1 Corinthians

First Corinthians follows Paul as he writes into a gifted but disordered church, calling its divisions, sexual confusion, lawsuits, pride, misuse of freedom, worship practices, and spiritual gifts back under the lordship of Christ. Again and again he measures Corinth not by status, eloquence, or power, but by the cross, by love, by the good of the body, and by the hope of resurrection. The letter ends in that same horizon, with steadfast labor, shared generosity, and grace holding the church together.

Within the New Testament, 1 Corinthians is one of the clearest windows into apostolic pastoral work inside a troubled local church. It shows how the gospel of Christ's death and resurrection reshapes ordinary communal life, from bodies and meals to worship, gifts, and hope for the dead.