Apphia of Colossae

The short letter to Philemon was necessitated because Paul needed to restore the runaway slave, Onesimus, back to his master, Philemon. As an active member of the churches in Colossae, and with a church in his home, Philemon was also the recipient of the communal letter to the churches in Colossae. However, it was necessary for Paul to have a special letter sent to Philemon alone. Onesimus, whose name meant “useful” in Greek had not lived his name but became a “useless” runaway servant who probably stole his master’s properties in his flight. Even Paul acknowledged that formerly Onesimus was useless to Philemon, but now he has become useful both to Philemon and to Paul (Philemon 1:11). Onesimus met Paul in Rome and converted to Christianity. He demonstrated genuine repentance and Paul saw it necessary to restore him back to his master “no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.” (Philemon 1:16). In this short letter, Paul mentions the name of a woman known as Apphia. Who was Apphia and why was her name important in this letter of restoration?

also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home (Philemon 1:2)

Apphia was a member of the churches in Colossae. This is how Paul begins his letter:
“Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home” (Philemon 1:1‭-‬2).
Thus, although Philemon was the main recipient of the letter, Apphia, Archippus and the church that meets in the home of Philemon were all addressed. Onesimus’ unruly behaviour would have been an open sin known by the members of the church that meets in Philemon’s home. Apphia would have been an outstanding church leader who was very much involved in ministry work. Paul refers to her as “our sister” indicating the church family relationship. Archippus on the other hand was referred to as a fellow soldier. In the general letter to the Colossians Paul had written, “Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”” (Colossians 4:17). It was necessary for Apphia and Archippus to be mentioned in this letter because the apostle sought their support in pleading for Onesimus. These two leaders in the church were people Philemon probably looked onto and respected.

By addressing them in the letter, Paul indirectly expected Philemon to share the content of the letter with them. Although we are not privy to know the outcome of this plea, I believe that the letter survived because Paul’s plea yielded results. Apphia and Archippus would have been instrumental in this restoration process. We could also compare Apphia with Phoebe of the church in Cenchreae. Just as Paul trusted Phoebe to deliver the all-important letter to the Romans, Paul trusted Apphia to help restore Onesimus to Philemon. Apphia in Colossae played an instrumental role in the churches in Colossae. She was outstanding among many other women that Paul needed her attention in restoring Onesimus back to Philemon. Apphia’s responsibilities in the churches in Colossae might have included mentorship and discipleship. Thus, she was recognized for her dedication to ensuring the spiritual growth of the members. As a leader, Apphia and Archippus might have worked closely with Philemon. As someone mentioned in this letter, Apphia would have gone ahead to plead or even advocate for Onesimus as a repentant brother.

The church of God has many women who wear the coats of Apphia. These are God-fearing, dedicated and committed women who delight in the growth of the church. They do not shame the sinner but do all that they can to ensure that the repentant sinner is received with love by all members of the church. “Apphias” are not afraid to put their reputation away just to restore one wandering church member. Truly, these are mothers and sisters you can count on to leave the ninety-nine sheep at a secure place and chase after the one lost sheep. Are you an Apphia or a wandering Onesimus?

Nympha: A Laodicean believer

The church in Laodicea was an offshoot of Paul’s evangelistic work through Epaphras. During Paul’s missionary work in Colossae, he met Epaphras, a native of Colossae. Paul commissioned Epaphras to send the gospel to Laodicea and surrounding cities. The letter to the church in Colossae among many other epistles of Paul were written while Paul was serving prison in Rome. Paul himself did not go to Laodicea, but Epaphras who was also in Rome for the same reason as Paul, brought to Paul news of the churches where he, Epaphras had been involved with. Paul stated in his letter to the Colossians believers that, “after this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.” (Colossians 4:16). I am not sure if the letter from Laodicea survived but we don’t have that letter added in the Bible. As Paul concluded his letter, he mentioned certain names and sent regards to specific people. One of those was Nympha, a believer in Laodicea.

Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. (Colossians 4:15)

Who is Nympha? Like Junia, certain translators of the Bible misconstrued Nympha and represented her as Nymphas in certain versions. Nymphas is a male name as opposed to Nympha the feminine version. Nympha was likely a wealthy woman and a devout believer in Laodicea. Her name is only seen once in this letter and possibly in the whole New Testament. We are not privy to her family and her household. This is what we know: “Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.” (Colossians 4:15). Thus, Nympha had a house big enough to accommodate a church meeting. She was generous enough to share her house with other believers as a place of worship even though she was well aware of the challenges of being a Christian. There were other brothers and sisters in the Laodicean church but in this letter, only Nympha is mentioned.

Nympha’s generosity and kindness led to an established church in Laodicea where many found hope, comfort and peace even in times of persecution. Imagine if Nympha had closed her house off to the church. She might have denied many people the opportunity to worship and even know the Lord. Nympha’s act of generosity and kindness has outlived her. Long after her death, we are here reading about her and admonishing each other to demonstrate her kind of generosity and kindness. I am sure while she was alive, Nympha probably did not receive a plaque from the church honouring her labour of love. However, her name is now synonymous to sacrificial giving and the act of opening our private spaces for communal worship. Whenever believers in different countries meet in the houses of people for church or for cell meetings, they are reduplicating what Nympha, Lydia, Priscilla and among many other believers did several years ago.

You might be a member of the tiniest church in the world but your impact is still significant. Don’t underestimate what you can do through Christ who strengthens you. Be willing and ready to serve. You might not own a big house to accommodate church services and cell meetings, but have a big heart to love and the readiness to serve.

Euodia and Syntyche: Dealing with conflicting church members

Paul’s missionary work in Philippi was borne out of a bigger trip to Macedonia. Paul had been hindered by the Spirit of Jesus from entering Bithynia. But in the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, he and his team concluded that God had called them to preach the gospel to the people in Macedonia so they got ready at once to leave for Macedonia (Acts 16:9‭-‬10). As part of the trip, they traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia and they stayed there several days (Acts 16:12). It was in Philippi that they found a group of women including Lydia outside the city gate to the river. These women obviously loved God but needed to be guided on the right path. Later when was in prison in Rome, the Philippian church sent a contribution through a church member known as Epaphroditus to take care of Paul’s needs (Philippians 2:25). The letter to the Philippians church was sent through Epaphroditus. In the last part of Paul’s pastoral letter, he mentioned the names of two women, Euodia and Syntyche.

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. (Philippians 4:2)

Who are Euodia and Syntyche? These women were members of the Philippian church and obviously part of the early members who were part of the riverside prayer team (Acts 16). Paul referred to them as women who have contended at his side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of his co-workers, whose names are in the book of life (Philippians 4:3). However, even though Euodia and Syntyche were saved and Paul himself knew that very well, these women had an open issue which was reported to Paul far away in Rome. We are not privy to the nature of their brawl and disagreement. However, it seemed so obvious that the whole church seemed to be aware of it. Paul wrote that, “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” (Philippians 4:2). Whatever the issue was had probably brought a sharp disagreement between the two women. They were in the same church but they were not on good terms. Paul, seeing the danger of misunderstanding probably based on his own experience with Barnabas (see Acts 15:39), pleaded with the Philippian church to help bring Euodia and Syntyche together. Paul wrote that, “I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Philippians 4:3).

We need to understand that when we come to Christ, our inner man is renewed but that does not take away our feelings and emotions. This means that on a daily basis, we are likely to face some of the challenges that cause disagreement. However, we must be intentional in our pursuit of Christlikeness. How we handle the people and things that cause us to be angry should be done in God’s wisdom. The church might never be free of disagreement and conflicts while Christ tarries, but, we should desire to be peacemakers. In His famous sermon on the Mountain, Jesus stated that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Jesus admonished his hearers and in extension all believers to be peacemakers. Thus, whenever there is no peace, we should bring peace to the situation. Paul does not leave Euodia and Syntyche to resolve their own issues. He called upon the church to assist in bringing the women together. The church should be a beacon of peace for members in disagreement. We should not allow disagreeing church members to fix their own issues. They might never resolve it without the help of the church.

Paul’s pastoral letter to the churches in Rome has profound truths. He wrote that,
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:14‭-‬19).

We should be intentional to live at peace with all men as far as it depends on us. Which means that even if we are wronged, we could still initiate peace with our offenders. Euodia and Syntyche are in most churches today. Men and women who sit and listen to the same preacher in the same church but still hold a grudge against each other. Be an agent of peace in your church. Don’t initiate strife, initiate peace.

