Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in response to a letter from the Corinthian church asking questions about problems they faced.
According to Les Feldick, 1 Corinthians 7:1 reveals that the Corinthians had written to Paul with a list of questions. These questions concerned issues plaguing the newly converted believers, who were recently out of paganism and lacked prior biblical instruction. Paul addressed these problems one by one in his letter, which is why it is a letter of correction rather than commendation.
1 Corinthians 7:1 — This verse explicitly states that Paul wrote in response to the Corinthians' questions.
In 1 Corinthians 7:1, the Apostle Paul writes, "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me." This indicates that the Corinthians had sent a letter to Paul with specific questions. The subsequent chapters address various issues, including marriage, spiritual gifts, and the Lord's Table, which were likely topics raised by the Corinthians. The context shows Paul answering these inquiries with guidance and correction.
Les Feldick emphasizes that 1 Corinthians was written as a response to a letter of questions from the Corinthian church. He points out that these believers, having recently come out of paganism, were 'as ignorant as ignorant could be' (Clip 2) and lacked the foundational teaching that comes from Sunday school or catechism. They had a 'whole batch of questions' (Clip 2) about various problems they were facing, which they wrote to Paul asking how to handle (Clip 1, Clip 6). Paul, by divine inspiration, answered these questions one by one (Clip 3, Clip 4), addressing the issues in the order they had listed them (Clip 4). Les notes that the letter deals predominantly with problems in the church, not commendation (Clip 3, Clip 5), and that these issues are still relevant today because the human race doesn't change (Clip 7).
Les Feldick indicates that the Corinthians wrote about various problems they were experiencing in their church. They had questions about practical issues such as marriage and spiritual gifts, as seen in the 'concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me' in 1 Corinthians 7:1 and 'now concerning spiritual gifts' in 1 Corinthians 12:1 (Clip 4). Paul answers these questions one by one, dealing with each problem the church faced.
Les explains that the Corinthian believers were recent converts from paganism, with no background in religious instruction. They didn't have Sunday school or catechism, so they were 'as ignorant as ignorant could be' (Clip 2). This lack of foundational knowledge led to many questions and problems as they tried to live out their new faith.
Les suggests that Paul answered their questions in the order they were written, similar to how he himself responds to letters with multiple questions (Clip 4). By divine inspiration, Paul covered each problem thoroughly, addressing the church's needs with both love and strength (Clip 5).
What Does It Mean to Be "All Things to All Men"? — 1 Corinthians 9
that these seven years were some place out in the future. We don't know when, but we know that we've already come almost 2,000 years and we feel we're getting close to it. But these seven years of what we call the Tribulation belonged to that 490 year prophecy given by Daniel.
The Cause: A Letter of Questions
Les identifies 1 Corinthians 7:1 as the key evidence that Paul wrote in response to questions the Corinthians had sent him.
The Backstory: New Believers from Paganism
Les explains that the Corinthian believers were recent converts from paganism, lacking religious education, which explains why they had so many questions.
Human and Divine Authorship
Les notes that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul, but the human reason for writing was the Corinthians' letter of questions, and the letter deals with problems, not commendations.
Answering Questions in Order
Les suggests Paul answered their questions in the order they were written, as evidenced by phrasing like 'now concerning...' in chapters 7 and 12.
Problems, Not Commendations
Les reiterates that 1 Corinthians is Paul's response to a question-and-answer letter, and it addresses predominantly problems in the church, not commendation.
Historical Context
Les provides historical context, noting Paul was in Ephesus when he wrote, and the Corinthian congregation sent him a letter with questions.
Relevance to Modern Problems
Les notes that the problems in Corinth are still present today, showing the ongoing relevance of Paul's answers.
1 Corinthians 7:1: Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
This verse directly confirms that Paul was responding to a letter from the Corinthians, showing they had written with questions.
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in response to a letter from the Corinthian church with questions about problems they were facing. This is indicated in 1 Corinthians 7:1 where he says, "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me."
According to Les Feldick, the Corinthian believers were recent converts from paganism and lacked prior religious instruction, so they had many questions about how to live out their faith.
No, Les Feldick notes that the letter deals predominantly with problems, not commendations, as the church was carnal and facing many issues.
Watch the Teaching: What Does It Mean to Be "All Things to All Men"? — 1 Corinthians 9