In 1 cor 7, Paul addresses marriage, saying it is legitimate for Christians to marry if they desire. But, he says those who are single or are widows should remain single if they can maintain self-control. Paul says, "each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him". However, Paul says also "those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this." "I would like you to be free from concern.. about the affairs of this world ---how to pleas his wife--". Paul says in this way, a married person's interests are divided. He encourages singles, that they may "live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord".

In 1 Cor 6, Paul first teaches that the church should handle their own disputes without the need for legal courts. As Christians , we have the indwelling Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ and will someday be judges of the angels and the whole world. Next, Paul addresses those who continue in a lifestyle of sexual sin and call themselves believers. Those who do so are not regenerate and will not share in the kingdom of God. However, those who are now regenerate may have struggled with such sins in their prior life, but now have been made right and no longer are slaves to sin. Paul says that believers will continue to occasionally struggle with sin, but not live a sinful lifestyle. We are free in Christ, but our bodies are now for the Lord's purposes. Our bodies are actually parts of Christ. Once more, our bodies don't even belong to us, since God bought us with a high price. Therefore, Paul says to "honor God with your body" by striving to live by His standards.

In 1 Cor 5, Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for tolerating individuals inside the church who lived blatantly sinful lifestyles. Paul says that not only were they continuing to fellowship with these wicked individuals, but they were prideful and boasted in their spirituality. Paul instructed them to expel such immoral brethren, that they may turn from their ways in repentance and be restored again to fellowship. But if they continued to tolerate these individuals inside the church, everyone else will be affected, as " a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough".

1 Cor 4 teaches that church leaders (pastors, elders, etc.) are "mere servants of Christ" and should not be judged with relativity, but should simply be held accountable to their faithfulness. Only the Lord can know what is motivating a man's heart, and He alone can therefore give whatever reward is due. And since all that a man has is from God, there is no meaning in boasting in man. Leaders who have the mind of Christ will not dogmatize " beyond what is written" , in order to be revered at the expense of other leaders. This teaching is in light of the circumstances which Paul finds himself in the Corinthian church, where divisions have occurred due to spiritual pride and boasting in particular leaders. Paul simply asks them to recognize his special relationship as the one who founded their church and brought to them the Good News. Paul asks them not to admire the "fancy talk" of particular leaders, but to follow his example of "living by God's power" "with quiet love and gentleness".

1 Cor 3 adresses divisions in the church , specifically those caused by spiritual immaturity and worldliness. Paul first reminds us that the foundation of our church ( and our individual sanctification or "spirtual growth") is Jesus Christ. He explains that we can't build up spiritually by our own efforts and the use of fancy materials (church programs, books, etc). We are God's temple, and the Spirit of God works in us and with His means to accomplish the growth. Be assured though, that even if we get nowhere by attempting to do it ourselves in foolishness, Paul says we will nonetheless be saved. Why would anyone do this though, knowing that they "will suffer loss, ...(and) only as one escaping through the flames" will they be (barely) saved ? We are God's sacred temple, where by God's sovereign grace the "seeds" of spiritual formation are "planted and watered" through the work of men, but the growth is caused by God alone. "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man that waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For (though)we are God's fellow workers, you are God's field, God's building". Paul concludes this chapter by reminding us again that spiritual wisdom does not come from man, "so then, no more boasting about man('s wisdom)". He says no one can become spiritually wise by "the standards of this age" or the "wisdom of (Christian authors or bible commentators) of this world", for the "thoughts of the wise are futile". BUT, "all things are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God", so boast in Him and rest in His sanctifying work in you.

1 Cor 2 explains that it is not by man's intellect, but only through the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit that man gains spiritual wisdom and maturity in the spiritual truths of God. Even the message of the gospel is received as foolishness if given only by the fancy persuasive eloquence of human wisdom. Paul says he preaches the gospel very simply and plainly and rests on the work of the Holy Spirit. God's truths are "revealed to us by His Spirit, and ...His Spirit shows us even God's deep secrets" (v.10). "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us" (v12). Nobody can know what the Lord is thinking , but we can have some insight into His thoughts by the illumination from the indwelling Holy Spirit. "We have the mind of Christ" (v.16). I'm guessing that this doesn't just happen passively (ie. while we are sleeping), but requires regular time of fellowship with God in His word, and talking and listening to Him.

In 1 Cor 1 , Paul addresses some struggles within the Corinthian church, including divisiveness and understanding the wisdom of God. In his introduction, Paul says he is writing to those "who have been called by God to be his own holy people" (v.2), since he is about discuss their need for spiritual unity and Christlike character. He says that just like all believers everywhere, they share the same privilege of being made holy by means of Jesus Christ. Paul then gives thanks to God for them and affirms their spiritual gifts and their standing before God. He encourages them, explaining that God will preserve them and "keep them strong right up to the end", and will "keep them free from all blame" on the great day when Jesus returns (v 8). Paul reminds them again that God is the one who called them into fellowship with His Son Jesus, and He is faithful and will surely preserve them, "for He always does just what He says" (v.9). Once under grace, always under grace. As Paul addresses the issue of unity, he mentions Christ over and over (10 times in v. 1-10) to emphasize that believers are all in allegiance to the same Christ Jesus. He says , "dear brothers", emphasizing the family of God in his appeal to them to stop arguing and to be "united in thought and purpose". Next, Paul addresses their misunderstandings about human wisdom and God's wisdom. He explains that nobody can find God through human wisdom alone, since the message of the cross sounds foolish to those who are not called by God to salvation. "Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God" (v.24). Paul reminds again that "God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus" (v.30) and therefore "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord"(v31).