Seventh-day Adventist

He wanted to speak with them in person (verses 18, 19), but by saying, “if the Lord wills” (verse 19), he makes it clear that God is sovereign over his plans. As you know, quarreling is not the only issue in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 5:11, Paul states, “I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people” (NIV). This sounds like a harsh command, doesn’t it? Perhaps some church members might have asked, “What do you mean, Paul?” Indeed, was he telling them to stop talking to people who were practicing these sins? Would that not be an exaggeration? Well, this was a specific situation. Believers should not associate “in a close way or mix indiscriminately with such persons,”9 so as not to do the same things they did. As for the command not to “even eat with such people,” it is important to remember that, in Paul’s time, sharing a table meant sharing values.10 In short, Paul wanted the church members in Corinth to remain pure, and his writings advise them in that respect. Paul wrote to the Corinthians to correct improper worship behavior (1 Corinthians 14:37). His words in 1 Corinthians 14:4 suggest that there were issues in that regard. By and large, Paul wrote letters to the Corinthians because he wanted them to embody values such as holiness, love for one another, unity, obedience to Christ, and devotion to Him (see 2 Corinthians 2:9; 11:3). Summary Numerous challenges marked Paul’s ministry in Corinth. Corinth was a multicultural, polytheistic, and morally corrupt city, and Acts 18:9, 10 suggests that Paul was on the verge of giving up. However, Jesus appeared to him in a vision to offer encouragement. As a result, Paul remained in Corinth for “a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (Acts 18:11). He chose Corinth due to its strategic location, as this fact would facilitate the spread of the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. Despite significant challenges, he founded a large church. Nevertheless, the surrounding culture and its vices profoundly influenced the church’s members. Thus, Paul wrote letters to address these and other issues. His letters reveal his deep concern for them, calling for a life of holiness, unity, and love. These values remain indispensable for the church today as well. 1. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press®, 1940), 195. 2. Craig Keener, The IVP Bible Backgrounds Commentary, 2nd ed. (Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2014), 376. 3. John B. Polhill, Paul and His Letters (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1999), 214. 4. David B. Schreiner, “Corinth: Paul’s Boomtown,” Bible Study Magazine 9 (2017): 46. 5. Cristine Schenk, Crispina and Her Sisters: Women and Authority in Early Christianity (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2017), 36. 6. Siegfried H. Horn, The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Dictionary, rev. ed. (Washington, DC: Review and Herald®, 1979), 237. 7. Florence M. Gillman, “Chloe (Person),” Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. David N. Freedman (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1:911. 8. Lee M. McDonald, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Acts–Philemon, ed. Craig A. Evans (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2004), 263. 9. B. J. Oropeza, 1 Corinthians: A New Covenant Commentary, ed. Michael F. Bird and Craig Keener, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2017), 70. 10. Carl P. Cosaert, “1 Corinthians,” in Andrews Bible Commentary: New Testament (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2022), 1625. * In Romans 1:10; Ephesians 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:3; and Philemon 4, Paul refers to his life of prayer. In 2 Timothy 4:13, we see that he used to devote time to study. † This can be inferred, for instance, from one’s reading of Romans 15:4; 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17; and 4:1, 2.

When writing these words, Paul likely had in mind Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” As we would expect, Paul’s monotheism is Christological. Those who love Christ have no room for idolatry. “Many in this city” The population of Corinth committed idolatry alongside a series of other sins. The lists of sins found throughout Paul’s letters to the Corinthians give us insight into the vices practiced by men and women in that city. Jesus’ affirmation in Acts 18:10, “I have many people in this city,” cannot be fully grasped unless one understands how deeply sinful the population of Corinth was. In 1 Corinthians 5:9–11, Paul mentions things such as sexual immorality, greed, robbery (or swindling), idolatry, reviling (or slander), and drunkenness. Yes, life in Corinth included a disturbing list of all sorts of vices. Is it any different from what happens in the world’s big cities today? Apparently, these sins were part of daily life in that bustling city. Interestingly, sexual immorality is mentioned not once, not twice, but three times in this passage. It is impossible to avoid the thought that Paul is calling the readers’ attention to this practice, thereby underscoring that this is a huge problem! The Greek term rendered as “sexually immoral” is pornos. Does it sound familiar? This is the root from which our modern term “pornography” originates. Corinth was world-famous for its immorality, to the extent that “the term ‘Corinthian girl’ was synonymous with ‘prostitute,’ and ‘to Corinthianize’ meant to lead an immoral life.”6 These sins affected the church to a great extent. In 2 Corinthians 12:21, Paul expresses his concern with “those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced” (ESV; emphasis added). A similar list of sins is found in 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10. In this passage, Paul lists nine vices to be scorned by the believers in Corinth: sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, same-gender sexual relations, theft, covetousness, drunkenness, reviling, and extortion. Again, Paul’s statement in verse 11 makes it clear that these practices were part of daily life in Corinth, “Such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified ” (emphasis added). What a beautiful way to portray one’s conversion. The lists of sins in 1 Corinthians 5:9–11 and 6:9, 10 give us a glimpse into the challenges Paul faced in Corinth. One might wonder, How could Jesus say, “I have many people in this city”? (Acts 18:10). This statement reveals so much about the love of Jesus! He can see what Paul could not. When we look around, we might think that those deeply immersed in sin are beyond Jesus’ reach. They are not! Today, in the world’s great cities, Jesus also has people He can call “His people.” We must reach them! Paul’s letters to the Corinthians Why do you write emails and other forms of electronic letters? The most natural answer is that you cannot speak in person with the recipient to convey your message. There are moments when you are so disappointed with someone that it is preferable not to speak in person, right? (see 2 Corinthians 13:10). Or, perhaps, you avoid talking in person because your audience’s feelings are so distressed that they need time to ponder and calm down (see 2 Corinthians 2:1, 3). Based on 1 Corinthians 1:11, we know that Paul received troubling news about the situation in the church at Corinth, brought by “those of Chloe’s household.” We don’t know much about who Chloe was.7 At first glance, one might think of her as a terrible gossip. However, as Lee M. McDonald rightly notes, “Whoever she was, the mentioning of her name gave credence to the report that Paul received and he acted on the information not as gossip, but as fact of what was happening in the church.”8 Concerned about the quarreling in the church, Paul writes a heartfelt letter filled with profound love (1 Corinthians 4:14, 21).

