Come back to your senses
1 Corinthians 15:34 - The Lord loves having His people living in righteousness.
Photo taken from the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth, © 2011, Steven Sande
“Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.”
1 Corinthians 15:34 NIV
The apostle Paul was not happy with the church in Corinth. Much of what he wrote in this epistle was in defense of the church doctrine of the resurrection, which some of the Corinthians were doubting. This early church was known for being troublesome, and Paul sought to provide more moral and spiritual leadership to the flock through his letters. In today’s verse, he appeared to have “had enough” and pointedly tells them to cut it out!
Now, Corinth in this time was known to be a very morally lax and sinful place, with a tendency to wholeheartedly engage in sexual immorality and worship of idols (reminiscent of the world today, isn’t it?). The church saw division in its ranks, and some people were falling back into their old sinful habits, so Paul was being frank in his call for these people to “come back to your senses”. The Ancient Greek word used here, ἐκνήφω (eknēphō), actually means “to become sober”, so Paul was metaphorically telling the church to free itself from the intoxicating influence of sin and false teachings.
By directing the church members to “stop sinning”, Paul called for them to repent. This corresponds to the broader scriptural theme of being holy in all conduct, as seen as far back in the Old Testament as Leviticus 11:44: “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.” The Gospel calls Christ’s followers to live in a way that is worthy of their calling, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:1 - “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
Paul went on to say of the Corinthian church that “there are some who are ignorant of God”. Sure, they may have had some knowledge and were even blessed with some spiritual gifts, but down deep, they really didn’t understand God’s nature. Perhaps they were influenced by the Greek philosophy of the time or the pagan practices that were rampant in Corinth, which warped the truth of the Gospel. God, speaking through the prophet Hosea in earlier times, warned that “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” (Hosea 4:6)
Rather than focusing on the outside world and its corrupting influences, the Corinthians should have been studying and contemplating God’s Word to gain more knowledge of His nature and will.
Ending the verse with the phrase “I say this to your shame”, Paul publicly shamed the congregation, which in that culture was a powerful inspiration to change. Through this shaming, Paul wanted the people to wake up and realize just how precarious their spiritual condition was! Throughout Scripture, discipline is seen as a sign of God’s love to His people — for example, Proverbs 3:11-12 says “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
The Lord loves having His people living in righteousness.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord, may I face each new day with a righteous heart and a willingness to resist sin. I pray that my life may be an example of Your love and grace for those who don’t yet know You. May I increase in my knowledge of Your nature and will, so that my actions and words bring glory to Your name. AMEN.