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AUGUST 19

1:10 speak the same thing.Paul is emphasiz- 1:18 message of the cross.God’s total revela-
ing the unity of doctrine in the local assembly tion, i.e., the gospel in all its fullness, which
of believers, not the spiritual unity of His uni- centers in the Incarnation and Crucifixion of
versal church.Doctrinal unity,clearly and com- Christ (2:2); the entire divine plan and provi-
pletely based on Scripture, must be the foun- sion for the redemption of sinners, which is
dation of all church life (John 17:11,21–23; the theme of all Scripture, is in view. foolish-
Acts 2:46,47). Both weak commitment to doc- ness. Translates the word from which “moron”
trine and commitment to disunity of doctrine is derived.perishing…being saved.Every per-
will severely weaken a church and destroy the son is either in the process of salvation (though
true unity. In its place, there can be only shal- not completed until the redemption of the
low sentimentalism or superficial harmony. body; see Rom. 8:23; 13:11) or the process of
joined together. The basic idea is that of put- destruction. One’s response to the cross of
ting back together something that was bro- Christ determines which.To the Christ-rejectors
ken or separated so it is no longer divided.The who are in the process of being destroyed
term is used in both the New Testament and in (Eph. 2:1,2) the gospel is nonsense. To those
classical Greek to speak of mending such who are believers it is powerful wisdom.
things as nets, broken bones or utensils, torn
garments, and dislocated joints. same
mind…same judgment. Philippians 3:15,16. wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to
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The demand is for unity internally in their indi-
vidual minds and externally in decisions made the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks
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among themselves—unified in truth by foolishness, but to those who are called, both
beliefs,convictions,standards,and in behavior Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and
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by applied principles of living (Acts 4:32; Eph. the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness
4:3). The only source of such unity is God’s of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of
Word which establishes the standard of truth God is stronger than men.
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on which true unity rests. For you see your calling, brethren, that not
many wise according to the flesh, not many
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1:13 Is Christ divided? No human leader, not mighty, not many noble, are called. But God
even an apostle, should be given the loyalty has chosen the foolish things of the world to
that belongs only to the Lord. Such elevation put to shame the wise, and God has chosen
of leaders leads only to contention, disputes, the weak things of the world to put to shame
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and a divided church.Christ is not divided and the things which are mighty; and the base
neither is His body, the church. Paul depreci- things of the world and the things which are
ates his worth in comparison to the Lord Jesus. despised God has chosen, and the things
which are not, to bring to nothing the things
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that are, that no flesh should glory in His
since, in the wisdom of God, the world presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus,
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through wisdom did not know God, it pleased who became for us wisdom from God—and
God through the foolishness of the message righteousness and sanctification and redemp-
preached to save those who believe. For tion— that, as it is written, “He who glories,
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Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after let him glory in the LORD.”
DAY 19: Describe the church in Corinth.
The church in Corinth was founded by Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1ff.).As
usual,his ministry began in the synagogue,where he was assisted by two Jewish believers,Priscilla
and Aquila, with whom he lived for a while and who were fellow tradesmen. Soon after, Silas and
Timothy joined them and Paul began preaching even more intensely in the synagogue.When most
of the Jews resisted the gospel,he left the synagogue,but not before Crispus,the leader of the syn-
agogue, his family, and many other Corinthians were converted (Acts 18:5–8).
After ministering in Corinth for over a year and a half (Acts 18:11), Paul was brought before a
Roman tribunal by some of the Jewish leaders. Because the charges were strictly religious and not
civil, the proconsul, Gallio, dismissed the case. Shortly thereafter, Paul took Priscilla and Aquila with
him to Ephesus. From there he returned to Israel (vv. 18–22).

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