The results of Paul’s missionary efforts in Athens were modest compared to the achievements he experienced in other places where he preached the gospel. While waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, who stayed in Berea to nurture the new converts, Paul devoted himself to preaching the gospel (Acts 17:16). Paul is the sort of missionary who wastes no time! He immediately begins preaching about Jesus in the local synagogue as he had done in other places. But there is a new element: He also debates with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in the marketplace (verses 17, 18), proclaiming Jesus and the resurrection (verse 18). Soon after, he is brought to the Areopagus, a place reserved for discussing new and “strange” ideas (verses 19, 20).2 Acts 17:22–31 details Paul’s speech at the Areopagus, where he addressed the resurrection of the dead—a topic that caused some to mock him (verse 32). Luke concludes his report about Paul’s mission in Athens with this summary, “Some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them” (Acts 17:34). Although every outcome is cause for celebration, Paul’s missionary work in Athens was not as successful as he had hoped it to be. Luke’s transition from Paul’s stay in Athens to his arrival in Corinth is somewhat abrupt. He does not explain why Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, but one reason may be related to his limited success in Athens. From his statement in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (ESV), one can infer that Paul did not view his strategy of debating philosophy in Athens as the most effective. This could explain why he employs a different approach in Corinth. Paul’s approach in Corinth is startling, as the Corinthians held knowledge in high regard and were known for their interest in philosophy due to Greek influence. Yet, Paul adopted a more straightforward style, which he defined as “the message of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18). He explains, “Jews request a sign and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified” (verses 22, 23). Paul’s strategy in Corinth proved very efficient. He successfully planted a large church in that city! The city of Corinth The history of the city of Corinth falls into two distinct periods. Ancient Corinth was destroyed in 145 b.c. by Lucius Mummius, a Roman military general who became famous among the Greeks for seizing the city. As a result, Corinth was left in ruins, and its people, especially women and children, were enslaved.3 New Testament Corinth was restored in 44 b.c. and established as a Roman colony by Julius Caesar. As a settlement under Roman rule, Corinth became the capital of Achaia, an important province of the Roman Empire. Due to its prestige as a significant urban center and advantageous geographical location, Corinth held a strategic position for spreading the gospel. Corinth’s importance was strengthened by its proximity to two major international seaports on either side of the isthmus where the city was located. The city’s commercial nature brought individuals from various ethnicities together and provided an environment for the gospel to connect with people from different backgrounds. In summary, New Testament Corinth was a melting pot of ideas and resources from which the good news of salvation could quickly reach other parts of the world.4 Not surprisingly, along with Ephesus and Rome, the city became one of “the most important centers of early Christianity.”5 A city like Corinth also posed many challenges to the proclamation of the gospel. It was immersed in idolatry, so Paul devotes three chapters to warn against it (1 Corinthians 8–10). He confronts idolatry by presenting two basic ideas introduced in 1 Corinthians 8:4. First, idols have no real existence. Second, “there is no other God but one.” He further states, “For us there is one God, the Father … and one Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 6).

