1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Acts 9:15, Acts 18:1, Acts 19:1, 2 Timothy 4:20

Summary: Every church has its share of problems. The church at Corinth appeared to have problems that could not be resolved and was on the brink of failure. The apostle Paul took it upon himself to correct the errors and call out the sins in order to restore it to what Christ expected.

Over the course of forty years in the ministry, I have preached in numerous churches, pastored three, served as an interim pastor at two churches, and served in the areas of evangelism and teaching. I have fond memories of these times and also of times when I wish I had not been so eager to fill pulpits, as some of the congregations I have visited and served had become places of dissent, theological buzzsaws where petty differences over petty issues tore apart any sense of impact upon the surrounding community. And some I was just glad to leave after preaching because of the cold, dead spiritual atmosphere that was among the people.

I was also a witness of pastors and staff being unceremoniously let go for no clear reason from my point of view. I have been among churches where pastoral tenure lasted perhaps two years or less due to unrealistic expectations and impossible demands.

A lot of churches have a bad reputation due to episodes of outrageous behaviors, and as a result, have ruined their testimony and effectiveness for the kingdom of God. However, church problems are not exclusive to this day and age. Ever since the church of Jesus Christ was established, the forces of evil have attempted to ruin, wreck, or compromise the work of the church, which is to preach the Gospel, protect the flock, and be a light in a dark world for the glory of God.

In the New Testament, we have a record of the problems and confusion of one particular church located in the Greek city of Corinth. The city had a bad reputation, and much of its deviancy had crept into the church, rendering it nearly ineffective and useless as a place to receive the truth of the Scriptures and of the Gospel message.

Corinth, if left alone, would have died out and been consigned to spiritual oblivion. This church needed the guidance and counsel of a man of God who would be bold and blunt enough to call out the sins and problems, bring it back into the loving arms of Christ, and carry out its mission for Him. That man was the Apostle Paul, called by Jesus from a life of hatred and murder toward the followers of Christ into the greatest missionary and preacher of the New Testament, perhaps of all time save for the LORD Himself (Acts 9:1-6, 15-16).

Corinth was located in what is now the nation of Greece, west of the capital city, Athens, near the Ionian Sea. It was a port town, extremely wealthy, and known for varying degrees of wicked and deviant behavior. It reflected the vices and barbarism of the Roman Empire, having numerous temples to various pagan deities who harbored temple “priests” and “priestesses” engaging in sexual practices as part of their “worship” rituals. The citizens who “worshipped” at these temples engaged in the same sex practices. Rank perversion was rampant in Corinth, and anyone who ventured there for business or other reasons could get involved in these acts, gaining the reputation of having been “Corinthianized.”

If you want a modern equivalent of what was going on there, combine the cities of Las Vegas with New Orleans with their particular debaucheries and come to your own conclusions. If ever the Gospel was needed somewhere, Corinth was a prime location.

The apostle Paul arrived in Corinth after ministering in Athens (Acts 17:16-34) and met two Jewish believers, Aquila and his wife Priscilla (Acts 18:1-2), who had been part of the Jewish population in Rome until commanded to depart by orders of Claudius Caesar (AD 50-51). Paul stayed with Aquila and Priscilla, working as tentmakers while preaching in the synagogues every Sabbath about Jesus being the promised Messiah (Acts 18:3-5).

Due to opposition from unbelieving Jews, Paul proclaimed that he would go to the Gentiles and present the Gospel to them from now on (v.6). In a vision, the risen Christ told Paul that there were many people in Corinth who had embraced the Gospel message (vv.9-10). He stayed in Corinth for a year and a half before moving on to Antioch (v.11).

News of Corinth’s problems had reached Paul while he was at Ephesus. He would write at least three letters to the church in order to correct their behavior and conduct and to straighten out teachings concerning spiritual gifts, order of worship, the facts of the resurrection of Christ, Christ’s return, and to defend his own authority as an apostle.

1 and 2 Corinthians are God’s guide on how to address problems of doctrine, behavior, conduct, and living lives pleasing to God and glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul began his first letter to the Corinthians by defining his pastoral and apostolic authority (1:1-2), then commending them for receiving the grace, instruction, and testimony of Christ in their lives (vv.4-9). After his greetings and praises, Paul “hit the ground running,” addressing the problems that were plaguing the church. There was no “soft-peddling” of the church’s sinful actions and attitudes.

