God’s wisdom for His Church, which lived(es) amidst a prosperous, arrogant and aggressively rebellious culture, yet is commanded by God to become and remain holy (moral and separate).
Roman Corinth
- Roman wealth and peace (general – God given)
- Bright side
- Dark side
- God’s Gift to the Corinthians (particular/special – God given)
- Geographical prosperity (trade and travel)
- Commercial prosperity (business)
- Political prosperity (strategically valued by Rome)
- “World Class” cultural prosperity (desired place to live by many important, influential and wealthy citizens)
- Deuteronomy 8:11-20
“Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. … Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. It shall come about if you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God.”