Central to the faith of believers is the cross of Jesus Christ. That common faith is the core and basis for the relationship each individual believer has with Jesus Christ and with other believers. When the cross of Jesus Christ is set aside or diminished in priority or compromised in any way then divisions come within the church as the core of the bond of unity is broken. -External pressures from the culture and worldly views of believers being impacted by the culture are a constant danger to the church and channel through which the devil works to breakdown and break apart the body of Christ. That external pressure includes the belief that the -word of the Cross is foolishness- driving the antagonism.-The schemes of the devil haven't changed in the hundreds of years since Paul wrote to the Corinthians so today believers too are exhorted to remember. Remember who they were and that it took the supernatural work of God through the Word of God to make the good news of salvation's truth personally believed and applied by the Spirit of God.

A real and significant division does exist in the world today and sadly even in the local churches. That division is between those who are saved and those who are yet perishing.-Those who are saved, called out by God in local assemblies are likeminded in the belief that the word of the Cross is and expression of and message from the God of all wisdom. That belief centers in the person and work of Jesus Christ and the teaching recorded in the New Testament as the foundation and guidelines for His Church. The power of God for salvation continues to be available and offered to the perishing as it continues to be the hearing and response of believing in the heart that saves sinners and provides new life and new power to live out the new relationship with God.

Divisions in the church were a result of people in the church showing their loyalty for particular leaders and teachers and in doing so considering one better than the other. Loyalties were such that there groups instead of a oneness of this local church in their likeminded faith and commitment to Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. Quarrels and conflicts not only weaken the ministry of the local church but may then also serve to compromise and distract from the witness, proclamation, and living out of the Gospel.

Reminders of what God by His grace given to individuals and the local church corporately are needful and helpful for growth in godliness to continue. For that there are ongoing and endless reasons to be thankful, live in dependence upon God, while living in anticipation of Christ's return and final glorification. God's grace has also provided the necessary means for the life of each local church to carry out the ministry God has for it and to do so effectively.

The qualifications of an apostle are highlighted as Paul writes to the Corinthians as an apostle. There is also a lengthy discussion concerning what is the church and the Greek term Ekklesia as used for the Church in the New Testament.-In summary, the physical local church is a manifestation of the universal church of God in a specific place. It is made up of those who have been set apart by God and are joined together by their faith in Jesus Christ. The members of each local church are saints by this calling and having been set apart. All who call upon the name of the Lord are part of the universal church, under the lordship of Jesus Christ, and have been provided with grace and peace by the Father and the Son.

Believers in the church at Corinth lived in a city characterized by prosperity, immorality, and cultic religious practices. The temple worship included prostitution, intoxication, and various kinds of sacrificial offerings. In this environment and some even coming out of this form of spiritual life made for challenging days for the new believers. The apostle Paul spent a lengthy time there, about eighteen months, on his second missionary journey to teach them and lay the foundation for living their new life pleasing to God. This brought pressure from the culture as well as from personal family and friends. This also raised questions that hadn't been clarified or addressed that needed answering for the edification and spiritual well-being of the individuals in the church as well as the church corporately. Such issues and background details are presented in this message.

The discussion continues of reasons given in the Scriptures to believe in a rapture of the Church before the seven year tribulation that precedes the beginning of the eternal kingdom, the first phase of which will last one thousand years.-Three reasons discussed in this message include the scriptures that indicate there must be a gap between the rapture and the second coming to allow for the time believers will be rewarded. Also the departure of the Church comes before the time referred to as 'the day of the Lord,' and the return of Christ for His Church is revealed to be imminent. With such truth having been revealed believers are to be living in anticipation of the return of the Lord as could be at any moment.

These message continues the study of reasons given in the scriptures for the pre-tribulation rapture as preceding the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. This return of Christ will begin eternity with a one thousand year period over which Christ will rule after which follows the resurrection and judgment of all unbelievers, their casting into eternal hell and the full and final restoration of all God's creation to its perfect and holy condition.

Taking a literal, grammatical, historical approach to the interpretation and understanding of God's word will reveal there will be a catching up of the Church, often referred to as the rapture of the Church. Details regarding this next event in biblical prophecy are revealed for believers to know, to live with readiness and anticipation as well as comfort and hope. Reasons are discussed for this rapture to happen before the return of Jesus Christ to the earth for HIs future reign upon the earth.

This epistle closes with five commands necessary for the believer to hold our ground during the ongoing spiritual warfare being waged in opposition to God and His people.-These must be practiced by faith in the power of God at work in and through the believer, not merely by human efforts of resolve and determination. Believers are told to 'be strong in the Lord', to put on the full armor God has provided, to take up the full armor, to stand firm, taking up the helmet of salvation. God has provided the means for victory which believers will experience as these are put into practice by faith in God and His supply of them. Prayer and petition to God are the ongoing responsibilities in utilizing the means God has provided.