WEBCAST –
If we focused only upon the problems which were reported to the Apostle Paul and then addressed in the letter called “1 Corinthians”, we would conclude that nothing good was going on in or among the believers in Corinth in 55AD. But that was not the case. The letter mentions a lot of wonderful things which were happening in their midst. Although many of the new believers came out of extremely sinful lifestyles and idolatry their lives had been radically transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit within them.
Not only did God love these people, Paul did too. He had spent one and one-half years among them and had meaningful relationships with most of them. In all of his responses to them, Paul points them back to what God accomplished for them through Jesus. Even though they were having significant issues in their fellowship, that did not change God’s love for them nor what Jesus had done in redeeming them. When we as believers fall short of God’s ideal for us as the early believers in Corinth did, we need to remember and cling to God’s love and the impact of Jesus’ work for us.