1 Corinthians - Gary R. Small

Each chapter of A Word from His Word focuses on a single word or phrase from a short biblical passage. Returning to this simple but effective approach will reinvigorate your daily time reading the Bible.

Corinth was a major city in ancient Greece, bustling with traders. It was also characterized by a liberal culture unfamiliar with Christian ethics. Paul evangelized there in AD 52 and those who embraced his presentation of the gospel established a church.

However, many of these new converts felt tempted to return to their prior lifestyles. Paul responds to the church's growing pains in this letter, 1 Corinthians, by presenting a call for believers to realign themselves with the message of the cross-a message which placed Christ first and insisted that all else take second place to His headship and leadership.

The letter is a challenging read, even today, for it prompts us to reflect on whether we are Christ-centred or self-oriented. Although it prompts self-reflection, perhaps more importantly it encourages readers to ensure that they remain aligned with Christ. That is the prayer behind this edition of A Word from His Word-for readers to pursue God with the purity they had when they first believed.