1 Corinthians brings to focus key aspects of Paul’s theology. List five and explain.

Paul’s theology is not a mystery, nor is it hard to find. He implicitly and explicitly reveals it through his letters and his teaching. There are five areas of Paul’s theology that are revealed in 1 Corinthians, his epistemology, cross-centered life, doctrines of the church, hermeneutics and the resurrection.

Paul wishes to know nothing but that which is Jesus Christ and him crucified (2:2). Paul’s source of knowledge or wisdom is not based on the worldly wisdom or the convention of the present evil age. Knowledge is based on nothing more than the Spirit of God (2:10), who has revealed the truth of God to the spiritual man (2:15).

Secondly, Paul taught that the Christian life was a life centered on Jesus Christ and his cross. It is this reason that he sent Timothy to Corinth (4:17), so that they could imitate Timothy who learned from Paul, who learned from Christ what it was to live as a Christian. Paul wants us all to keep our lives fixed on Jesus and that by doing so we will receive praise from God (4:5) and be judged on the merits of Christ and not our own (4:4).

Third, Paul underscores several doctrines of the church including the sacraments but the most clear picture of what the church is and how it should operate comes when he tells the church that they are the body of Christ (12:27). From there Paul outlines the offices of the church, but of most importance is the interconnectedness that is created by the community of Christ to one another and to Christ himself.

Fourth, Paul explains what the gospel is that he preaches. The gospel hermeneutics is explicitly defined, and Paul explains its extreme importance. It is this gospel that will save their lives. This gospel is how the Scriptures are to be read, interpreted and preached that Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised (15:3-4).

Finally, Paul teaches about the doctrine of the resurrection, not only Christ’s resurrection but the resurrection of the body for all those who are in Christ. The center of Paul’s theology here though rests in the covenantal headship of both Adam and Jesus Christ. Death and sin came through the federal headship of Adam (15:21) and Resurrection and glory come through Jesus Christ (15:22).