Why are Paul's corrections to the Corinthians still relevant to us today?
Paul’s corrections remain relevant because the problems in Corinth in A.D. 60 are the same today. The human race does not change, so churches and personal lives still face those struggles. Believers also cannot avoid rubbing elbows with immoral, covetous, extortioners, and idolaters without leaving the world.
Les explains that Paul wrote to the Corinthians by Holy Spirit inspiration in response to their letter asking how they should deal with these things. The reason his corrections still apply is that the things that were a problem in Corinth in A.D. 60 are still the same; the human race doesn't change. Therefore, we still have the same problems in our churches and personal lives as the Corinthians did. Paul clarifies that believers are not to fellowship with fornicators or immoral people, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or the covetous, extortioners, or idolaters, because then they would have to go out of this world. Les notes that it is impossible to go through a week without rubbing elbows with someone immoral or in gross sin—even in Oklahoma or the Bible Belt—and those in large offices or production facilities rub elbows with every class of people.