Paul writes to a gifted but fractured church wrestling with divisions, sexual sin, lawsuits, marriage questions, food offered to idols, and disorder in worship. Through every issue he points back to the cross, the Spirit, and the resurrection — and gives us the church's greatest chapter on love.
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.”
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.”
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain.”