Workers For Jesus Online Bible Study

Workers For Jesus Online Bible Study

The Book of 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians is one of Paul's Epistles. Epistles are letters Paul wrote to Christians in the early churches.

The Bible Project - summary of 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians was written to the church that was in Corinth.

Corinth was located in Greece. It was one of the largest and most important cities in Ancient Greece. Paul lived in Corinth for 18 months and founded the Christian church there.

About 4 years later, Paul was in Ephesus in Turkey and wrote this letter to the church in Corinth. He wrote it in about the year 57 A.D.

Paul wrote this letter because he had learned about some problems in the Corinthian church.

The letter has 2 parts.

1. Paul rebukes the church for divisions and problems. He tells them how to deal with sin in the church.

2. Paul answers specific questions that people in the Corinthian church have asked him.

Some of the subjects Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians are:

immoral behavior
Christians and lawsuits
marriage
singleness
Communion
spiritual gifts
resurrection
how to worship
being free in Christ

sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, marriage and singleness, freedom in Christ, order in worship, the significance of the Lord’s Supper, and the right use of spiritual gifts; he also included a profound teaching on the resurrection. - See more at: http://www.insight.org/resources/bible/first-corinthians.html#sthash.ncb1vzGo.dpuf

1 Corinthians 4 - 7

The Apostles work to spread the Gospel of Christ.
Paul discusses the sexual immorality in the church.
Christians should not sue each other.
Our bodies should honor God.
Paul's instructions about marriage.
Changing after becoming a Christian.

1 Corinthians 4

The Apostles work to spread the Gospel of Christ.

You should think of us as the people who tell about Christ and explain the mysteries of God.
[1] Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

People who explain about God should be faithful to God.
[2] Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

I don't really care what other people think about me. I only care how God judges my actions.
[3] But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
[4] For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

So, don't judge anyone before God comes back. He will show everything that is hidden now. He will show what is in everyone's hearts. Then, everyone will praise God.
[5] Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

I have used Apollos and myself to show you an example. No one should be thought of higher that someone else. No one should brag about himself.
[6] And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

Who made you different? What do you have that God didn't give to you? If you got it from God, why do you brag like you got it yourself?
[7] For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

You brag like you are rich like kings. I wish you were kings so that we could share your power with you.
[8] Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

I think that God has put us apostles last. We are going to die. All the world, angels, and men can see us.
[9] For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

We look foolish for Christ's sake, but we are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. We are hated, but you have honor.
[10] We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

Even now, we are both hungry and thirsty. We wear old, worn-out clothes. We are attacked, and we have no homes.
[11] Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

We work with our own hands. We are hated, but we bless others. We are patient in our troubles.
[12] And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

When people talk to us badly, we talk to them nicely. People think of us like we are trash and garbage.
[13] Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

I am not writing these things to make you feel ashamed. I am writing to you like my sons whom I love. I want to warn you.
[14] I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

You might have 10,000 people to teach you about Christ, but you don't many fathers for you in Christ Jesus. I have become your father through the gospel when I told you about Christ.
[15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

So, I am begging you to continue to follow me. That is why I sent Timotheus to you. He is my beloved son, and he is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of the things I taught you about Christ and how to behave like Christ's followers.
[16] Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
[17] For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Some of you will be upset that I am not coming to you myself. But I will come to you soon if it is the Lord's will. I will see if the bragging people have any power.
[18] Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
[19] But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

God's kingdom is not in words, but it is in power.
[20] For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Which do you prefer? Do you want me to come to you with a rod of discipline to punish you or to come in the spirit of meekness and be quietly strong?
[21] What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

1 Corinthians 5

Paul discusses the sexual immorality in the church.

I have heard reports that there is much sexual impurity among you. You are behaving worse than the Gentiles. One of you is even having relations with his stepmother. You are acting proud of this when you should feel sad. You should have put this out from your church.
[1] It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
[2] And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

My body is not there with you. But I am there with you in spirit. I have already given my opinion about this awful man who is having relations with his stepmother. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you are together, my spirit is there with you. You have the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to give this man to Satan. His body will be destroyed, but his spirit will be saved when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back.
[3] For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
[4] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[5] To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

You glorify sin, and that is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast spreads through the whole lump of dough?
[6] Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Get rid of the old yeast so that you will be new dough. You are bread without yeast. Our passover, Christ, is sacrificed for us.
[7] Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Do not be like bread that is bad because of the old yeast. Wickedness and meanness are like old yeast. Good things like sincereity and truth are like good unleavened bread.
[8] Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I wrote you an earlier letter that you shouldn't be around people who are sexually immoral. You should also stay away from people who are jealous, cheaters, people who steal money, or people who worship false idols. You shouldn't be around those kind of people.
[9] I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
[10] Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

You shouldn't eat with people who are sexually immoral, jealous, worshippers of false idols, complainers, drunks, and thieves.
[11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Why should I judge people who are outside the church? You judge the people who are in church. God judges the people outside the church. So, put the wicked people out.
[12] For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
[13] But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1 Corinthians 6

Christians should not sue each other.

