For this Summer Series we are looking at various sections of Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth. It seemed appropriate therefore to spend the month reading right through the whole letter gaining some idea of the variety of topics which Paul addresses. The letter did not arrive out of the blue in Corinth; it was written in response to various issues which the believers there had raised with Paul – perhaps in a letter to him. Scholars generally believe it was written around AD55, probably while Paul was in Ephesus, where he stayed for over 2 years, on his third missionary journey recorded in Acts 19.
Try to read the entire chapter set for each day, and then reflect on the issue which Paul was concerned about. Some of the issues may be very relevant to you in your life today; if so, spend time thinking and praying about how it touches your personal life. The themes are immensely practical. Paul was no theorist; he saw how faith touched the detail of everyday life in the 1st Century – and it continues to mould and shape our lives in the 21st Century.
Paul in Corinth. Corinth was one of the many places where Paul encountered opposition. How do you feel about the places and times when you have found the going tough? Do you ever write to the people you remember from those times?