|
EVANGELISM AND THE
FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE
CORINTHIANS THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS The two epistles to the Corinthians are
very important for the contemporary preacher. 1. These epistles discover St. Paul’s view of preaching and
evangelism, for he spent the longest time in this city after Ephesus. He
visited it at least 3 times and his ministry was very successful. 2. I think he was opposed from the Corinthians more than any other
people. Some denied his apostleship, and he was obliged to defend it. Thus,
it was a good chance to speak about apostleship, his fatherhood and Christian
preaching and evangelism. 3. Corinth was the largest city in Greece and a very important
commercial city, received peoples from many countries. They were very busy in
their business, and were proud of their famous half-yearly games in lsthmes.
About 1000 priestess of the temple of Venus devoted themselves for adultery
on behalf of the temple. Beside all these hard circumstances the Church of
Corinth was suffering of many problems such as: Church division and schism, immorality,
corruption of dogmas and doctrines. 4. Through these letters we can notice how St. Paul’s heart was
flamed by divine love, and nothing could prevent him from preaching. We can
see how he could change the negatives to positive and active work’ of
preaching and evangelism. PRINCIPLES OF PREACHING 1.
Enriched and united in Christ (1:1-11).
St. Paul was previously proud of his personality, his education, his
righteousness, and his zeal for the traditions of the Jewish traditions. He
discovered that he had to consider all these things as nothing to gain Jesus
Christ Himself. Christ satisfied all his needs; therefore he hoped that every
man might be hidden in Jesus Christ as his own Treasure. He does not witness
to his own self but to the Savior of all mankind, so that all men may be
united in Him. 2. The Cross: The Lord is our Treasure; how can we attain Him?
Through the Cross. The Cross is the source of our strength, honor, wisdom,
righteousness, sanctity and redemption. The Cross, in St. Paul’s mind is not
a theoretical belief, but it is a daily experience, a sharing in Christ’s
crucifixion (1:12-3 1). 3. St. Paul’s theme in preaching is not human wisdom, but the Lord’s crucifixion (2:1-5). 4. The Cross is the way that
leads us to enjoy the heavenly glory
(2:6-16). Is it possible? For the natural and carnal men, it is impossible
but man it is at hand of the spiritual men. 5.
Through the Cross we
discover our own selves; who are we? (3:1-22). + God’s fellow-workers. +
God’s husbandry or field. +
God’s building, built on the Foundation. +
God’s temple. +
Owner of everything. 6. The preachers are stewards
who responsible to their Lord, and fathers whose pleasure is to be
sacrificed on behalf of their spiritual children. 7. The language of
preaching is the heavenly joy.
They witness to the heavenly Savior who came to change our life into
continuous feast. Removing the germs of evil is necessary to celebrate
this feast (5:1-13). 8. The preacher reveals the
superiority of the believers. They become judges of angels. They
have not to belittle themselves, or to be involved in trifles by going to law
before heathen tribunals. 9. The preacher has to study
the philosophy and culture of those whom he preach. He direst them to the
right path without ignoring their culture or attaching their philosophy. St.
Paul dealt here with some heathen thoughts which the Corinthians believed in: + Every thing is lawful
to me. But not
everything is expedient to me. But
nothing has dominion upon me. But not
every thing builds in. + The Food is for the
belly and the belly for the food (carnal desires) — But God will destroy
this and that. + The body is an element
of darkness; it is for fornication— The Body is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. The body is a member of the Lord’s member. The body together with the spirit glorify’ God. + Man is a weak creature - who cleaves with
the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. We
are bough by the precious blood. 10.
flow does the preacher deal with the family problems? Instead
of involving in the details of the problems, he has to direct them to the devotional
life and serving God. He has to assure
to them that Christian life if a divine call, to be in Christ, with Christ
and for Christ (7:1-40). 11. The preacher guides the believers not to waste their times
in theoretical arguments and defending their own views, but to consider the
weakness of their brethren. 12. The preacher is a soldier, vine keeper and shepherd. He
has the right to be maintained. But through his fiery heart he voluntarily
declines his rights to win many to our Savior. 13. As man discovers our richness in Christ and his new
position in Christ he has to choose the fellowship with Christ or with evil.
There is no third choice (10:1-33). 14. When the Orthodox preacher deals with Church tradition and
order, he has to assure that we have to focus upon Christ as the Read (11). 15- The
preacher encourages believers to use their spiritual gifts and talents for
the edification of the kingdom of God on earth — Above all is love, which
last with us eternally (12-14). 16- It is the message of the
preacher to emphasize victory over sin and death (15). 17- At last, the preacher
encourages the lovely relations among the local churches, and among persons
as well. |