Paul wrote letters to the churches because the churches needed answers to their questions and correction for their problems — 1 Corinthians was written in direct response to a letter of questions from Corinth.
The evidence shows that the Corinthian believers had written to Paul with a whole series of questions about problems in their church. Paul's reply, inspired by the Holy Spirit, became the letter of 1 Corinthians. Les Feldick points to 1 Corinthians 7:1 as the clearest evidence: Paul says, 'concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me.' Paul also wrote additional letters to address ongoing issues in the same congregation.
1 Corinthians 7:1 — Paul explicitly says 'concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me,' showing that the Corinthians had written him a letter and that his epistle is an answer to their questions.
The Scripture itself records that Paul received written questions from the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV), Paul says, 'Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.' This phrase indicates that the Corinthians had sent Paul a letter and that his epistle follows up on the matters they raised. Again in 1 Corinthians 8:1 (KJV), Paul begins, 'Now as touching things offered unto idols,' and in 1 Corinthians 12:1 (KJV), he says, 'Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.' These repeated 'concerning' statements show that Paul was answering a list of topics that came from the Corinthian believers.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians because the Corinthian congregation had sent him a letter full of questions. These were real questions about real problems 'popping up' in the church, and the believers did not know how to handle them (Clip 1). Les explains that the Corinthian believers had recently come out of paganism, had no Sunday school or catechism background, and were meeting as a small congregation, so they had many things they needed to ask (Clips 3, 7). Paul answered their questions one by one, in the order they had evidently listed them (Clip 2).
Yes. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:1, 'Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me.' Les Feldick points to this as the cause or reason for the letter — the Corinthians had sent Paul a letter with questions (Clip 1). A whole batch of questions from the congregation prompted the epistle, and Paul answered them one by one (Clip 7).
Les notes that the Corinthians' questions were things 'popping up in the Corinthian church' that they did not know how to handle (Clip 1). He also points to 1 Corinthians 8:1, where Paul takes up the question of things offered to idols, and to chapter 12, where Paul begins 'Now concerning,' indicating spiritual gifts was another question in their letter (Clips 1, 2).
According to Les, these believers had just recently come out of paganism, had not grown up with Sunday school or catechism, and were as ignorant of Scripture as they could possibly be. They were a small congregation, not a mega church, and they had questions about all sorts of problems (Clip 3). They could not suddenly become spiritual giants, so Paul was answering their questions one by one (Clip 7).
Les says the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write, but the human element is also visible: 1 Corinthians was a response to the Corinthians' written questions (Clip 5). By Holy Spirit inspiration, Paul was 'just unloading' concerning the things they had asked him about (Clip 6).
Paul wrote a second letter to the congregation down at Corinth, which Les describes as a carnal church (Clip 4). The first letter already dealt with problems that Paul did not commend them for (Clip 5), and the same human problems present in Corinth in A.D. 60 are still present in churches today (Clip 6).
What Does It Mean to Be "All Things to All Men"? — 1 Corinthians 9
the date of that command to go back and rebuild the walls of the city, there would be 490 years of God's timetable, prophetically fulfilled in the nation of Israel. And that, of course, is back in Daniel chapter 9. Then we know from history and from the dating of it, that from the time of that decree until Christ was crucified was not 490 years, but it was 483 years.
The Reason for Paul's Corinthian Letters
Les points to 1 Corinthians 7:1 and 8:1, where Paul says 'concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me,' and explains that the Corinthians had written Paul a list of questions — that gave rise to the epistle.
Paul Answered Their Questions in Order
Les says Paul answers the Corinthians' questions in the order they listed them in their letter, and that chapter 12's 'Now concerning spiritual things' shows spiritual gifts was another question in the same correspondence.
A Letter of Questions from New Believers
Les explains that the Corinthian letter was prompted by a whole batch of questions plaguing believers who had recently come out of paganism and had no prior Bible teaching background.
Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, Writing to Corinth
Les places Paul's letters in the context of his role as the Apostle of the Gentiles and notes that in his second letter he is writing to the carnal church at Corinth.
Holy Spirit Inspiration and the Human Element
Les explains that while the Holy Spirit inspired the letter, the human element shows it was a response to the Corinthians' written questions and a letter dealing with problems Paul does not commend them for.
A Response to a Letter Asking How to Deal with Problems
Les says Paul was addressing them in response to a letter asking how they were supposed to deal with these things, and he was 'just unloading' by Holy Spirit inspiration; the same problems remain today.
A Small Congregation with Many Questions
Les pictures the small Corinthian congregation, recently out of paganism, writing Paul a series of questions while he was at Ephesus; he answers them one by one, and this concept opens up the letter.
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 shows that Paul was responding to a letter the Corinthians had written to him.
1 Corinthians 8:1: Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
Paul's wording 'as touching' indicates he was taking up another topic from the Corinthians' list of questions.
1 Corinthians 12:1: Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
This verse shows Paul moving to another 'concerning' matter from the Corinthians' letter, namely spiritual gifts.
Paul wrote it because the Corinthian believers had written him a letter full of questions about problems in their church. In 1 Corinthians 7:1 he says, 'Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me,' showing that his letter is a direct response to theirs.
Yes. Les Feldick explains that 1 Corinthians is a letter that deals with problems, and Paul does not commend the Corinthians for them. They had recently come out of paganism and had many questions and struggles in their small congregation.
Les teaches that they did. The congregation at Corinth had a whole series of questions, so they wrote to Paul. He answered their questions one by one, and this prompted the letter of 1 Corinthians.
Les points to questions about things offered to idols, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 8:1, and spiritual gifts, brought up in 1 Corinthians 12:1. These were topics the Corinthians had evidently listed in their letter to Paul.
Watch the Teaching: What Does It Mean to Be "All Things to All Men"? — 1 Corinthians 9