What 1 & 2 Corinthians Says on Love, Spiritual Gifts and Generosity

Get Paul’s advice to a struggling church in his books of 1 & 2 Corinthians on love, spiritual gifts, hardships and generosity.

THE LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCHES

Paul the missionary is on the move and word is that his church plant in Corinth isn’t doing too well. The church is full of hypocrisy, with lots of division among its people. They even start to oppose Paul and his teachings, which is why he steps back in to correct their behavior and urge them to get back on track.

Here are just a few topics Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians:

 “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 1:10

”It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud!” 5:1

“The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already.” 6:7

“Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.” 8:7

WHAT CORINTHIANS SAY ABOUT LOVE AND OTHER THINGS

We often hear the book of Corinthians quoted at weddings because of it’s section on love. This was never a wedding section of the Bible, but a call to the Corinthian church to start treating its members in a more Christ-like way. I think this absolutely can translate over into a marriage relationship, which is why it is used.

“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. 
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails." 

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

When we study the book of Romans, Paul introduces a concept called Spiritual Gifts. This means that we each are given a gift from the Holy Spirit. He lists out:

Prophesying
Serving
Teaching
Encouraging
Showing Mercy
Leading
Giving

In Corinthians, Paul expands on these gifts and includes:

Wisdom
Knowledge
Faith
Discernment
Miraculous Powers
Speaking in Tongues
Interpreting Tongues
Healing

This won’t be the last time he mentions the list. The Holy Spirit cannot be explained in human terms because it’s not of earth and it’s gifts and purposes far exceed what we can imagine. That’s why it is vital that we make the Holy Spirit part of our relationship with God.

Jesus himself said that it was better for him to leave so that another could come. He was referring to the Holy Spirit.

There’s so much to unpack in the two letters to the Corinthian churches and I love the wisdom of how Paul deals with his multitude of hardships. This is a book I referenced during my own hardships with Late Stage Lyme Disease a few years ago and it was such an encouragement to me. I hope that you will take the time to study this book and let it speak to you in your own circumstances.

PRINTABLES FOR THE BIBLE BOOKS OF 1 & 2 CORINTHIANS

Want to know more about the break down of each of these books? Check out my 1 & 2 Corinthians cheat sheets I’ve created and work your way to deeper spiritual understanding of God’s relationship with us as his children. You can order the sheets here.

SHOP THE BOOKS OF 1 & 2 CORINTHIANS

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So a few years ago, I made this Old and New Testament Summary Printable, and now I’m working my way through each book of the Bible! To get the rest of the printables, check out my Timeline Bundles for the best deal:

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