A charge to wives: Women in the church in Ephesus

Paul established the church in Ephesus through the initial contact with twelve disciples (Acts 19). After baptizing these people into regeneration, and placing his hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. The church in Ephesus was birthed. However, Paul faced a series of opposition in Ephesus caused by the silversmith Demetrius who made images of the goddess Artemis. Yet, the church stood strong. The letter to the church in Ephesus was Paul’s explanation to the believers’ new identity in Christ. Paul charged the believers on different facets of their new life in Christ. From Chapter 4:17 till the end of the letter, Paul touched on different issues regarding Christian living, marriage, children, homebuilding among others. This post will consider the charge to the wives in Ephesus as presented in Ephesians chapter 5. This charge is relevant even today.

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)

In Ephesus 5:21, Paul states that “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” This begins the charge to Christian households. Paul admonished that submission be made to one another in the home. Then, Paul addresses each player in the home. We will focus on the charge to the Christian wives:
“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:22‭-‬24)
First, Paul already set the premise that in the home, submission should be made to one another. But to the wives, Paul specifically directed the Christian wives to submit to their own husbands as they submit to the Lord. Why the specific emphasis on the submission of wives? Naturally, many of us as women will not easily submit to our husbands just as we submit to the Lord. In fact, the idea of submitting itself is not pleasant to many wives and to the extent of submitting as the Lord is not quite an easy route. However, if we fail to submit to our own husbands, then we have no head at all as we saw in 1 Corinthians 11:3, “But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

Paul further explained that “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:23-24). This supports the points raised in 1 Corinthians stated above. Until you see your husband as your spiritual head, submission to him just as to the Lord will mean nothing to you. Remember, Paul does not state that submission is one-way in marriage. He addresses the two-way dimension of submission but the Christian woman should consider submission to the husband as submission to the Lord. This is very critical and affects our relationship with the Lord.

In general women must learn to submit to their own husbands. Your credentials and qualifications do not void submission. Therefore, it is necessary to review our intentions behind every decision we make in relation to marriage. If a man is spiritual but lacks character, know that you will be living the rest of your life submitting to him. Before you agree to a holy wedlock, know that submission is a given in Christian marriages.

Introduction to 2 Corinthians: Addressing women in the church

Paul’s second letter to the churches in Corinth does not mention a specific woman but gives a general message to the whole church. In his first letter, Paul had issued caution to the churches on issues such as sexual immorality. Paul had used strong words to make his mind known to them. In the second letter, he explains to them the reason for acting that way in order that he will return to Corinth and meet a prepared, holy and equipped church.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. (2 Corinthians 1:8)

Paul also shared with them his struggles in the province of Asia. He writes that “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.” (2 Corinthians 1:8). As he shared this with them, the brothers and sisters in the church would have supported him in prayer and also would have been encouraged to know that they are not alone in their struggles.

Furthermore, Paul invited the church to experience the grace God had given to the Macedonian churches: “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” (2 Corinthians 8:1). The Macedonian churches had shown extreme generosity in the midst of extreme poverty. In sharing this with the Corinthians, Paul acknowledged and encouraged them with these words: “But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:7‭-‬9).

At the concluding remarks of his, Apostle Paul admonished the men and women saying, “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Although Paul does not mention a specific woman’s name in his second letter to the churches in Corinth, he made an effort to address the whole congregation and his words of encouragement were for both the brothers and the sisters in the church.

Silent women in Corinth: Addressing issues with chaotic worship services

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul deals with headship and submission to authority using the Corinthian culture of head covering. Chapter 12 teaches about spiritual gifts in the body of Christ. Chapter 13 teaches about the expression of love. Then in chapter 14, Paul considers the issue of intelligibility in worship. Thus, there is a general progression of teaching the church in Corinth the full scope of things that will lead to their growth and maturity. In the midst of chapter 14, certain matters were raised by the Apostle which have become increasingly unpopular within feminist groups. This post will consider these unpopular views and we will try to understand what Paul was sharing with the women in Corinth and find out if this is still applicable to us. In different places in the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul had mentioned women prophesying and praying. For example in 1 Corinthians 11:5, Paul states that “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.” However, in 1 Corinthians 14:34, the Apostle gives this command:

“Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.”

