1 Corinthians 3:1-4
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What problem is Paul addressing in 1 Corinthians 3:1–4?
Paul says the Corinthians are "in Christ," yet they resemble Corinth more than Christ. Why is that a serious problem? How does remembering and living out our identity in Christ address not only division but also many of the other problems Paul confronts throughout 1 Corinthians?
Paul describes the Corinthians as infants, people of the flesh, and merely human. According to verse 3, what evidence does he point to that reveals their spiritual immaturity?
Why are jealousy, strife, and quarreling evidence of spiritual immaturity? What do those sins reveal about what a person is trusting, loving, or pursuing?
According to Colossians 1:28, what is Paul's goal for every believer? What does spiritual maturity look like according to Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 15:49, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and 1 John 2:6?
If we are truly in Christ, what evidence should increasingly mark our lives? Where have you seen God producing that evidence in your life, and where do you still want to grow?
Hebrews 5:11-14 highlights an expectation, a danger, and a benefit of spiritual maturity. What is one "ought to" of Christian growth (v. 12), what is one danger of immaturity (v. 13), and what is one benefit of maturity (v. 14)?
In what area of your life is God calling you to grow from spiritual infancy toward greater maturity? How does the phrase “in Christ” give us hope in the middle of our immaturity? What is one practical step you can take this week to pursue Christlikeness?
