Ep 267 – 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

This episode is called "The Beauty of the Body of Christ" and covers the first 9 verses of chapter one of 1st Corinthians. One of the first things Paul is going to tackle is an issue regarding spiritual gifts in the church located in Corinth. After a brief introduction and a few words of thanksgiving to God for the congregation there, Paul gets straight to his first point: The spiritual gifts found in the church and their proper use of them. There were already divisions popping up within the congregation and some them were directly tied to a misunderstanding about and misuse of spiritual gifts. What God had intended for the corporate good of the body of Christ had been used for selfish and self-centered means. And this was not going to cut it with the apostle. One of his key themes in virtually every one of his letters was the need for unity among the people of God. There was no room for a me-centered attitude or a pride-filled approach to life within the body. Humility was key. Love was essential. And ungodly behavior was unacceptable. But as we know today, thoughts about self come naturally to all of us. We are by nature, self-absorbed. But the body of Christ is about selflessness and togetherness. As the psalmist said, "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!"