Topical Bible: Faith: Faith in Christ: The Corinthians

◄ Faith: Faith in Christ: The Corinthians ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of faith in Christ among the Corinthians is a significant theme in the New Testament, particularly in the Apostle Paul's letters to the church in Corinth. The Corinthian church, located in a bustling and diverse city, faced numerous challenges that tested their faith and understanding of the gospel. Paul's epistles, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, provide insight into the nature of their faith and the issues they encountered.

Faith as the Foundation of the Church

Paul emphasizes that faith in Christ is the foundation upon which the Corinthian church is built. In 1 Corinthians 3:11, he writes, "For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." This underscores the centrality of Christ in the life of the believer and the church. The Corinthians are reminded that their faith must be rooted in the person and work of Jesus, rather than in human wisdom or leaders.

Challenges to Faith

The Corinthian church faced several challenges that threatened their faith. Divisions and factions arose, as some members claimed allegiance to different leaders (1 Corinthians 1:12-13). Paul addresses this by pointing them back to Christ, urging them to be united in their faith. He writes, "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:13). This rhetorical questioning highlights the need for a unified faith centered on Christ alone.

Faith and Spiritual Gifts

In 1 Corinthians 12-14, Paul discusses spiritual gifts and their role in the church. He emphasizes that these gifts are given by the Holy Spirit for the common good and should be exercised in love. Faith is listed as one of the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:9), indicating its importance in the life of the believer. However, Paul stresses that love is the greatest virtue, surpassing even faith and hope (1 Corinthians 13:13). This teaching encourages the Corinthians to exercise their faith in a manner that builds up the church and reflects the love of Christ.

Faith and the Resurrection

A critical aspect of faith for the Corinthians is the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul provides a detailed exposition of the resurrection, affirming its centrality to the Christian faith. He writes, "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith" (1 Corinthians 15:14). The resurrection is presented as the cornerstone of the gospel, and faith in this truth is essential for salvation and eternal life.

Faith in Suffering and Weakness

In 2 Corinthians, Paul addresses the theme of suffering and weakness, encouraging the Corinthians to find strength in their faith. He shares his own experiences of hardship and the sufficiency of God's grace, stating, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). This teaching reassures the Corinthians that faith in Christ provides the strength to endure trials and that God's power is made manifest in their weakness.

Faith and Reconciliation

Paul also emphasizes the ministry of reconciliation, urging the Corinthians to be ambassadors for Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, he writes, "Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God." This call to reconciliation is rooted in faith, as believers are entrusted with the message of reconciliation through Christ's redemptive work.

In summary, the faith of the Corinthians, as addressed by Paul, is multifaceted, encompassing foundational beliefs, challenges, spiritual gifts, the resurrection, suffering, and reconciliation. Through his letters, Paul seeks to strengthen their faith, urging them to remain steadfast in Christ amidst the complexities of their cultural and spiritual environment.

Nave's Topical Index

Acts 18:8
And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
Nave's Topical Index

1 Corinthians 15:11
Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Christian Faith
... to the Corinthians (2:2,5) where he says, "For I determined not to know anything
among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.... That your faith should not ...
/.../sell/studies in the life of the christian/study v the christian faith.htm

Faith Without Works is Dead, and Cannot Save a Man.
... 1220] For if those who persevere in these wicked courses shall nevertheless be saved
on account of their faith in Christ, how can ... [1219] 1 Corinthians 3:15. ...
/.../augustine/the enchiridion/chapter 67 faith without works is.htm

Faith in the Saved Sinner Alone.
... know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12 ...
Their theory, that sinless Adam and Christ exercised faith, and that ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xl faith in the saved.htm

"Now the End of the Commandment," &C.
... 5:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 5:14. The constraining love of Christ flows from this ground,
that a man judges Christ to have died for him, from faith's taking up of ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xiv now the end.htm

Love, which is Greater than Faith and Hope, is Shed Abroad in Our ...
... Now this is the true faith of Christ which the apostle speaks of, "which worketh
by love;" [1316] and ... 1317] For faith obtains through ... 1315] 1 Corinthians 13:13. ...
/.../augustine/the enchiridion/chapter 117 love which is greater.htm

The Law Established through Faith
... not the Apostle Paul say, in his former Epistle to the Corinthians, We preach ... not
be justified by the law of Moses, but only by faith in Christ; and then ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 35 the law established.htm

That the Kingdom of God is not in the Wisdom of the World, nor in ...
... of the world, nor in eloquence, but in the faith of the cross, and in virtue of
conversation. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "Christ sent me ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/69 that the kingdom of.htm

What the Scriptures Principally Teach: the Ruin and Recovery of ...
... and that shows the true and living nature of that faith. ... The love of Christ constrains
us to live to him, and not henceforth to ourselves, 2 Corinthians 5:14 ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture vi what the scriptures.htm

The Old Faiths and the New
... GALATIANS. FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS. ROMANS. PROBLEMS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY.
#NAME?The new faith in Christ made large claims for itself. ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study viii the old faiths.htm

The Opinion of the Apostles on Veiling the Mysteries of the Faith.
... all the nations, in order to the obedience of faith," that is ... And the apostle writes,
"Christ our passover was sacrificed for us;" [3069 ... [3066] 1 Corinthians 2:6 ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter x the opinion of the.htm