Preaching the Gospel…

I’ve highlighted some key words from 1st Corinthians which I’ve been reading over a couple of times. Applying these words today would be a good exercise. We spend a lot of time trying to reason elegantly for God, with words or works, this may be good, but we can’t leave out the primary point of the Cross. Many books are written, may service projects done, but is the Gospel preached? I’ve also been seeing articles about how not or how to be culturally correct in spreading the word, I’m not sure Paul would agree. But then many are rejecting or revising Paul today. And why are so many people offended by the Gospel or the Cross or the Way. Also, we do need unity in the church but we do need to be unified around the Truth. Read Eph 4 it clearly calls for a unity not of diversity but around Christ….the word one is key. One is unity.

1 CORINTHIANS – Chapter 1

Greeting

1 Paul,  called  by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those  sanctified in Christ Jesus,  called to be saints together with all those who in every place  call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

3  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

4 I  give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way  you were enriched in him in all  speech and all knowledge— 6 even as  the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you  wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8  who will sustain you to the end,  guiltless  in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the  fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no  divisions among you, but that you be united  in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is  quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that  each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow  Apollos," or "I follow  Cephas," or "I follow Christ." 13  Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you  baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except  Crispus and  Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also  the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and  not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power (Power: see Romans 1:16-17).

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

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. 19 For it is written,

  "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

20  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For  Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ  crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ  the power of God and  the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers:  not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But  God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;  God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even  things that are not, to  bring to nothing things that are, 29 so  that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our  wisdom and our  righteousness and  sanctification and  redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written,  "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
ESV