Kress Biblical Resources :: Overview Outline

Overview Outline of 1 Corinthians

The Wisdom of the Cross Purifies and Unites Believers, the Wisdom of the World Pollutes and Divides

1. The wisdom of the cross and a charitable introduction (1Co 1:1-9)
   1. The writer (1Co 1:1)
   2. The recipients (1Co 1:2)
   3. The reasons
   4. The requisite greeting (1Co 1:3)
   5. The remarkable thanksgiving [for a troubled church] (1Co 1:4-9)
2. The wisdom of the cross and Christian ministers (1Co 1:10-31; 2; 3; 4:1-31)
   1. The report of divisions over Christian ministers (1Co 1:10-17)
   2. The rebuke of divisions over Christian ministers (1Co 1:18-4:5)
   3. The remedy for divisions over Christian ministers (1Co 4:6-21)
3. The wisdom of the cross and Christian morality (1Co 5:1-6:20)
   1. The church must deal with unrepentant sin (1Co 5:1-13)
   2. The church must deal with disputes among its members (1Co 6:1-8)
   3. The church must discern that liberty does not lead to lawlessness—freedom does not lead to fornication (1Co 6:9-20)
4. The wisdom of the cross and Christian marriage (1Co 7:1-40)
   1. Serve one another sexually within marriage (1Co 7:1-7)
   2. Stay as you were called in Christ, whether married or single (1Co 7:8-24)
   3. Stay focused on serving Christ whether married or single (1Co 7:25-40)
5. The wisdom of the cross and Christian liberty (1Co 8:1-11:1)
   1. The instruction concerning our freedom in Christ (1Co 8:1-13)
   2. The illustration concerning our freedom in Christ—the life of Paul (1Co 9:1-27)
   3. The idolatry to avoid that corrupts our freedom in Christ (1Co 10:1-33)
6. The wisdom of the cross and Christian gender roles (1Co 11:2-16)
   1. The proper order for worship explained (1Co 11:2-10)
   2. The proper perspective on male/female equality asserted (1Co 11:11-12)
   3. The proper order for worship reaffirmed (1Co 11:13-16)
7. The wisdom of the cross and Communion/the Lord’s Supper (1Co 11:17-34)
   1. The rebuke of selfishness in regard to the Lord’s Supper (1Co 11:17-22)
   2. The right practice and purpose of the Lord’s Supper [commemoration, proclamation, anticipation] (1Co 11:23-26)
   3. The requirement of self-examination in regard to the Lord’s Supper [self-examination] (1Co 11:27-32)
   4. The requirement of selflessness in the practice of the Lord’s Supper [unification] (1Co 11:33-34)
8. The wisdom of the cross and charismata/spiritual gifts (1Co 12:1-14:40)
   1. Spiritual gifts should unify and build up the church—not divide and puff up (1Co 12:1-31)
   2. Spiritual gifts should manifest faith, hope, and love—not self-exaltation (1Co 13:1-13)
   3. Spiritual gifts should prioritize the proclamation of truth to others in an orderly manner—not pacification of self (1Co 14:1-40)
9. The wisdom of the cross and the Christian’s resurrection (1Co 15:1-58)
   1. The resurrection is certain (1Co 15:1-34)
   2. The resurrection is supernatural (1Co 15:35-49)
   3. The resurrection is our sure hope and motivation (1Co 15:50-58)
10. The wisdom of the cross and the collection for the saints (1Co 16:1-4)
    1. The Pauline directive on the collection (1Co 16:1)
    2. The particular directions for the collection (1Co 16:2)
    3. The painstaking discretion for the administration and distribution of the collection (1Co 16:2e-4)
11. The wisdom of the cross and the concluding remarks (1Co 16:5-24)
    1. Plans and their communication are important for an effective gospel ministry (1Co 16:5-12)
    2. Personal relationships and their communication are important for an effective gospel ministry (1Co 16:13-24)