The Real Church of Yesterday and Today

During the spring of 2005, Nisha and I traveled to Greece to see her family who were in Athens serving as missionaries. It was a wonderful experience, and we are truly indebted to several individuals in the church and the entire congregation as a whole for helping us with the trip. During our trip, we were able to follow in the footsteps of Paul to a few of the places he visited. We were able to see the Acropolis, stand on Mars Hill, and travel up the coast to walk in the ancient city of Corinth. It was truly a blessing to walk and stand where Paul once did almost 2000 years ago.

While in Corinth, I remember thinking how Paul might have felt as he stood in a city with so many problems. He was dealt with new believers growing in their faith. He saw Christians making mistakes in communion, worship, and yes, shopping. He had believers who were flaunting their spiritual gifts and trying to outdo one another in worship and service. However, Paul tempered their enthusiasm with instruction. He knew that he was dealing with drunks, adulterers, self-promoters, and many others, but he never said that they were not Christians.

Many of the problems and questions the Corinthian church was dealing with are still present in the church today. Churches today still struggle with divisions, with immorality, and with spiritual gifts. The Book of I Corinthians very well could have been written to the church today. Despite all the rebukes and corrections, I Corinthians brings our focus back to where it should be. Genuine Christian love is the answer to many problems (I Corinthians chapter 13). A proper understanding of the resurrection of Christ, and thereby a proper understanding of our own resurrection - is the cure for what divides and defeats us (I Corinthians chapter 15).

They were a real church, and so are WE. Paul, despite all of the problems, never said this church wasn’t real. Instead, he patiently guided them into practices of more faithful expression. WE need to learn from Paul and his dealings with the Corinthian church.