When any of you have a complaint against another member, why do you go to the government court instead of settling it in church?
[1] Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Don't you know that someday the church people will judge the whole world? If the big world will be judged by you someday, can't you now judge small problems?
[2] Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Don't you know that someday we will judge angels? We will judge more things that have to do with this life.
[3] Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

If you have a problem in this life, ask the least important people in the church to judge.
[4] If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

I say this to shame you. Isn't there at least one wise man in our group who could judge other members in your church?
[5] I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

But when Christians sue each other, it goes to a court of unbelievers.
[6] But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

It is wrong of you to sue each other. You both lose. It would be better to be cheated by a bad person. But, you cheat your Christian brothers.
[7] Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
[8] Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Don't you know that the evil, unrighteous people will not inherit God's kingdom? Don't be fooled. These people won't inherit God's kingdom either: people who are sexually unpure and abusers.
[9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

These people will not inherit God's kindom: people who steal, people who are envious of others, people who are drunk, people who hate, and people who trick other people for money.
[10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Some of you were like that, but now you are washed clean. You are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
[11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

You may say that everything is legal under God's law, but not everything is good.You should not be under the power of anything.
[12] All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Our bodies should honor God.

Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food. But, God will destroy them both. The body is not for sexual sin, but the body is for the Lord and the Lord is for the body.
[13] Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

God has raised up the Lord, and He will also raise us up with His power.
[14] And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

Don't you know that your bodies are of part of Christ? Should members of Christ become members of a prostitute? God forbid!
[15] Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

You say, "What?" If someone is having sexual relations with a prostitute, he becomes one body with her.
[16] What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

But the person who joins with the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.
[17] But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Run away from sexual sin. Other sins are outside the body. But the person who sins sexually sins against his own body.
[18] Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body.

You say, "What?" Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit that is in you? That is of God, and you don't own yourself. You were bought with a price when Jesus died for you. So, glorify God with your body and spirit which belong to God.
[19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
[20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Corinthians 7

Paul's instructions about marriage.

Now, I will answer some of the questions you wrote in your letter. To avoid sexual sin, every man should have a wife and every wife should have a husband.
[1] Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
[2] Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Each should be available for the other. The wife does not have power over her own body. Her husband does. Also, the husband does not have power over his own body. His wife does. If they both agree, it is good to abstain to spend more time fasting and praying, Then they should come back together again so they are not tempted to sin sexually.
[3] Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
[4] The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
[5] Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

I say this to give consent, not to command. I think every man should stay single like me. But every man has his own gift from God. Everyone is different.
[6] But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
[7] For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

I say to the single people and the widows that it is good to stay single like me. But if they can't avoid temptation, it is better for them to marry. It is better to marry than to sin.
[8] I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
[9] But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

I am telling you about people who are married. It is not my command. It is the Lord's command. The wife should not leave the husband. But if she leaves, she should not remarry. She can go back to her husband. A man should not send his wife away.
[10] And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
[11] But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

The Lord didn't say more about it, but these are my thoughts. A Christian man may be married to a woman who does not believe. Even so, she is happy to live with him. He should not divorce her.
[12] But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

A Christian woman may be married to a man who does not believer. If he is happy to live with her, she should not leave him.
[13] And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

A man who doesn't believe in Christ is made clean by his wife. A woman who doesn't believe in Christ is made clean by her husband. If your children were unclean, now they are holy.
[14] For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

But, if the person who doesn't believe wants to leave, let him. If that happens, the Christian believer is not obligated. God has called us to peace.
[15] But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Wife, how do you know if you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know if you will save your wife?
[16] For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Changing after becoming a Christian.

I have told all of the churches this: you should continue to behave the same as when the Lord first called you.
[17] But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

Maybe a new Christian was already circumcised. He should not become uncircumcised. Maybe a new Christian is uncircumcised. He should not become cirucumcised.
[18] Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

Being circumcised or uncircumcised is not important. The important thing is keeping God's commandments.
[19] Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Every man should do what he was doing when he was called. Were you a slave when you were called? You should stay a slave for now, but you don't have to like it. If you can be made free, you should become free.
[20] Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
[21] Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

A slave called by the Lord will become the Lord's free man. But a free man that is called by the Lord will become Christ's servant.
[22] For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

You are bought with a price. Do not be servants to men.
[23] Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Brothers, stay where you were when God called you.
[24] Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

More teaching about marriage.

I don't have a commandment from the Lord about unmarried people. But I am faithful to the Lord's mercy, so I will give my opinion.
[25] Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

We are in difficult times now. I think it is good for unmarried people to stay single.
[26] I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

If you are married, don't divorce. If you are not married, don't look for a spouse.
[27] Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

If a single man gets married, he has not sinned. If a single woman gets married, she has not sinned. But the people who get married will have trouble. I want to warn you.
[28] But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

I tell you this, brothers: the time is short. It doesn't really matter if someone is married or not.
[29] But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

It will be the same if you are happy or sad, rich or poor.
[30] And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

It won't matter how you feel about the world, because the world will pass away.
[31] And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

I don't want you to worry. An unmarried person cares about the things that belong to the Lord and how he can make the Lord happy. But a married person cares about the things of the world and how he can make his wife happy.
[32] But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
[33] But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is a difference between a married woman and a single woman. The single woman cares about the things of the Lord. She can be holy in both body and spirit. But a married woman cares mostly about the things in the world and how she can make her husband happy.
[34] There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

I am not saying this to make you feel limited. I am just saying that it is best to focus on the Lord without being distracted.
[35] And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

If a man is engaged to a woman who is old enough to get married, they should not sin. It is best for them to get married.
[36] But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

But the man who controls himself and does not need to get married does well. It is all right to get married, but it is better not to get married.
[37] Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
[38] So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

The wife must obey the law as long as her husband lives. If her husband dies, she is free to get married to whomever she wants as long as it is a marriage that obeys the Lord.
[39] The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

But if she happier to stay single like I said, it is fine. I think I have the Spirit of God.
[40] But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

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