become .
- What three warnings did Paul give to the believer?
Privileges were no guarantee of .
Good beginnings do not guarantee good .
God can enable us to overcome temptation if we His .
- List three areas which we need to consider in order to balance our freedom and responsibility.
We have responsibilities to our fellow Christians in the .
We are responsible to God in all things.
We are responsible to seek to the .
BE WISE ABOUT...PERSONAL PRIORITIES: CHAPTER 8
I CORINTHIANS 9
- Paul gave five arguments to support his contention that he had the right to receive support. List these arguments.
His
Experience
The Old Testament
Old Testament
Old of
- If we receive blessings, we should in turn share blessings.
- Paul gave three reasons that explained why he had refused support from the Corinthian church.
For the sake
For the sake
For the sake.
- Paul had one great goal in life: to the Lord by the and up the .
- Paul sacrificed immediate for eternal immediate for eternal .
BE WISE ABOUT...CHURCH ORDER: CHAPTER 9
I CORINTHIANS 11
- What two matters in particular merited praise?
The church Paul and him
The church was to keep the that had been them.
- The traditions of should be but the traditions that are given in the of God must be .
- One of the biggest problems in the Corinthian church was in the meetings.
- Paul dealt with what three areas of confusion in the public worship services?
The church praying and prophesying
The church at the” Love Feasts”
The church at the Lord’s Supper
- Name the two ordinances established by Jesus Christ for His people to observe that the Evangelical churches recognize.
The
- The Lord’s Supper is also called .
- What must we do if the Lord’s Supper is to bring blessing and not chastening?
First we must look .
Second, we should look .
Third, we should look .
Finally, we should look .
- When we look back, we are reminded of Christ’s and His shed . When we look ahead, we are reminded of the of Jesus Christ.
- When we look within, we are to our hearts, our sins, and them to the Lord so we may partake in a worthy manner.
- When we look around, there should be a demonstration of the of the church.
Roman soldiers were required, as far as possible, to return to Rome once a year from wherever garrisoned to renew the oath of allegiance to the Emperor. The soldiers of every nation must salute the Roman colors from time to time or be guilty of treason.
Attendance at the Lord’s Supper is the Christian’s salute to the blood- stained banner of the King of Kings.
BE WISE ABOUT...THE CHURCH BODY: CHAPTER 10
I CORINTHIANS 12-13
- One of the marks of an individual’s is a growing understanding of, and for, his own .
- Paul gave emphasis to the church as a .
- In this chapter, Paul brought out three important truths: , diversity, and .
- List the four bonds of spiritual unity:
We the same .
We on the same .
We to the same .
We have experienced the same .
Match the following.
Prophets A. believing God will lead and provide Teachers B. sharing material aid with needy Evangelist C. sharing salvation with the lost Miracles D. ability to understand & apply God’s truth Helps & Governments, E. encouragement, rebuke if necessary Ministry and Ruling Word of Wisdom F. instructed converts in doctrinal truths and Knowledge Exhortation G. detecting Satan’s counterfeit of God’s work & Word Giving and Showing Mercy H. part of the credentials of God’s servants Faith I. serving others and guiding the church Discerning of Spirits J. NT spokesmen for God - The evidence of the Spirit’s baptism at conversion is the of the Spirit .
- The evidences of the Spirit’s filling are: for , joyfulness and .
- It is that balances unity and diversity.
- The body of Christ needs different functions if it is to , grow, and .
- Diversity of members the of in the body. It is God who bestows the gifts and assigns the offices.
- Unity and diversity must be balanced by and that comes with .
- It is not enough to have the gift of the Spirit and gifts from the Spirit. We must also have the of the Spirit as we use our gifts to serve one another.
- The main evidence of maturity in the Christian life is a growing for and for people as well as a love for lost .
- The only way spiritual gifts can be used creatively is when Christians are motivated by .
- Give three reasons love is important.
Love is .
Love is .
Love is .
BE WISE ABOUT...USING SPIRITUAL GIFTS: CHAPTER 11
I CORINTHIANS 14
- This section concludes with Paul explaining the of the Spirit in the worship services of the .
- What three principles should govern the public meetings of the church?
- What does the word edify mean?
- The mistake the Corinthians were making was to emphasize their own personal to the neglect of the .
- Paul detected that the church was neglecting and giving a wrong to .
- speaks to men, to God.
- Prophecy was best because it up the . It gave the listeners and .
- From the very beginning, were languages, recognized by the listeners.
- The tongue would be unknown to the and the listeners, but it was not in the world.
- Prophecy the ; tongues edify only the speaker.
- Unless the tongues are , the message can do the church no .
- When we explain and apply the Word of God to individual lives, we have a ministry of .
- It is not enough for the minister to impart information to people; the people must it if it is to do them any good.
- If a believer wants to be edified, he must his to receive the Word. Not everybody who really .
- What three simple illustrations did Paul use to prove his point that there must be understanding if there is to be an edifying spiritual ministry?
in
Daily
- Having illustrated the principle of understanding, Paul then applied it to three different persons.
To the himself
Other in the assembly
The person who happened to come into the assembly
- What was the “message” in tongues for the lost Jews?
- The principle of encourages us to major on the Word of God so that the church will be and .
- What is the third principle that must be applied?
- The reason that the Corinthian church was having special problems with disorder in their public meetings is not difficult to determine: They were their to please themselves and not to their .
- Paul addressed himself to the Corinthian church and gave several instructions for the church to obey in their public meetings.
First, speaking and interpreting, along with judging (evaluating the message) must be done in an .
Second, the in the church were not to .
Third, participants must beware of “” that go beyond the Word of God.
BE WISE ABOUT...THE RESURRECTION: CHAPTER 12
I CORINTHIANS 15
- What four basic questions did Paul answer concerning the resurrection?
the dead raised?
are the dead raised?
are the dead raised?
are the dead raised?
- What three proofs did Paul present to his readers that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead?
Their
The Old Testament
Christ was seen by
- What three analogies did Paul use to help explain the resurrected body?
- The resurrection body completes the work of and gives to us the of the Saviour.
- We are made in the image of as far as is concerned, but in the image of as far as the is concerned. One day we shall bear the of the Saviour when we share in His glory. The lost will be given suited to their environment in .
BE WISE ABOUT...CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP: CHAPTER 13
I CORINTHIANS 16
- What three areas of stewardship does this chapter deal with?
- What are the basic principles that relate to Christian stewardship shared by Paul?
Giving is an act of .
Giving should be .
Giving was and .
Giving is to be .
Money is to be handled .
- A Christian must use his , pray, the situation, and seek the best he can to determine the will of God.
- Our may not always be in the will of God.
- Instead of complaining about the , we must take advantage of the , and leave the with the Lord.
- List various people who were a part of Paul’s life and ministry.
and his
and
Additional Requirements
Study Questions
In Be Wise, you will find ten Study Questions on each chapter. Choose any Two of these from each chapter (a total of 26 questions), and give your answers on separate paper.
Required Bible Reading Assignment
I have read the entire Book of 1 Corinthians in my Bible during this study
(Check box when completed).
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