The Heart of the Gospel

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8,9 Over the past several days, I have been exploring the community of believers that Paul built in the great city of Corinth. While residing in Ephesus, Paul writes a heartfelt letter to the church in Corinth and addresses several concerns. He mentions disturbing rumors: reports of sexual immorality within the church, exclusion of the poor from the communion meal, lawsuits among believers, arguments about worship practices, and some members claiming spiritual superiority. Does this sound like some facets of the American church today? Absolutely. In a free and affluent society, it is easy for these and many other issues Paul described in Corinth to creep into our own churches. Such problems can divide communities, hinder mutual love