Comparing Corinthians with Ephesians Part II

In Ephesus, The Population Had A Problem With Idolatry

• Paul is writing to them in a higher spiritual level versus Corinth
• The people of Ephesus worshipped the great goddess Diana Acts 19:35
• Some of them got delivered from that idol Acts 19:26
• The silversmith’s (who made idols for a living), occupation was in danger Acts 19:27
• The silversmiths made an uproar and ran Paul out of town Acts 19:28-20:1
• We have idolatry today
• The “spirit” of those idols you read about in the bible is with us today
• The spirit of Baal is in the people’s hearts and minds
• You have to be careful because you could be worshipping that god
• It is manifested through one’s behavior & lifestyle
• Your lifestyle is what you like to do and where you like to go
• One of the things that is killing the saints is MODERN TECHNOLOGY

Modern Technology Takes Away Our Desire To Live For God II Pet 2:8-9

• That is why we can’t get these people to come to prayer
• It wipes you out & you can’t concentrate and focus in prayer
• You can’t stay on your knees to pray, you have to get up
• It’s a spirit of an idol god screaming within you to get up from prayer
• And you won’t read your bible, it looks harmless and innocent
• We are exposed to the world, it comes to your home through the tv & music device
• Watching & listening to the world vexed Lot’s righteous soul from day to day
• What is vexing the righteous soul? Watching and listening to the world II John 2:15-17

Some Facts About Corinthians

• This was a key city in Greece located between the Aegean & Adriatic seas
• It was a commercial center in Greece
• Corinth was rebuilt by Julius Caesar about 46 BC
• The population at that time was about 700,000 people
• When he establishes the church, it’s Greek
• Greek philosophy influenced the population & church. Acts 17:16-34
• Paul would use Timothy & others to contend with that in the church Acts 18:1-17
• Paul ran into some of the Greek philosophers at the marketplace Acts 17:17
• His church was the only Christian church in the area

The Division In The Church Was Over Personalities

a. The first problem was over the division of the preachers

• Some said I am of Paul because he founded the Corinthian church
• Others said I am of Apollos because of his eloquent speech
• Some said they were of Peter because of his Jewish background
• The rest said they were of Christ because they would have nothing to do with the factions or parties of men
• The Corinthians judged Paul according to his appearance, the way he spoke, and not by his demonstration of the Spirit and power II Cor 10:10
• The Corinthian saints were arguing about baptism & who baptized who
• Baptism is an outward show that one has given up the old way of life unto a new way of life through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
• Baptism doesn’t bring salvation, it is an outward confession of faith I Pet 3:21
• In other words, you get baptized under what you believe

Other Problems In The Church

• A brother should not go to the law against another brother in the church
• Saints should’ve resolved the matter before the father went to court I Cor 6:1-8
• Some were puffed up I Cor 4:18-19
• Fornication, adultery & other sins of the flesh I Cor 6:9-10

The Dangers Of Being A Fault-Finder

• If you find fault with everything, what do you like in the church?
• There is a dead cat on the line, to everything that is pure all things are pure
• Stop finding fault, get yourself together and pray for everybody
• You use that excuse, so you can’t get right
• Only the strong can bear the infirmities of the weak Rom 15:1
• Its not good for the saints to know everything that is going on wrong in the church
• The more you hear and see, the more it can negatively affect you
• You have to be strong in the Lord in order to know what’s going
  on in the church and not be negatively affected II Tim 2:20
• If I were you I would let God take care of it
• A poor fellow was barely hanging on by a thread, and when he’s found
  something else out, he stopped coming to church.
• You might be in a spiritual struggle right now, because of something
  you seen & heard, and it’s not good to know what is wrong in the church

By The Time Paul Writes His Second Letter To The Corinthians There Is Progress

• Paul made reference to this man again (I Cor 5) and to forgive him II Cor 2:3-7
• Paul told the church to take the man back after putting him out II Cor 2:6-7