Mars Hill Church - Fairhope, AL

In 1 Corinthians 7:10–16, Paul calls us to pursue faithfulness to God and faithfulness to our spouse in the marriage we are in. Believing spouses should pursue permanence and reconciliation, while believers married to unbelievers should remain in faith and, if abandoned, release without guilt. In every circumstance, we rest in Jesus, the faithful Bridegroom who will never leave nor forsake us.

In this text, Paul encourages us to receive both marriage and singleness as good gifts from God and to faithfully steward the life and status he has given us. Rather than seeing one as better than the other, we are called to trust the Lord where we are, honor Christ with our desires, and use our lives for the good of his people and the sake of his Kingdom.

This week in 1 Corinthians 7:1–5, Paul shows us that sex is a good gift from God. Within the covenant of marriage between a husband and a wife, it is meant to be enjoyed with love, mutual care, and consideration. Because we belong to Christ, we are called to use our freedom not selfishly, but in ways that honor him and serve one another.

This week we’re studying 1 Corinthians 6:12–20. Paul reminds us that our freedom, desires, and bodies are not our own—we belong to Jesus, who has united us to himself and bought us with a price. Because we are his, we are called to flee sexual sin and honor him with our bodies.

This week in 1 Corinthians 6:1–11, Paul is shocked by the way the Corinthian church is handling its disputes. Once again, their judgment is unwise, so Paul corrects them by reminding them of their future, the wisdom God has provided, their witness, and their new identity as those who have been washed, sanctified, and justified in Christ. If the gospel has so changed who they are, then it should also change how they handle their disputes with one another—especially before a watching world.

In 1 Corinthians 4:6–21, Paul confronts the pride beneath the Corinthians’ divisions, reminding them that everything they have is a gift of grace and pointing them to the humble, sacrificial way of Christ. As their spiritual father, Paul lovingly calls them to turn from pride and follow his example as he follows Jesus.

Paul reminds the Corinthians that Christian leaders are servants of Christ and stewards who are called to be faithful, not exalted. Because neither the judgment of others nor our own judgment is final, Paul calls us to trust the Lord who alone sees the heart and will ultimately judge our faithfulness.

In 1 Corinthians 3:16–23, Paul continues to confront the division and pride of the Corinthian church by reminding them that they are God’s temple, indwelt by His Spirit, and belong to Christ. Rather than boasting in human leaders or their own wisdom, they are called to protect what God is building, humbly examine themselves, and rejoice in all God has given them in Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 3:5-15, Paul continues to redirect our attention from human leaders to God, reminding us that Christ alone is the foundation, God alone gives the growth, and every believer's ministry will one day be tested by Him.

In 1 Corinthians 3:1–4, Paul confronts the Corinthians' spiritual immaturity, showing that although they are in Christ, their jealousy, strife, and divisions reveal they are living more like the world than like Jesus.