Church discipline should not be a burden, but rather is a gift and opportunity to proclaim the gospel to one another and to grow in our understanding of the gospel. In our text today, Paul is going to show us the reason why church discipline is for our good and clarify any misunderstandings.

Today, as we look at the second issue that Paul is addressing in his letter, we see Paul using the same main message. The gospel requires God’s holy people to mature in purity. They must become what they are. What Paul is presenting to the church in dealing with this problem is church discipline.

Over time the church of Corinth began to imitate the values of their worldly culture. It began to influence how they viewed one another, the church, and the role of leaders in the church. Paul has been showing them that God’s wisdom is contrary to worldly wisdom. Now he is going to take that principle and apply it to their approach to church leaders and then appeal to them that instead of imitating their worldly values, they should imitate him as he follows Christ.

Paul continues to address the issue of division with a rebuke, warnings, and an exhortation. This passage assumes three things about believers in Christ. We are God’s holy temple, built on the foundation of Christ’s work and filled with God’s Spirit. We are still capable of profound spiritual immaturity and living like people of the flesh. We have the Holy Spirit and because of the Holy Spirit at work in us, we can respond with repentance when confronted with our sin.

Paul reminds the church in Corinth of two truths: His message about a crucified Savior might seem weak and is proclaimed out of weakness, but it is a demonstration of the Spirit’s Power. God reveals his wisdom about this crucified Savior through His Spirit. 

Paul continues to address the issue of unity in the church, he is unpacking the unifying power of the gospel. We are going to see what is central to the gospel is a crucified Savior. For the church to pursue unity, we do not follow the wisdom and values of this world we follow Christ who is the power and wisdom of God.

Paul begins to address the first of ten major issues, division in the church. Paul gives them the first reason of why they should not divide over church leaders, because the gospel requires the church to be united, because the gospel is what unites the church. If that is true that means we need to be grounded in the gospel, fight to believe the gospel, and preach the gospel daily to one another and ourselves.

The church in Corinth had many problems, and at times one wonders if they were truly a church. When Paul wrote to them, he addressed them as the people of God, set apart by God as holy and saints. The reason why Paul addressed them this way was because he wanted to remind them of who they are in Christ. By reminding them of who they are in Christ, he will instruct them of how they should live. We learn that we must become practically what God has made us positionally before Him through His Son Jesus Christ.