Spiritual yet carnal - The Corinthian Church

1 Cor 1-17 - Spiritual yet carnal - The Corinthian Church

I remember when I was working in the air force many years ago. There was a young man who was full of charisma. He had all the qualities that a young man should have. He was physically fit, had good leadership qualities, good looking and a good singer. He was just endowed with so many physical and natural gifts. But he had one serious problem. He had a terrible bad breath. You just can't go near him. The smell was so unbearable that if you were within a few feet radius of him, you would suffocate. So much so, people avoided him.  

We can have all the spiritual gifts but if the sweet aroma of the the fruit of the Spirit is absent, we can become a pungent stench, keeping people away from us and even from God. It amounts to a serious handicap. Not very much different from the strong able bodied man with a bad breath. Someone who needs to be avoided. A bad reflection of the true abundant life.

The Corinthian church is a very good example. It was an exceptional church  in many ways:

First they were truly born again believers:
  • verse 2 - They were sanctified in Christ Jesus
  • verse 2 -  Called God's holy people
Second, they were endowed with special qualities and spiritual gifts.
  • verse 4 -  They were given a special grace
  • verse 5 - They were enriched in speech, they were enriched in knowledge
  • verse 7 -  They did not lack any spiritual gifts
If fact they had all the spiritual gifts that Paul has to give a discourse on the subject in Ch 12-13.

They would certainly make a great powerful television evangelist of this era. With such ability an to communicate with sign  and wonders, they would have been in the forefront of a spiritual revival. And with all the spiritual endowments, one would have thought that heaven on earth, in that church. 

Unfortunately NO. They were carnal.

What were the issues of carnality found in that church?
  • verse 10 - Disagreement, division, no common goal
  • verse 11 - Quarrels
  • verse 12- Clannish,  "Self" - Do you know who I am?, everyone want s to be in the forefront of leadership, thinking highly of themselves
  • verse 31 - Pride
  • Chapter3:3 - Worldly
  • Chapter 5 - Sexual immorality that even the people of the world do not tolerate
Very much like many of the churches today. As I recall my journey in my own church, we too are not far from them. When we, the salt and the light of this world, display such unchristian behavior, we become a stench to the world, so much so, they despise Christ because of us.

Paul writes to the Corinthians, asking them to put away such behavior.  Being filled with the Spirit is only the beginning, we  need to live in the Spirit. Sanctification is a long process but not difficult. When we learn to walk in the Spirit, led by the Spirit and filled in the Spirit, our lives become a sweet aroma that draws others to our Lord. (Gal 5 and Eph 5).

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ" Mahatma Ghanthi
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mahatma Gandhi

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mahatmagan107529.html#Cc8gxBA6sOEgqtSR.99

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