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Corinth Hears The Gospel - Acts 18
Corinth Hears The Gospel - Acts 18
The reputation of this city for its ungodliness did not stop Paul from taking the gospel there. Today we can only imagine what it would be like to arrive there in the 1st century. Many, understanding that Paul wrote the letter to the Romans FROM Corinth, have speculated that the list of gentile sinfulness in Romans 1 was taken from Paul’s time spent in Corinth.
More important to us, is to see the very power of the gospel to change hearts. Paul reminded these Corinthians ”that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
What did Paul preach to these gentile sinners? Christ and Him crucified (1Cor. 1:23). The truth of God’s existence, nature, and character would have been radically different than the story of the gods of Corinth. The story of redemption from the wrath of God showed the love, kindness, and graciousness of God – also a radically different story!
We see that the gospel is the power of God unto Salvation” (Rom. 1:16). We learn that “Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). We observe the truth of what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
Here in Corinth, we see the power of God’s message in action! Thus, “many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized” (Acts 18:8). The Lord then encouraged Paul to keep preaching this message, saying: “I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:10). Even among the immorality of Corinth, there were those who would prove to have a good and honest heart as they heard and obeyed the gospel.
The world, our world, is still full of sin and ungodliness. The Word of God is yet the power of God to save such sinners. Let us continue to preach Christ and Him crucified and let God’s word do its work. Are you complaining or preaching?
Hugh DeLong
