1 Corinthians 6:12-20

12 "I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both." The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins people commit are outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Questions to consider:

• What misapplication of Christian freedom does Paul attack? On what grounds?
• What misuses of the body does Paul specify?
• In what ways do you misuse your body?
• What should be Christian’s attitude toward his or her body?

Possibilities for prayer:

Free will is definitely a blessing, but sometimes it can be a bit troublesome as well. We often want to do things that are not in our best interest, though seem good at the time. Paul’s words that we ‘“have the right to do anything’” but that does not mean that “everything is beneficial” are wise ones. Today, let’s ask God for an increased desire for the things that are beneficial, so that we would not only do them, but desire to do them. As Paul writes, let’s honor God with our actions and with our bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

1 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord's people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord's people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


Questions to consider:

• What in the Corinthians’ legal practices upsets Paul?
• What reasons does Paul give to confirm the principles he suggests?
• What attitude does Paul commend to the aggrieved party?
• What determines whether a person will inherit the kingdom of God?
• Explain how you have been washed, sanctified and justified. How are these happenings obvious in your life today?

Possibilities for prayer:

Paul’s mention of being washed, sanctified, and justified is encouraging to me. We all have dark places in our lives, places of sin. But fortunately, we have the gifts of grace and forgiveness from Jesus, which means that those dark places, the bad things that have a hold on our lives, can be broken and given over to God. Today, let’s confess to God those broken places within us, and ask for healing and restoration. Let’s also take some time to thank God for the blessings that grace and forgiveness are, especially when we are so often unworthy of either.

1 Corinthians 5

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man has his father's wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the sinful nature so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with any who claim to be fellow believers but are sexually immoral or greedy, idolaters or slanderers, drunkards or swindlers. With such persons do not even eat.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked person from among you."

Questions to consider:

• Compare the first century Greek attitudes and modern attitudes toward sexual morality.
• What is the attitude of the Corinthian church to the problem? How does Paul instruct them to act?
• Specify those with whom the church is not to associate. How far does their practical excommunication go?
• With whom can you associate if you follow Paul’s instruction?

Possibilities for prayer:

Paul seems to be concerned about the issue of pride in the Corinthian church; this passage is not the first time he has mentioned being surprised by their pride. Much like having judgmental attitudes, pride is one of those issues with which most people struggle at one time or another in their lives. Paul is particularly surprised in this situation because the types of behavior that appear to be going on in this community are not things of which someone should be proud! Today, let’s ask God to help us take a healthy and Godly type of pride in the good things in our lives, in the ways that God is working through us to bring more of the Kingdom to this world, and that he would continue to build a spirit of humility within us, that we might always recognize God as the source of the good things we are able to accomplish.

1 Corinthians 4

1 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of people's hearts. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

Questions to consider:

• How does Paul describe the apostles?
• Describe and distinguish servants and stewards.
• What truth about God does Paul introduce?
• How does Paul contrast the position of the apostles and the Corinthian church? With which group do you identify? Why?
• What result does Paul hope for in the Corinthians?

Possibilities for prayer:

Judgment is something with which many of us struggle, I think. It can easy to look around at the way those around us are living their lives and compare their choices to our own, casting judgment upon ourselves or upon others. But Paul reminds us that we are not in a position to be judgmental--because our judgment does not have the full knowledge that God has. Let’s ask God to break us of our judgmental habits, and help us to see those around with eyes of love and compassion instead.

1 Corinthians 3

1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere human beings? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere human beings?
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building.
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become "fools" so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Questions to consider:

• What figures of speech does Paul use to characterize the Corinthian church?
• What indicates the Corinthians’ lack of progress? Why?
• Which is your emphasis in building, quantity or quality? Which is God’s?
• In what sense is verse 21 a logical conclusion to verses 18-19?

Possibilities for prayer:

Paul speaks about humility in this passage, in maybe a little bit of a round about way. He refers to the fact that it is God “who makes things grow.” This can be a lesson to us to not take credit for the things that God has done. We are working with God to see good things come in this world, as opposed to bringing about the good on our own. Let’s ask God to help us to see the ways in which we can partner with Him to do good work in this world, and to help us to always have humility and the ability to acknowledge God as the source--not ourselves.

1 Corinthians 2

1 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power.

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
"What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived—
these things God has prepared for those who love him" —
10 for God has revealed them to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit within? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, 
 "Who has known the mind of the Lord 
 so as to instruct him?"
 But we have the mind of Christ.


Questions to consider:

• What is the content of Paul’s message?
• How is it an example of true wisdom?
• Describe Paul’s presentation of the gospel.
• Characterize and describe God’s wisdom.
• What do you learn here about the work Holy Spirit?
• How does what the Holy Spirit teaches affect your understanding of God and Jesus Christ?

Possibilities for prayer:

In this passage, Paul expounds on the importance of the Spirit’s role in understanding how God sees the world. Let’s ask for for a greater outpouring of God’s spirit in our lives so that we will be able to accept and reject things as God would have us do.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
20 Where are the wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let those who boast boast in the Lord."

Questions to consider:

• Contrast the two viewpoints which the message produces.
• How has the wisdom of this world been made foolish?
• What is true wisdom? Its goal? Its relation to the cross? Its endurance?
• How are God’s people described here? Why has God chosen such people to represent him?
• How does this message attack the problem in the Corinthian church?

Possibilities for prayer:

God seems to be a God that turns the understandings of this world on their heads, using foolish and weak things to shame the wise and strong. Today, let’s ask God to give us His vision of the world, and an understanding of what wisdom from God looks like.