Then Paul continues to say that “If they (the women) want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:35). I must confess, the first time I read these verses, I wasn’t happy. Why will Paul command women to be silent in the church? Unfortunately, for years, no one adequately explained this verse to me. Thankfully, a few years ago, I heard a man of God explain this verse from the perspective of orderliness in church. His explanations helped to clear my concerns. In this post, I will share with you lessons I have gleaned from this command, the background of Paul’s command and its applications in contemporary church meetings.

The first thing I would like to mention is the fact that inasmuch as Paul’s apostolic letters are much more needed in our days, we should understand that, when Paul set out to write these letters several years ago, he addressed specific churches and specific issues and we cannot take the discussions out of the context in which they were presented. From 1 Corinthians 11, we understand that the Apostle expected women to pray and he expected women to prophesy at church. In Acts 18:26, we meet Priscilla, the wife of Aquila (a couple discipled by Paul) who together with her husband taught Apollos the way of God more adequately:
“He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.”
Thus, Priscilla was a Bible teacher and Paul himself took Priscilla and Aquila along with him to his missionary journey and even left them to manage the church in Ephesus. In his letter to the Romans, Paul mentions Junia, a woman who had been imprisoned together with Paul for their faith:
“Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.” (Romans 16:7)
Junia was obviously not a silent woman. She was vocal with her faith and that might have led to her imprisonment.

Considering all these, why will Paul command that the women in Corinth (and also in one of the letters to Timothy) be silent in church? It is proper to state that Paul’s decision was as a result of certain issues emanating from the way services were organized in the Corinthian churches. Paul says, “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” (1 Corinthians 14:26). Paul was addressing the issue of disorderliness in the service. The general meetings were filled with so much chaos and noise. Everyone was saying something at every time. There was no order in the churches. When prophecies are given, everyone jumps in to explain bringing in more chaos. Paul said, “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

Thus, Paul drawing on the principle of submission and headship admonished the women to keep quiet when it is time for such explanations and allow the men (significant of authority) to speak. According to Paul, if women want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church (1 Corinthians 14:35). Paul wanted order in the church and the idea of everyone speaking or saying something at the same time only contributed to a chaotic service.

Is this instruction relevant to the church today? We should desire to have a church built on the foundation of the word of God. Building up the church to the full image and stature of Christ (Christlikeness) demands a concentrated approach to training and equipping the church. If there is no orderliness in the house of God, Christlike transformation will be stalled. If there is so much noise in the church, it will be difficult for people to be groomed properly. We should understand that inasmuch as God desires the church to grow, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” (1 Corinthians 14:33). The church should put structures in place to ensure that church services serve the purposes of transformation and growth. Any act that is likely to bring in chaos and confusion in the church should be avoided including putting limits on noise making and excessive talking while service is going on. Even in our workplaces, we put structures in place to ensure orderliness and the smooth run of activities. The house of God should not be a place of chaos and confusion.

The Christian Woman’s submission to God: Head covering

Growing up, I only knew that as a Christian woman, I needed to cover my head with a head scarf to church. When I later inquired about why I needed to cover my head, I was told that Apostle Paul commanded it. No further explanation was given as to why Apostle Paul commanded it. No wonder years later, a generation arose that was not impressed with the head covering dogma and the majority of these young women refused to cover their heads until the church stopped complaining about it. Now, head covering is not a compulsory dress code for that denomination. Many of the things or the dogmatic practices in various denominations are treated just like the issue with the head covering. Even leaders are not well informed on why a church considers one thing a priority over the other. The issue of head covering in the Bible as perceived in the first letter to the people of Corinth addressed specific issues in the Corinthian church.

But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. (1 Corinthians 11:5)

First we need to understand that Paul wrote to a specific congregation but the letter has truths that are applicable in all generations. In 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, Paul addresses the issue of women and head covering in the church. We need to understand that this was a fragment of a whole apostolic letter and at this point in the letter Paul was addressing the concerns about submission in the church. The apostle states that “But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). Here, Paul outlines a hierarchy or chain of command that every Christian must submit to: the headship of God the Father, God the Son,the husband and then the wife. In the Corinthian culture, a married woman was required to wear a head covering as a sign of her submission to her husband’s authority and tentatively the submission to God’s authority.

