1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Study Guide
This inductive Bible study is designed to walk you through a particular passage and help you study it thoroughly. It is divided into five partsor “steps” which will guide you from a larger, broader perspective down to a more narrow, tightened understanding of the text. This guide also contains additional components, such as Going Deeper and Further Study, to help you as you work through the text.
1. DISCOVERING THE PASSAGE 2. IDENTIFYING THE STRUCTURE 3. FOCUSING ON KEY WORDS 4. CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE 5. APPLYING THE TEXT
Beginning with the day after your growth group meets, we encourage you to get alone with God and follow the instructions provided in this guide. Each step has specific guidelines fol-lowed by questions. We trust if you faithfully use this study to meet with the LORD each day not only will your personal walk with the LORD grow deeper but your growth group experi-ence will be enhanced as well.
We begin this week with 1 Corinthians. The Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to address the many problems he had discovered in the church at Corinth. Along with giving them an abun-dance of practical advice, the letter is consumed with the concept of knowing God. Paul’s key theme is seen in verse 2 of chapter 2, “to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified.” This is the gospel he risked his life for. This is the message we should live for. We pray this study draws you closer to Jesus Christ.
INTRODUCTION
GOING DEEPER FURTHER STUDYThe Further
Study section
provides
addi-tional questions
that can guide
you to a deeper
study of the text,
if time allows.
The Going
Deep-er section is to
help you
un-derstand ideas,
themes, or
peo-ple in Scripture
that require
fur-ther explanation.
DISCOVERING THE PASSAGE
Discovering the Passage seeks to get an overall idea of the meaning of the passage. Think big
picture. Pray for God to open your eyes to the meaning of Scripture.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 three times
• First, read for general understanding of the passage • Second, read looking for major themes
• Third, read trying to discern the main idea
Now, prayerfully and meditatively, answer the following questions below
Questions
1. Considering the overall tone of 1 Corinthians, what surprises you about verses 1-9?
2. In verses 5-7 Paul thanks his God for the grace given to the believers. How was grace at work in the believers’ lives?
3. Given the repetition of the name Jesus, what does this reveal about the main idea of the text?
4. After reading through 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 three times, how would you summarize the main idea that Paul is communicating?
5. How does Paul address the church in Corinth? What does he identify about them specifically?
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FURTHER STUDY
6. Why would Paul make time at the beginning of his letter to express thanksgiving?
DISCOVERING THE PASSAGE
IDENTIFYING THE STRUCTURE
Identifying the Structure seeks to gain insight into why the author wrote the way he did. Try
to think like the author. Pray for God to give you insight into the writing of the Scriptures.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 again, looking for:
• any connecting words in the passage (so that, for, because, etc.)
• the different types of sentences used (commands, questions, statements, rebukes, etc.) • the divisions in the text (I.e. paragraphs, sentence breaks, etc.)
Now, prayerfully answer the questions below.
Questions
1. After reading 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, how would you structure or divide this passage? (Hint: look at the sentence structure, commas, periods, semicolons, colons, etc.)
2. What are the main ideas in each section?
3. What practical purposes do verses 1-3 serve in this letter?
4. What does Paul communicate to the Corinthians about their identity as a church in his greeting?
5. Who is Paul’s thankfulness directed toward in verses 4-9? List the reasons that Paul is thankful to God for the Corinthians (hint: there’s at least 4).
FURTHER STUDY
6. What are the secondary ideas or supporting truths in each section (think like an outline with points and subpoints)?
7. What keyword or phrase makes it clear that Paul’s focus in v. 3 has changed in v. 4?
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FOCUSING ON KEY WORDS
Focusing on Key Words seeks to identify and
con-template the use and meaning of specific words or concepts within the text. Pray for God to open your eyes to words and concepts you’ve never seen be-fore or have overlooked.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 again, paying attention to:
• repeated and/or emphasized words or names • verbs (specifically those with unusual tenses) • cross-references
• major themes
Now prayerfully answer the questions below
Questions
1. How many times is Jesus mentioned? List the various ways Paul refers to Jesus. What is the significance of this?
2. The word “called” is repeated in this passage. Given the context, how would you define this word? How is the word called applied to Paul? How is the word called applied to the church?
3. Who is the source of grace and peace in verse 2 and why is this significant?
4. In verse 8, Paul attributes two massive aspects of our salvation to Jesus. What are they? What makes this so significant?
FURTHER STUDY
5. Verse 2 reads: “with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Before someone can call upon the name of the Lord, what must first happen?
6. What does the word “sanctified” mean? What does the word “saint” mean? What do these words communicate about the purpose of the church?
7. The verbs “sanctified”, “enriched” and “called” are passive. What point is Paul making to the Corinthians with his use of
passive language about them and active language about God?