Any godly pastor who cares for his flock will confront all errors, false teachings, and deviancies that weaken the church’s effectiveness within a community and turn it away from its most important mission, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ and to be a place of light within the darkness of the world and its evils.

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

In 1952, Mad Magazine made its debut and lasted until 2018. It featured the picture of a young man on every cover with a smile showing a tooth missing, large ears, and he was given the name Alfred E. Neuman. He became famous for the saying, “What, Me Worry?” The magazine was total satire, which Oxford Languages defines as “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.” (ESV – all emphasis mine)

With the state of everything that is taking place in our politics today, Mad Magazine could be a reference guide to all that we are presently experiencing. Sad part is, what’s happening isn’t all that funny. In fact, there’s nothing humorous about the direction the supposed leaders are taking this country and the world in general.

Isaiah 5:20-21 is ringing out loud and clear; “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight.”

Jesus told us in Luke 21:28, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing nigh.” In John 15:18-19, Jesus told us what we can expect, especially in these changing times: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Considering the above messages from our Savior, should we be surprised that we’re being called “haters”? The reason behind this is non-believers are suspicious of us because we don’t participate in all of their activities. They don’t realize that we love everyone because of their immortal soul, but we don’t have to like what they do.

Our Savior loved, and still loves, everyone. Even as He was being nailed to that cruel Roman cross, He asked the Father to forgive them. However, He did not hesitate during His ministry to criticize the religious leaders for their faux worship. They were more interested in being personally worshiped rather than truly honoring and glorifying their Heavenly Father.

Jesus, Paul, John Peter, and others told of what we could expect as we approach the end of this age. The Bible tells us there would be those claiming to be the Christ, but their goal would actually be to lead others astray.

We have this going on in today’s world. We’re told there would be wars and rumors of war, nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be pestilences and terrors and great signs from Heaven. People will be fainting with fear over what’s about to come. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places; false prophets and antichrists will come out as never before and lead many astray. The best evidence of this today would be the rise in satanism, more particularly, “churches of Satan” that are forming in numerous places around our country.

Going to 1 John 2:15-16, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life – is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

Then 1 John 2:22-23, “Who is the liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ. This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” Then 1 John 4:2-3, “By this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

This was written by John nearly 2,000 years ago, and he is telling us that Satan’s antichrists were already at work. Just within the past decade or so, they have been coming more and more out of the closet, and the evil activity is increasing.

In 2 Peter 2:1-3, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destination is not asleep.”

Paul has a good explanation about this in 1 Corinthians 1:18; “For the word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.”

The world is developing an attitude that will bring out the ultimate evil antichrist and his false prophet. Paul states in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” It’s obvious that the delusion has already started.

And as Paul Harvey used to say, “And now for the rest of the story.” Starting with 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.” Then 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with Him.” And then Revelation 3:10, “Because you have kept My word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.”

Before the evil antichrist can make his appearance, all who are true believers and have received and accepted Jesus will be caught up in the air to meet Him in the clouds. This is not the second coming when Jesus will physically return to earth, but it will be an event known as the Rapture.

While the rest of the world will be going through the absolute worst seven years this planet has ever seen, Jesus’ flock will be with Him in brand new immortal forever bodies with a mindset such as He has. And the absolute best part is that each and every person on earth is able to choose to be with Jesus if they so wish. Romans 10:9-13 gives the simple steps with the final promise in verse 13 of “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

God will force no one to accept His Son, but all who do will have an eternal Home in Heaven. All who do not receive and accept Jesus will spend eternity in darkness in the lake of fire with Satan and his demons (Revelation 20:11-15).

We are seeing end-of-age prophecy being fulfilled faster than ever before, and it won’t be long until the Trumpet of God sounds and there is a cry from an archangel. It could be any day, any hour now.

To read about the Rapture, go to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15-51-53. To delay calling on Jesus to forgive you and to be your forever Savior could be very costly. Once the Rapture starts, it will be over faster than anyone can call out to be saved at that time.

Today would not be too early to become a part of His precious flock. It’s a decision you’ll be forever be thankful you made.

B’AHAVA! (With Love!)

huebshman46@gmail.com