Book: 1 Corinthians

What do Christians mean when they believe in one, holy, universal, apostolic church, and in the communion of saints?

What is the one, shared faith that all Christians have? Paul explains it in 1 Cor 15.

Did Jesus of Nazareth rise from the dead? Let’s assess 6 historical claims and reason to the best explanation.

Compassion, Civility, Conviction, and Courage. Then…start to speak! Part of a year-long focus on the heart of the Christian faith so that we can show our neighbors the faith of a Christian heart.

In 1 Corinthians 11-14, Paul unpacks the seven ones of Ephesians in helping a church deal with a long list of potentially divisive issues. In this way, Paul shows us how to think and act as a church when issues threaten to cause friction in the body.

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul affirms both singleness and marriage as good options for all Christians. But when he is asked about issues of separation and divorce, Paul applies the teaching of Jesus and the heart of God in a way that offers both grace and truth. There is hope for every marriage to stay together, there is hope for victims, and there is hope for life after divorce.

In 1 Corinthians 5-7, Paul deals with a variety of situations that call for a healthy understanding of Christian sexual ethics. The heart of his response can be summarized as “honor God with your bodies.” How can Paul’s response to Corinth speak to our contemporary moment? One thing is certain: grace and truth belong together.

I have the right to surrender to Christ. I have the freedom to become a slave of Christ. I have the liberty to become dependent on Him. And living out of a cross-shaped story, I can choose to give up and give in for the good of the body and for the joy of love. Re-imagine what freedom looks like in Christ.

We apply Paul’s seven lenses for the question “how do we be good neighbors”?