Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

1 Corinthians 5. Day 156 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
Church Discipline. Holiness Among God's People. Christ Our Passover Lamb.

"For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." — 1 Corinthians 5:7

First Corinthians 5 addresses one of the most difficult but necessary responsibilities of the church: confronting unrepentant sin within the body of Christ. Paul responds to a situation involving blatant sexual immorality that the Corinthian church had tolerated rather than addressed. Instead of grieving over the sin, they had become proud and indifferent. Paul reminds them that genuine love for one another includes the courage to confront sin, not to shame or condemn, but to call a brother or sister back to repentance. Church discipline is never about punishment for punishment's sake. Its goal is always restoration, the purity of the church, and the glory of God.

To explain the seriousness of unchecked sin, Paul uses the image of leaven spreading through a batch of dough. Just as a small amount of yeast affects the entire loaf, tolerated sin can influence the entire church. God's people are called to pursue holiness because they belong to Christ. Paul points the Corinthians back to the Passover, reminding them that Christ is our Passover Lamb who has been sacrificed for us. Because Jesus has cleansed us through His death, we are called to remove the "old leaven" of sinful living and pursue lives marked by sincerity and truth.

Paul closes the chapter by clarifying that believers are not called to separate themselves from unbelievers in the world. Instead, the church has the responsibility to lovingly hold accountable those who claim to follow Christ while living in open, unrepentant rebellion. The church cannot fulfill its mission if it ignores the very holiness to which God has called it. First Corinthians 5 reminds us that grace never excuses sin, and holiness never excludes grace. The gospel calls us to be a people who love one another enough to pursue restoration, protect the purity of Christ's church, and reflect the transforming power of the Savior who gave Himself for us.

1 Corinthians 4. Day 155 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
Faithful Stewards. True Spiritual Authority. Following Godly Examples.

"In this case, moreover, it is required that managers be found faithful." — 1 Corinthians 4:2

First Corinthians 4 continues Paul's appeal for unity by reminding the Corinthian believers how they should view spiritual leaders. Rather than elevating one teacher over another, Paul says that apostles and ministers are simply servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. The greatest qualification for a steward is not popularity, giftedness, or influence—it is faithfulness. Paul refuses to measure his ministry by the opinions of others or even by his own evaluation. His ultimate accountability is to the Lord, who alone sees the motives of the heart and will one day bring every hidden thing into the light.

Paul then confronts the pride that had taken root within the Corinthian church. Some believers had begun acting as though they had already arrived spiritually, boasting in their knowledge and looking down on others. In contrast, Paul describes the reality of apostolic ministry as one marked by hardship, sacrifice, persecution, and humble service. The Christian life is not about seeking recognition or comfort. It is about faithfully representing Christ, even when doing so comes with suffering. God's Kingdom is not demonstrated through impressive words but through lives transformed by His power.

The chapter concludes with Paul's deeply personal appeal as a spiritual father to the Corinthians. He is not writing to shame them but to lovingly correct them. He urges them to imitate his example as he follows Christ and sends Timothy to remind them of the patterns of faithful Christian living he had taught in every church. Paul warns those who were arrogant that he would soon come and see whether their lives displayed the power of God's Kingdom or merely empty talk. First Corinthians 4 reminds us that authentic spiritual leadership is characterized by humility, faithfulness, and sacrificial love. God is not looking for people who simply appear successful in the eyes of the world. He is looking for servants who will faithfully carry out the work He has entrusted to them until the day they stand before Him.

1 Corinthians 3. Day 154 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
Growing to Spiritual Maturity. Building on Christ. God's Temple.

"For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ." — 1 Corinthians 3:11

First Corinthians 3 addresses a difficult reality within the church at Corinth: although the believers had trusted in Christ, many of them were still living like spiritual infants. Their jealousy, divisions, and pride revealed that they were thinking more like the world than like followers of Jesus. Paul reminds them that spiritual maturity is not measured by how much we know but by how much our lives are being transformed. The Christian life is meant to move beyond spiritual infancy into steady growth, where our attitudes, relationships, and decisions increasingly reflect the character of Christ.

