Category: Study of 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians: “‘All Things Are Lawful For Me,’ But Not All Things Are Helpful…”

There are some things which God has not decreed are sinful, meaning that we have the freedom to do them.  Even so, we should pause beforehand and ask ourselves if exercising this freedom would be advantageous to the cause of Christ.  “If I say or do this, would it help those who observe me to go to heaven?” is a good maxim by which to live our lives (cf. 10:23).… Read More 1 Corinthians: “‘All Things Are Lawful For Me,’ But Not All Things Are Helpful…”

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1 Corinthians: “Cleanse Out The Old Leaven”

Just as a small amount of leaven within a lump of unleavened dough will quickly leaven all of it, the undisciplined sin of just one Christian will quickly influence other Christians to sin too.  The point of Christianity is to be like Jesus and thus different from how one was before they obeyed the gospel (Rom. 6:6-7; 8:29).  Towards that end, by disfellowshipping their unrepentant brother the Corinthians would be “cleans(ing) out the old leaven” of sin and thus helping themselves to “be a new lump” of “unleavened” bread (5:7a), i.e., a new creation who reflects Jesus (Col. 3:10). … Read More 1 Corinthians: “Cleanse Out The Old Leaven”

Jon MitchellLeave a comment