Paul’s Ministry in Corinth Corinth was a multiethnic, prosperous, and corrupt city in the ancient world. It attracted people from every part of the Roman Empire, thereby giving rise to a mixed population formed by different ethnicities and social classes, which makes it very similar to modern cities such as New York, Tokyo, Paris, Toronto, Hong Kong, Dubai, and São Paulo. With this in mind, it becomes easier to understand Jesus’ words of encouragement to Paul as he proclaimed the gospel in such a challenging environment, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people” (Acts 18:9, 10, ESV). Paul is assured that he is God’s spokesman to share the gospel message in Corinth. Paul, a God-called apostle of Jesus Paul often refers to himself as an apostle in his letters. The information that he is an apostle almost always comes in the phrase “an apostle of Christ Jesus”(1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:1 [“an apostle of Jesus Christ”]). Except for Romans 11:13, where he says that he is “an apostle to the Gentiles,” the phrase always appears in the opening statement of his letters, indicating that this is an essential piece of information. A variation of the phrase is seen in Galatians 1:1, where he says, “Paul, an apostle … through Jesus Christ.” In Romans 1:1, Paul affirms he was “called to be an apostle,” but he opens the letter by saying, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus” (ESV). Paul employs “servant” as a complementary description, along with apostle, of his work for Christ. No doubt, Paul wants to emphasize that his identity is attached to Jesus. Whether he portrays himself as an apostle of Jesus or a servant of Jesus, he belongs to Christ and is fully committed to Him. However, Paul does not see himself merely as an apostle of Jesus but as a God-called apostle of Jesus. He was “separated to the gospel of God ” (Romans 1:1; emphasis added) and “called by the will of God ” (1 Corinthians 1:1; emphasis added; see also 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1). In Galatians 1:1, he affirms that he is “an apostle … through Jesus Christ and God the Father” (emphasis added). Similarly, in 1 Timothy 1:1, he says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior” (emphasis added). Paul began his apostolic ministry right after his conversion, prompted by the vivid revelation of Jesus on the Damascus road. Following Jesus’ instructions, he entered the city of Damascus, where he regained sight after Ananias prayed for him. He was then baptized (Acts 9:17, 18). Luke reports that Paul stayed for several days “with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:19, 20; emphasis supplied). As Ellen White notes, “Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary.”1 Paul’s ministry as an apostle encompasses various roles and ministries. In addition to “servant,” he also portrays himself as a preacher (see Romans 10:8; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 15:11; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 11:4; Galatians 2:2; 5:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:9), a teacher (see Acts 20:20; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11), a church planter (see 1 Corinthians 3:6–10), a spiritual guide (see 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 12), a pastor (see 2 Corinthians 11:28), a writer (see 1 Corinthians 4:14; 5:9, 11; 9:15; 14:37; 2 Corinthians 1:13; 2:3, 4, 9; 13:10; etc.), a steward (see 1 Corinthians 4:1, 2), and a witness (see Acts 20:21, 24; 1 Corinthians 15:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:10). Paul was a very busy man! Yet, he made time for prayer and study,* especially the study of God’s Word.† This is a lesson for us! From Athens to Corinth

Gift of a New Life July 4, 2026 Austria In Austria, a struggling high‑school student named Juergen found a fresh start at Bogenhofen Adventist school. Through supportive teachers, health training, and Bible study, he discovered faith, accepted Christ, and experienced a complete life transformation—impacting even his family. Juergen had a bad attitude, and it caused him to be expelled from high school in Austria. Only a year before his scheduled graduation, Juergen was asked to leave school after receiving a failing grade for his behavior. Austrian public high schools graded on conduct, and he flunked because he had a problem with authority and frequently skipped classes. Juergen tried to enroll in another school, but it didn’t work out. However, the high school principal was sympathetic. “Try Bogenhofen,” he said. “They might take you.” Juergen and his parents went to Bogenhofen, a Seventh-day Adventist school campus. Coming from a non-religious family, Juergen was surprised to learn that this school encouraged students to develop a relationship with God. He didn’t really want to attend, but his father urged him to give it a try. Juergen agreed to stay. Although he could have entered the twelfth grade, he chose to repeat the eleventh grade. During his two years at the school, his life changed in many ways. Without even realizing it, he stopped eating pork and drinking alcohol. He wasn’t sure how it happened—it just did. Though he attended Bible classes, Juergen didn’t think much about God in high school. But after graduating, he enrolled in a one-and-a-half-year health training program at Bogenhofen. As he learned the principles of good health, he began to wonder, What do these Adventists really believe? He found a Bible and, for the first time, read it from cover to cover. The experience left him with many questions, and he accepted a classmate’s offer to study the Bible together. The two young men began with the prophecies of Daniel. Juergen was amazed. He saw how all the dates aligned and that every prophecy—except those predicting the second coming of Jesus—had been fulfilled. Everything made sense. He thought, The Bible must be true! It was an easy next step to accept the existence of a Creator God. Even though his family wasn’t religious, he had never fully accepted evolution. He gave his heart to God and was baptized. Some relatives mocked Juergen when they learned he had become a Christian. They taunted him, asking whether he planned to live like a hermit or move to the countryside without electricity and electronics. But when they saw the change that Christ had brought to his life, their attitude changed. His father never regretted sending him to Bogenhofen, calling it the best decision of Juergen’s life. Today, Juergen’s mother is part of a Seventh-day Adventist Bible study group. Now 36 years old, Juergen is grateful he attended the Adventist school. “When I was a student, I didn’t realize what a privilege it was,” he said. “Now I do. I’m happy that I studied at Bogenhofen. It changed my life.” Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering, which is helping lead people such as Juergen to Christ. Bogenhofen, located near Braunau, Austria, received part of a 1986 offering to open a girls’ dormitory. This quarter’s offering will help support mission work across the Inter-European Division, which includes Austria https://adventistmission.org/mission-awareness/mission-quarterlies/youth-and-adult/articles