42 - A Portrait Of An Imperfect Church - BridgeWay Christian Church

42 - A Portrait Of An Imperfect Church

1 Corinthians 16:1-24

March 13, 2022 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann • 1 Corinthians 16

With chapter 16 Paul makes a radical change from the doctrinal to the practical. After discussing the resurrection at length and in great detail, he ends the letter with several exhortations in regard to how Christians are to conduct themselves in light of such good news about our future resurrections. In other words, he brings his readers back rather abruptly from the topic of our future life to the topic of our present life. And the two are not mutually exclusive. It seems that whenever God gives us a glimpse of what heaven will be like it in the life to come it is always for the purpose of helping us live more faithfully and victoriously on earth in this life right now.

01 - Introduction: Pitfalls Of An Imperfect Church

January 31, 2021 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

The one theme that drives everything Paul writes in 1 CORINTHIANS is the gospel. One way to define the gospel is that Jesus lived, died, and rose again for sinners and that, through Jesus Christ, God saves those who come to Him in repentance and faith. That's the gospel. That's the good news. And it permeates the entire letter. Christ crucified. Christ risen. Sinners forgiven. The gospel solves every issue Paul addresses in 1 CORINTHIANS.

02 - The Sainthood Of Believers

February 7, 2021 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

As Christians, we are no longer condemned by God as sinners but are declared holy by God as saints. And since our new nature in Christ is holy, Scripture teaches, our living should be also be holy. That Paul referred to the carnal believers at Corinth as saints gives us hope (since they were anything but saintly in their conduct). It tells us that the title saint has nothing whatsoever to do with one’s spiritual maturity or deeds. Paul called them saints because that’s who the Corinthians were (as well as all believers) by calling and position.

03 - A Church Divided

February 14, 2021 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann • 1 Corinthians 1:10–17

The apostle Paul longed to see the practical outworking of Christian unity and spiritual oneness in the Corinthian church--a church plagued by division and dissention. Short of the salvation of all men, unity among the saints was his chief desire for all churches in all ages. We are to be of the same opinion with regards to the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, our standards as a local church, and our principles for Christian living. Short of that, petty fights and various disagreements are bound to occur from time-to-time, even among those with whom we are most united.