110417 A.W.B. The church Must Be Kept Pure

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INTRODUCTION: The apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from the city of Ephesus in the Roman province of Asia (16:8, 19), most likely within the period between Passover and Pentecost (16:8; cf. Lev. 23), and therefore in the Spring of the year. It is unclear whether this was the Spring of A.D.53, 54, or 55. He wrote, in any case, near the end of his three-year ministry in Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:5-9; cf. Acts 19:1-22) during his third missionary journey. The city of Corinth sat on the isthmus connecting the Greek mainland with the Peloponnesian peninsula. This location made it a flourishing crossroads for sea traffic between the Aegean region and the western Mediterranean. It was a place where many cultures and religions mingled. Since it was a Roman colony, Roman law and customs were important, particularly among the upper classes, but many "gods" and "lords" found a home in Corinth (8:5).The worship of these gods was fully integrated into governmental affairs, civic festivals, trade guilds, social clubs, and everyday life in general. Corinth was also a destination for traveling professional orators who charged a fee for attendance at their entertaining rhetorical displays and advised people on how to advance socially.