8. What key attributes of God does Paul focus on in verses 8-9 as a part of his thanksgiving?
GOING DEEPER: CALLING
The word “calling” in Scripture has many nuanced and varied meanings, however, the primary way it is used is in reference to the Lord’s initiating work to bring people into a saving relationship with Him. Examples include the Lord calling people “out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:19); “to Himself” (Acts 2:39); and “into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Peter 5:10). This salvific nature of “calling” is the particular definition seen here in 1 Corinthians 1:2 and 9. Paul is teaching, or perhaps reminding, the prideful Corinthian believers that they are only sanctified saints because the Lord Jesus Christ effectually called them unto salvation. Secondary usages of “calling” include God’s calling people to participate in His redemptive work in the world (Ex. 1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul reminds the Corinthians of his calling of the Lord to apostleship) and the act of mankind to “call upon the Lord” usually in reference to prayer for deliverance, mercy, or salvation (Ps. 79:6; Ps. 51.) 1-4
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1) Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for ‘Call, Calling’. Holman Bible Dictionary. https:// www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/c/call-calling.html. 1991.
2) Elwell, Walter A. Entry for ‘Call, Calling’. Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theolo-gy. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/bed/c/call-calling.html. 1996
3) Gardner, Paul. Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. 1 Corinthians. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan, 2018. 56-58.
4) Grudem, Wayne, Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan. 1999. 295-300.
CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE
Connecting to the Whole seeks to become aware of how key concepts and themes are seen
elsewhere in Scripture. This is allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. Pray for God to help you see how this passage connects to the rest of the Bible.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 again, paying attention to how it builds and draws on other places in Scripture. Look for:
• common people, places, or ideas found other places in the Bible
• similar stories or phrases • cross references
Now prayerfully and meditatively answer the questions below
Questions
1. How does 1:1-9 connect to the whole of 1 Corinthians?
2. In verse 2 the phrase “sanctified in Christ Jesus” is used to describe the church of God in Corinth. Read and reflect on the following Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; & John 17:17, 19. How do these passages help you understand this phrase?
3. Verse 5 says “in every way you were enriched in him.” Read through Ephesians 1:1-14 and consider/reflect upon the var-ious ways that believers have been enriched or blessed by God.
4. Verse 8 says that Christ will sustain you to the end. How do Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13, and Galatians 3:3 give us additional insight into this truth?
5. This passage in 1 Corinthians focuses on praising God for His sustaining work in the life of His people. Read and reflect on Hebrews 12:1-2, 28, Now, why is God to be praised?
FURTHER STUDY
6. According to 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, who distributes spiritual gifts? Why are spiritual gifts given to the body of Christ? Consider Ephesians 4 and Romans 12. 7. How does Christ
make us guiltless (1:8). Consider 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 2:20. 8. Considering verse
9, how does 1 John 1:1-10 help you
understand the basis and the conditions for fellowship with the Father and with Jesus Christ?
APPLYING THE TEXT
Applying the Text seeks to see people changed as the Word of God is brought to bear in the
lives of individuals and communities (growth groups). Pray for God to reveal to you where you need to change and have the courage to take action.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 again and:
• write down any unanswered questions that remain • write a paraphrase, in your own words, of the passage • decide on an action step as a response of obedience to
the passage (I.e. make a lost friend with which to share the gospel, commit to praying with your spouse 10 min-utes a day, etc.)
• meditate and pray on the following concepts:
∘ Adoration: praise God for who He is and for what he has revealed to you in this passage
∘ Confession: confess to God areas of sin that were re-vealed to you in this passage and seek repentance
∘ Thanksgiving: thank God for the blessings in your life as it relates to this passage
∘ Supplication: ask God for the things needed to change based on this passage
Now, prayerfully answer the questions below
Questions
1. Are you trusting in the LORD Jesus Christ to be enriched and sustained by His grace to the end? If yes, give exam-ples of how God is at work in your life to enrich and sus-tain.
2. What evidences of God’s grace in your life or the lives of others can you be thankful for?
3. Bring it down to the level of your Growth Group. Give examples of how we are set apart from other groups of unbelieving friends? In what ways is our growth group set apart from other groups of unbelieving friends?
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FURTHER STUDY
4. How do the evidences from question 2 make the church distinct from the culture around us? 5. In what ways are we
personally set apart from unbelievers around us?
6. Consider that you will stand “guiltless” before God at Christ’s return. What comes to your heart and mind as you reflect on your standing before Christ?
7. How is it a relief to know that Christ sustains us?
8. How am I (or us as a Growth Group) guilty of not acknowledging God’s sovereignty in my (our) lives?
9. What is the extent or limitation of our enrichment in Christ? How does this change how we live?
