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Ironies in the life of the Corinthian Church

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Irony: a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.

1 Corinthians is a letter that exposes a lot of ironies, and I think all of these can be connected to their misunderstanding of the gospel and of what it means to be set apart by grace in the local church. 

What are some of the glaring ironic things we see in the Corinthian church as they claim to be a faithful and strong local church?




  • Christians in a church were a people formerly divided in the world but now united in Christ, ironically, the Corinthians had to be called out for the pursuing divisions (1 Cor 1 v 12-13).

  • The gospel message that is foolish to the natural man because of the cross is ironically being delivered dressed up with eloquence that empties it of its effect (1 Cor 1 v 17-18).

  • Believers owe all they are to God, yet some were ironically tempted to boast in themselves rather than the LORD (1 Cor 1 v 31). 

  • God causes the church to grow in number by His sovereign grace. Yet, the people ironically identify themselves boastfully/tribally first with mere humans like Paul or Apollos (1 Cor 3 v 7) rather than the grace of God. 

  • To claim love for the church and yet ironically attack it through division is to testify in action like one who hates God and His church and be marked for destruction (1 Cor 3 v 17). 

  • The Apostles saw themselves in a long line of other faithful witnesses who had been called to weakness, but ironically the Corinthians saw themselves as strong and eschatologically superior (1 Cor 4 v 7-12).

  • The gentiles knew that incestuous relationships were wrong, yet ironically the Corinthians tolerated this and other unrepentant sins in their membership (1 Cor 5). 

  • The Corinthians claimed to be wise, yet ironically, they sought the petty wisdom of the court system to settle disputes with fellow members (1 Cor 6 v 1-8).

  • The Corinthians claimed wisdom, yet ironically, they seem to not discern unrepentant sinners will not inherit the kingdom of God and therefore do not belong in the membership (1 Cor 6 v 9-11). 

  • The Corinthians perceived a high view of their freedoms in Christ yet ironically were mastered by their stomachs, i.e., their base desires, and thus their church looked no different than the world (1 Cor 6 12-13). 

  • They claimed ownership of their bodies yet ironically denied the ownership of God, who bought them in Christ as His people to be raised on the last day (1 Cor 6 v 20). 

  • Some in the church thought marital relations were ironically defiling when in fact, they needed to give themselves faithfully in marriage for purity as the people of God (1 Cor 7 v 1-9). 

  • Some were ironically more concerned about nullified commands like circumcision rather than the active law of Christ given through the Apostles for the church to devote themselves to now (1 Cor 7 v 17-19). 

  • Some were very hyper-focused on different limitations or liberties about marriage, ironically being held back from kingdom service with all kinds of earthly concerns that weaken the church. 

  • In Chapters 8-10, their demands of liberty regarding food ironically only reveals that they are subject to their stomachs/pursuit of pleasure again. 

    • They forget they were freed to say no to selfishness and preferences and are enabled to discern when they are not only eating but actually participating in idolatrous/demonic feasts bringing reproach on the cause of Christ in His people. 

  • The Corinthians pursuing their heightened individualism in casting off their clear gender signals ironically only display the world, shame, and misrepresent God’s order/gift of gender in the church (1 Cor 11-1-16). 

  • One of the most glaring ironies is their horrid observance of the LORD’s Supper (1 Cor 11 v 17-33). When they assemble as one church, they ironically divide themselves, despising the church of God, and exclude their brothers and sisters through separate meals where they party like the world.

    • Instead of examination, sobriety about sin, and unity with the local church, they ironically pursue drunkenness, live in unrepentant sin, divide the body, and proclaim a false gospel in their corporate gathering. 

  • Enter chapters 12-14. The believers were, by grace, granted the ability to turn from idols to confess Jesus as LORD. Yet ironically, they think the gifting of the Spirit is about them. 

    • They forget to aspire to glorify God by pursuing what edifies others in love and in order with the Apostles. 

  • Ch 15 famously and glorious explains the dead's resurrection at the LORD Jesus's coming. It reminds believers that what they do with their bodies right now, in righteous living, tells the story that we are headed for glory.  

    • This was needed because instead of the people living in light of the short time we have on earth to glorify God, they ironically reject the resurrection in exchange for the myth of “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor 15 v 32), to excuse what sins they commit in the body since only the soul is what matters. 


What else would you mention from the letter of 1 Corinthians?

Perhaps my next post will show how many of these tendencies are quite relative today?

May God bless you.

Pastor Garrett



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