1 Corinthians
Below is a brief summary of what I found in 1 Corinthians concerning each of my four questions. The full evidence and commentary are available in the 1 Corinthians Study Bible linked above.
Summary: Insights from 1 Corinthians
1. Who is God?
God is the Father, the ultimate source of all things, the One who raises Christ, gives power and gifts, judges, gives resurrection bodies, and ultimately becomes “all in all.” Paul’s basic pattern is that God is the source and Christ is the Lord through whom God works.
Specifically, who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a personal divine being, God’s own Spirit. She knows and searches the depths of God, teaches believers, gives spiritual gifts, and distributes them according to Her own will. In my understanding, these are very strong indications of both personhood and deity.
2. What is God's plan for the world?
I believe 1 Corinthians presents God’s plan as universal resurrection and restoration. Paul says, “as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive,” death itself is finally abolished, all things are brought into proper subjection, and the end is “God all in all.”
3. Who is Jesus?
Jesus is not God. Paul presents Jesus as God’s Son, Christ, Lord, Passover sacrifice, risen King, second man, and last Adam. Most strikingly, Paul says there is “one God, the Father” and “one Lord, Jesus Christ,” with all things from God and through Christ. Christ is ultimately subjected to God so that God may be all in all.
4. Who are Christians?
In 1 Corinthians, Christians are people destined to bear the image of the heavenly Christ and share his resurrected humanity. Christ is the last Adam and second man, the pattern of resurrected humanity. Paul says believers will “bear the image of the heavenly” and become like the risen Christ: imperishable, immortal, glorious, and spiritual.
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