Furthermore, in the Corinthian culture women kept long hair and the men kept short hair. They perceived the woman’s hair as her glory given for her covering: “For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. But if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.” (1 Corinthians 11:6,15). Paul reasoned that submission to the husband and God is a pattern that even the angels consider and learn from humanity (1 Corinthians 11:10). As Paul addressed this cultural issue that was disrupting the smooth flow of the church, Paul did not entirely abandon the culture. He used the cultural significance of head covering to teach a spiritual truth of submission in the body of Christ. Head covering or submission wasn’t an act of inferiority but an act of obedience to God’s pattern of authority.

Unfortunately, the issue of head covering has not been justly explained in the body of Christ. In fact, it has rather become a sign of a church with “suppressed women” rather than an understanding of authority. Must every woman wear a head covering? Maybe we need to go back and understand the cultural significance of this as well as the spiritual implications. Wearing the biggest head covering and refusing to submit to the authority of your husband shows a woman with an uncovered head. Truth be told, head covering is now more fashionable in the church than a religious requirement. There are still cultures in the world, especially in the Middle East that require head covering for married women. Whenever women in such cultures wear head covering as a result of marriage, Paul wants us to consider this in relation to the chain command in the Christian home. Remember, you cannot submit to God if you are not submitted to your husband. Your head is uncovered.

To the unmarried sisters, submission is required even if you marry an unbeliever… therefore, before you say “I do” make sure that you say “I don’t” to any character deformity that will make submission difficult and unreasonable. No woman wants to submit to her bully.

The Christian wife in Corinth: Sexual immorality and intimacy

Paul’s apostolic letter to the church in Corinth addressed several issues including marriage. The church in Corinth had written to Paul with specific questions they wanted answers to. On his part, Apostle Paul took time to explain to them the way of the Lord in relation to their questions. One thing we knew that the Corinthian church had stated in their letter to Paul is quoted in 1 Corinthians 7:1:
Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”
The church had taken a stand that “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman” and Paul began his teaching on marriage based on this question. We shall focus on what Paul expected the Christian wives in Corinth to demonstrate. This was the first part of Paul’s response to the church:

“But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” (1 Corinthians 7:2‭-‬7).

First, Paul exhorts the Christian wives (and husbands) to engage in sexual intimacy with their own spouses. This was to ensure that sexual immorality does not thrive within the church. Paul expected the Christian wives (and husbands) to fulfill their duties to each other. In essence, the wife (and the husband) should not deprive each other of their physical or emotional needs. Through Paul, we understand that “the wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:4). The married woman (or man) who embarks on any spiritual journey including dedication to prayer and avoidance of marital intimacy must be done in mutual consent. Thus the woman (and the man) cannot take decisions such as “fasting sexual intimacy” without each other’s consent.

Paul’s letter also reveals that the Christian is not immune to sexual sins. In the previous post, we saw a brother in the church sleeping with his father’s wife. This and many other records of sexual immorality among believers hinted the apostle to teach the church that married couples should not deny each other sexual pleasure. Paul had already admonished the Corinthian believers to “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

Unfortunately sexual immorality is still one of the “Albatross” hanging around the neck of many churches. Men and women of God have been indicted severally for engaging in extramarital affairs. Some young people have become victims of married men and women in the church. The letter to the Corinthians and the caution about sexual immorality is relevant even today.

Sex was created by God not to become a snare to marriages. Any act of sexual immorality does not just weaken the marriage bond, it also casts a stain on the body of Christ. If there is no marriage nor sex in heaven, why would you rather allow sexual immorality to lead you to hell. For the record, hell is a place of torment….not sexual pleasure. Flee sexual immorality and save your soul.

Chloe: Serving the Lord with your household

In Joshua 24:15, as Joshua neared the end of his life, he gave the people of Israel his final words. One of the major themes of this final charge is “serving the Lord”. Joshua put before the people the Lord and the gods their ancestors served beyond the Euphrates. He said, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15a). Serving the Lord together with his household was Joshua’s stand. I believe for most believers, this would be the preferred stand, “serving the Lord with our household”. But, it doesn’t always happen.  We should be intentional to stand in the gap for the members in our household to come to faith. One woman in Corinth who served the Lord with her household was Chloe. In fact, they did not just serve the Lord together,  they were also interested in bringing peace into the church.

