SATURDAY, APRIL 1
1 Corinthians 1:1-3
Acts 18:1-8

"Unto the church of God
which is at Corinth…"

THE CHURCH AT CORINTH

Corinth was Greece’s foremost commercial city. It was located in a strategic location: south of the narrow isthmus which connected Northern and Southern Greece. Ships sailing in the Adriatic Sea would often use Corinth as a land bridge. The crew would often choose to haul their ships through the land rather than sail around the treacherous Cape Malea. Corinth thus became a thriving and prosperous centre of business as much trade passed through the city.

Due to the mass gathering of traders at Corinth, the city soon became a breeding ground of gross immorality. The city became so infamous for her sexual exploits that the Greek word korinthiazesthai became a word referring to sexual wantonness and abandonment. One of the patron goddess of Corinth was Aphrodite. She was worshipped as the goddess of love (or rather, lust). Around one thousand temple prostitutes served at the temple of Aphrodite, where sexual sins were committed as worship to the goddess. Thus, Corinth became not only a byword for wealth and luxury, but also moral filth.

Nevertheless, God in His rich mercy raised up a gospel witness in this city of sin. The founding of the Corinthian church is described in Acts 18:1-8. Paul and his associates preached the gospel firstly to the Jews. Sadly, the majority of the Jews rejected the truth. Nevertheless, Crispus, the chief leader of the synagogue, believed on Christ with all his house. Using the house of Justus as his headquarters, Paul continued to preach the gospel unto the Gentiles. Through the diligent preaching of Paul, many of the Corinthians believed in the Word of God. How merciful and loving is our God that salvation should come to a sinful city like Corinth!

Similarly, God has lovingly delivered us who were once His enemies out of the darkness of sin and into His glorious light. How then should we respond?

THOUGHT: Christ came into this world to save sinners such as I.
PRAYER: Help me to be thankful for my salvation, O Lord!