Springfield Church

What is the Church? And what, or who, is it for? Paul is writing to the Church in Corinth in reply to concerns communicated to him: he’s heard of factions and infighting; the Church is gifted, but immature and unspiritual, worldly. Paul loves this community, and he is really concerned about their continued sanctification – becoming holy - as Christians. The Jewish Temple had always been the locus of the divine presence: but now, the early Christians are realising, God’s dwelling place is in the Church. This means that the Church is holy – and God’s. So it is an extremely serious matter if the Church is at war with itself. It is both a betrayal of our calling as Christians, and an offence against God’s holy character. Being the Church is not just a social gathering for our own amusement: being the Church is building God’s Temple.