Everyday Church Sermons Everyday Church

We’re carrying on in our journey through Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, and we’re going to look at the last part of Chapter 9, and the beginning part of Chapter 10. And we could subtitle this section of Paul’s letter “you need spiritual discipline”. Paul is still in discussion about whether it is OK to eat food sacrificed to idols here. But the imagery He uses in these verses show us that he is actually broadening out his discussion to encompass the theme of spiritual discipline as a whole.

Paul learned to be all things to all people - for the sake of the gospel. He thought about what would bring him close to people. He identified the barriers – and deliberately broke them down even if that meant surrendering precious rights.

Let’s ask ourselves the same questions.
- What brings me close?
- Which of my rights have become barriers?

Paul continues, sticking to the theme of knowing, or knowledge. Something that seems to have been a bit of an obsession to the Corinthians, with the word 'knowledge' mentioned more in this letter than in any other book in the New Testament. He's bringing this comment in here as to ask, what is more important - to know it all, or to be known and recognised by God. And who is the person who is known by God? The one who understands it all, the one with all the knowledge about the mysteries and will of God? No, those things are important, we are to seek to grow in knowledge - but more important than knowledge, as Paul will make it so clear once we reach chapter 13, is love.

We will look at Paul's teaching on and affirmation of singleness. Then we will look at how we build communities of faith that honour both singleness and marriage. And finally, we will reflect on how Paul’s teaching challenges the spirit of our age, both in Corinth in the first century and in our world in the 21st century.

Paul has recalibrated the Corinthians understanding on the importance and the place of sex in a believer’s life. He has done this by reinforcing the biblical foundations of sex as a covenant act within the biblical covenant of marriage. He has reminded them that the covenant of sex is rooted in creation and points towards the greater covenant between Christ and his church. In the previous chapters he has brought this teaching to counteract sexual promiscuity, now he is seeking to correct a misunderstanding about abstinence and celibacy within marriage. The first foundation Paul lays for his teaching is one of identity.

Belong, believe, behave - how grace changes the rules.