Ep 271 – 1 Corinthians 3

Today, we move into chapter three of 1 Corinthians. This episode is entitled "Worldly Wise" and deals with a problem facing the Corinthians that is common to all of us as believers. It has to do with the constant temptation to live as citizens of this world rather than as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Paul accused the Corinthians of living as if they belonged to the world. Their lifestyle and behavior was not in keeping with the ways outlined by Paul and modeled by Jesus Christ Himself. Worldliness rather than godliness. It's a constant reality for the Christian. Why? Because we live in the world and are constantly pressured to fit in rather than stand out. We have been called to live lives that are set apart to God. But when we do, it makes the world uncomfortable. Our godliness makes those around us feel guilty about the way they live their lives. So, they attempt to get us to abandon God's ways for the world's ways. They pressure us to take a different path, the one Jesus said leads to destruction. "For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many" (Matthew 7:13 ESV). Being worldly wise too often leads to compromise. When we start listening to the world and choosing to take its advice, our distinctiveness as Christians gets lost. Our uniqueness becomes blurred. Instead of modeling spiritual maturity, our lives become characterized by infantile attempts to blend in rather than stand out. And the church suffers as a result.