One-sentence summary:
Paul confronts a divided and morally compromised church, calling believers to unity, holiness, love, and orderly worship centered on the resurrection of Christ.
Key themes & takeaways:
- Unity Over Division — Stop rallying around personalities; Christ is not divided.
- Holiness in Lifestyle — Sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, and idolatry are incompatible with the gospel.
- Love as the Greatest Gift — 1 Corinthians 13 defines love as the supreme mark of a believer.
- Order in Worship — Spiritual gifts are for building up the church, not personal showmanship.
- The Resurrection as the Core — If Christ isn’t raised, faith is useless; but He is, so hope is certain.
Historical/cultural context:
The letter deals with real-world church chaos, proving God’s truth is for messy people too.
Written by Paul around AD 55 from Ephesus.
Corinth was a wealthy, morally loose port city — the church mirrored the culture’s problems.
Paul’s tone moves between sharp rebuke and deep pastoral care.