Paul then uses the imagery of a field and a building to describe the church. Different leaders have different roles—Paul planted, Apollos watered—but God alone gives the growth. This is a humbling reminder that no ministry belongs to a single person. Every pastor, teacher, or servant of Christ is simply a steward of God's work. Paul goes on to describe Jesus Christ as the only true foundation upon which our lives and ministries can be built. Every believer is building something with their life, and one day our work will be tested by fire. The quality of what we build—not the quantity—will reveal whether our efforts were done for God's glory or our own.

The chapter concludes by reminding believers that the church is God's temple and that His Spirit dwells within His people. Because of this, we are called to pursue holiness, unity, and humility. Worldly wisdom often elevates pride, competition, and self-promotion, but God's wisdom calls us to servant-hearted faithfulness. First Corinthians 3 challenges us to examine what we are building our lives upon. Is Christ truly the foundation of our decisions, relationships, and priorities? When our lives are built on Him, our work will endure, our faith will mature, and God will receive the glory He alone deserves.

1 Corinthians 2. Day 153 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
Christ Crucified. The Wisdom of God. The Mind of Christ.

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." — 1 Corinthians 2:2

First Corinthians 2 continues Paul's emphasis on the centrality of the gospel. When he first came to Corinth, he did not rely on impressive speech, persuasive arguments, or human wisdom to win people over. Instead, he preached one message above all others: Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Paul understood that genuine faith is not produced by eloquent personalities or clever presentations. It is the work of the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the gospel. The power that changes lives has never been found in the messenger. It has always been found in the message of Christ.

Paul then explains that there is a wisdom far greater than anything the world can offer. God's wisdom was hidden for ages but has now been revealed through Jesus Christ. The rulers of this world failed to recognize Him because they evaluated everything through human understanding rather than spiritual truth. What God has prepared for those who love Him cannot be discovered through human intellect alone. It must be revealed by the Holy Spirit, who searches the deep things of God and enables believers to understand the truth of His Word.

The chapter concludes by contrasting the natural person with the spiritual person. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, the things of God appear foolish because they are spiritually discerned. But those who belong to Christ have received the Spirit of God, allowing them to understand His truth and live according to His wisdom. Paul ends with a remarkable statement: "We have the mind of Christ." This does not mean we know everything Christ knows, but that through His Spirit and His Word, our thinking is being transformed to reflect His character and His priorities. First Corinthians 2 reminds us that spiritual maturity is not measured by knowledge alone but by a life shaped by the wisdom of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and centered completely on Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1. Day 152 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
Unity in Christ. The Message of the Cross. God's Wisdom Over Human Wisdom.

"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved." — 1 Corinthians 1:18

Paul opens his first letter to the Corinthians by addressing a church that was rich in spiritual gifts but struggling with spiritual maturity. Instead of beginning with condemnation, he reminds them of God's grace. They have been sanctified in Christ, called to be His holy people, and richly blessed in Him. Yet almost immediately, Paul confronts the divisions that had developed within the church. Believers were aligning themselves with different leaders rather than finding their identity in Christ. Paul's question cuts to the heart of the issue: "Is Christ divided?" The church was never meant to be built around personalities or preferences. Our unity is found in the One who was crucified for us.

Paul then shifts to the central message of the Christian faith: the cross of Jesus Christ. To the world, a crucified Savior appeared weak, foolish, and insignificant. But what seems like foolishness to human wisdom is actually the very power of God to save sinners. God intentionally chose a way of salvation that no one could accomplish through intelligence, influence, or human achievement. The cross humbles every person because it reminds us that we contribute nothing to our salvation except the sin that made it necessary. Every believer stands on equal ground at the foot of the cross.

The chapter closes by reminding us that God's ways are higher than our own. He often chooses what the world considers weak, ordinary, and overlooked to accomplish His greatest purposes so that no one can boast before Him. Our hope is not found in our abilities but in Christ alone, who has become for us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. First Corinthians 1 calls us to reject pride, pursue unity, and never lose sight of the cross. The gospel will never make sense to a world that values power and self-sufficiency, but to those who believe, it remains the power of God and the foundation of our hope.