Acts 18:1-17

Corinth

Corinth was am important city in Paul’s ministry. He spent a year and a half here in relative peace teaching the Word of God. Later, when Paul was writing to the churches, he would write more to the church at Corinth than to any other. (At least this is the case concerning what ended up in the New Testament.)

It was at Corinth where we learned that Paul was a tentmaker. He spent a good deal of his time there in bi-vocational ministry. It was at Corinth where he became associated with Priscilla and Aquila. In fact, once Silas and Timothy arrived these five made up a pretty powerful ministry team. Why would God place such a powerful team in this city for such a relatively long ministry?

Corinth was a very strategic city-state. Is was located on the Isthmus of Corinth, a narrow stretch of land joining the mainland of Greece with the large Peloponnese Peninsula. It was also located roughly half way between Athens and Sparta. Accordingly, there was a tremendous amount of travel through Corinth so that it was ideally located as a launching pad for the Gospel through out Europe.

Furthermore, God had “many people” in that city even before Paul came. What does that mean? The Gospel had not really been preached there before, so how could God have “many people” there? I can think of two suggested answers to that question.

God knew the hearts of the people there and was aware that there would be a strong response to the Gospel even before it was preached.

God knew the hearts of the people there and had already claimed those whose hearts were seeking Him.

The first answer shows up God operating from the perspective of eternity. Paul wrote to the Romans (8:29) and said, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” This disturbs some because they wonder about those God did not foreknow. However, this verse is not about those He did not foreknow. Furthermore, we don’t know who is and who isn’t by looking at, or even knowing, others, We can only know for ourselves. If you belong to Him then you may rest assured that He has predestined you to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus.

The second answer implies that while the cross is necessary and Jesus is the only way to God, there might yet be some who have not heard the gospel and are yet claimed by God. I’m not saying this is the case. It is simply a “might be” and in no way does it lessen the need to share the Gospel; however, this is one of the reasons why I don’t get too bent about the agonizing question of what happens to those millions who never heard the Gospel. God is God. He will do what is right, and I trust Him.

We should take possession of every strategic point we can to spread the Gospel: physical locations, media outlets, artistic expressions, and ideas. For God has “many people” and they deserve to hear some Good News.