REAL FAITH FOR THE REAL WORLD LEARNING FROM CORINTH

“The problem is not that this church is in Corinth, no, the problem is that Corinth is in this church” Gordon Fee, commentary on 1 Corinthians Things were clearly not in a good way now Report from church – Chloe’s Household – real concerns Rejecting his authority as apostle - we decide who we follow Pick and mix approach to truth and to Jesus’ authority Petty squabbles Serious fall outs – people taking each other to court Very worldly attitude to sexual relationships – even one situation crazy Chaotic worship services – people practicing gifts like its X-Factor Gifted and proud Getting drunk in communion services Very little genuine love Letter – temptation to blast them and write them off Hope – Restoration Teaches – Reminds them WHO they are – WHO they belong to – A very privileged people – Saved by faith in Jesus - in power of Spirit Path to restoration Facing up to the issues – Teaching God’s truth into that situation Warning and Calling up to God’s Way

3. 9 You are God’s building… Architectural Picture The Architect and builder is God himself Designed by God, called by God, Precious to God And so is Hill Cliffe We belong to Him Not our church, but HIS Not only had God designed and built. God inhabits His church He lives here amongst His people So how function and relate as His family is of passionate concern to God For how we build and behave as part of His church – we are directly accountable to HIM 3.16 …and God’s Spirit lives among you?

6. 7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. New kind of Community Built on God’s Love and Grace and Truth You are - Already defeated Adopting the pattern of the world for dealing with their disputes Based on rights rather than grace and truth

6. 7 Why not rather be wronged. Why not rather be cheated 6. 7 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. Behaviour undermines Family togetherness and trust Avoids the whole idea of trying to work things out as a family Defending yourself at all cost – as though that is all important More important than working for the good of the family – the togetherness and the ministry of the church family Me before church family Me before you Me-first approach to church Creates a Culture – defence becomes attack circular being wronged – doing wrong Being cheated – cheating And all this to your brothers and sisters – and to God’s precious children You are already defeated Not only to your own loss – disasterous experience of church Very serious to God – who’s church family it is (and to whom we are accountable)

6. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Wrongdoing – as the pattern of behaviour is entirely consistent with those who are still part of the Kingdom of Darkness - having never declared that Jesus is Lord Wrongdoing – as a pattern of behaviour is also entirely inconsistent with God’s Kingdom of Light – where Jesus is King and where his people willingly and joyfully submit to his rule and will for their lives. And they begin to live as a pattern in an entirely new and different way. The way of God’s grace and truth – following after the pattern of Jesus our Saviour and Lord. The way of holiness – because God is Holy

6. 9 Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Consistent – Inconsistent Those who steal – should steal no more Zaccheus – didn’t even need to be told – recognised his greed and stealing were inconsistent with the love and grace he had been shown. Recompence and more. The woman caught in adultery – go and sin no more Men or women who are attracted to the opposite sex, or men or women who are attracted to the opposite sex but are not married, or are married to someone else – do not sin in your behaviour any more

You have a New Identity 6. 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. IDENTITY matters – WHO we are shapes HOW we behave We are new creation – washed, made holy, and made righteous The Spirit lives within us to empower new behaviour Ephesians 5. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’

honour God with your bodies. 6. 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 honour God with your bodies. Video – Vaughan Roberts

6. 12 You say, ‘I have the right to do anything,’

- but not everything is beneficial Just because you CAN doesn’t mean that you SHOULD Ephesians 5. 15 Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, True Freedom

6. 12 You say, ‘I have the right to do anything’

- but I will not be mastered by anything Romans 12 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. True Freedom

6. 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. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die Live and let die My body, my life, my rules -

I’m no longer a slave to sin I will not be mastered by anything Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. To live for God in a new way. True Freedom

6. 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? God made our bodies – and will raise our bodies at the resurrection Our bodies matter to God Our bodies belong to God

6. 15 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. Matthew 19. 4 ‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator “made them male and female,” 5 and said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh”? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’

6. 18 Flee from sexual immorality 6. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

honour God with your bodies. 6. 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 honour God with your bodies.