Chloe was a family person and a member of the Corinthian church. She was not just concerned with her salvation but that of her household and the entire church. Chloe was mentioned in the letter to the Corinthian church in relation to a report she and her household made to Paul. The church in Corinth was divided over leaders. According to Paul, the church was divided over  Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter) and Christ:
“What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:12)
This was a divided church that needed immediate pastoral attention. The issue bothered Chloe and her household and they immediately contacted Paul to resolve the issue.  It is fair to say that Chloe and her household might have tried to resolve divisions in the church but it didn’t work and as such, reporting to the Apostle was a means to get the issue resolved.

My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. (1 Corinthians 1:11)

When Paul addressed the issue,  he didn’t  conceal the names of those who reported the issue to him; “My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.” (1 Corinthians 1:11). These petty quarrels had the tendency to wreck the church. Imagine all members in the church divided over leaders. No one will follow instructions coming from any other person other than their preferred leaders. The church will not be able to do anything together if they are all divided over authority. The report from Chloe’s household was properly handled by Paul as he spent time expounding on why the church should not be divided over leaders. Paul told the church in Corinth this:
“Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:1‭-‬9)

The explanation Paul gave is still relevant for handling church conflicts over leaders. Imagine Chloe and her household had not done the needful, the church would have been destroyed with such petty quarrels. Imagine if Chloe’s household had not supported the decision to report the incident to Paul, the matter would have escalated. Serving the Lord with our household is important for both our family and the church. There are many “Chloes” in the body of Christ. People dedicated to serving the Lord with their families.

Paul addresses the sisters in Corinth (1 Corinthians)

In many of the letters Paul wrote to the different churches, he addressed the whole church and then addressed individuals. The first letter to the Corinthian believers was written as a reply to a couple of questions the church had written to Paul to help them with the answers. The Corinthian church was a growing church that Paul had established after staying with them for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God (Acts 18:11). Paul faced opposition in Corinth but the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision one night and said to him, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:9‭-‬10). The church in Corinth thrived and prospered but when Paul wrote to them in his first letter, he did not only answer their questions, he also had practically pastoral issues to deal and resolve. Let’s briefly consider how Paul addressed the sisters in Corinth in this first letter.

First, Paul addresses the sisters together with the brothers so most of the verses we will quote to support each item will probably have brothers and sisters.
Appeal for unity: Paul appealed to the sisters and brothers to be united.
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Paul reminds them of their lowly nature and how God chose them irrespective of their weaknesses.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:26‭-‬27)

Paul mentions to them that what they heard from him was the testimony about God.
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. (1 Corinthians 2:1)

Paul addresses their spiritual immaturity:
Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.
(1 Corinthians 3:1)

Paul addresses the conflict between leaders:
Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. (1 Corinthians 4:6)

Paul addresses sexual immorality:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.(1 Corinthians 6:18‭-‬20)

Paul addresses the issues concerning marriage:
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. (1 Corinthians 7:3)

Paul addresses the issue concerning sacrificial foods:
Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

Paul addresses the issue of the freedom they have as believers and how everything they do should be to the glory of God:
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Paul deals with issues such as head covering which has become a controversial topic in some churches. We will spend time and look at this in another post.
But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Paul also considers the Lord Supper and how some Corinthian believers were abusing the act.
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. (1 Corinthians 11:27‭-‬28, 33)

Paul addresses spiritual gifts:
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. (1 Corinthians 12:1)

Paul shows them the greatness of love:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Paul further addresses church order and intelligibility during worship. These are also controversial topics as some people believe that Paul required that women do not talk at church.
Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? (1 Corinthians 14:6)
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. (1 Corinthians 14:34)
I believe that Paul’s specific address to this church was to deal with internal church issues and not to automatically shut all women in the church permanently. Paul noted that, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” (1 Corinthians 14:39‭-‬40). Paul’s focus was order in the Corinthian churches.

Paul reminds them of the gospel they had received:
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. (1 Corinthians 15:1)

Paul reminds them of eternal rewards
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

The first letter to the church in Corinth is a pastoral letter with enough insights for the growth of the sisters (and brothers) in the church.