First Corinthians may come as something of a surprise. In writing the letter, Paul does not sit down and compose a detached theological essay. Instead, it is the work of a busy pastor-evangelist who addresses real issues confronting Christians at Corinth. What may surprise us is that they faced so many problems, felt the pull of so many temptations, and experienced such deep division among themselves. This significant document, with its surprising and realistic portrait of Christianity in the apostolic age, has much to say to us.
Modern cultures are increasingly urban ones.
If the gospel of Jesus Christ is to advance today, it must walk the streets of modern cities and find a place in the hearts of the citizens of our world's great metroplexes. And many of the themes treated by Paul are ones that are of real interest to Christians of our ear. We still experience fractured fellowship and sometimes face one another in courtrooms. How to withstand the lure of sexual temptation remains a topic of importance. We wrestle with what it means to live in view of Christ's return, the appropriate function of spiritual gifts, and how to conduct public worship.