Christian Maturity

A believer has been given wisdom by God so that they may know the things of God and apply it to their lives (1 Cor. 2:10, 13). But even though they (believers who have been given God’s wisdom) are called to maturity, at times they act worldly, under the control of the world and the flesh (cf. the Corinthian believers whose actions were antithetical to those given God’s wisdom; 1 Cor. 3:3-4). Keep in mind, “while all believers are alive in the spirit, not all believers’ actions and attitudes conform to the status of being alive in the Spirit (Samra, p. 66). Seeing that believers are no longer slaves to sin and are now “sons’” because “God sent his Spirit within our hearts” (Gal. 4:6), it is expected that they should live in freedom, to walk in their new status, not enslavement to the law, the world, nor the enemy.

Concerning Marriage & Divorce

Do we live by the Facts or Do we live by Principles (God’s Principles)

Corinth was a key Greek urban center under Roman rule that eclipsed Athens in size and importance by the time of the great fire in 146 BC. It was rebuilt in 46 BC by Julius Caesar as a Roman colony and inhabited with approximately 100, 000 persons. By the time of Paul, it had become the wealthiest city in Greece (Blomberg). The city of Corinth was famous for a huge stone mountain called the Acrocorinth, with the temple of Aphrodite on top. This was the ultimate symbol of the dominance of pagan religions. Before Christ, these temples employed thousands of priests and priestesses who “doubled as prostitutes”. In addition to this, there were more prostitutes available on the ground level for interested parties. It is from this culture that the word “Corinthianize” (“play the harlot”) and “Corinthian girl” (whore) became a slang (Blomberg).