1 Corinthians 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

Was the house of Chloe the source of the common report in 5:1? It does not say that. Paul names Chloe in the more urgent problem, division. He does not name the source in the second issue. Upon receiving this letter and having it read aloud within the church at Corinth, who would most like want to label Chloe as the snitch? My guess would be the fornicators. Being called out in sin seems to want to identify and be defensive towards ones accuser.

In reality Paul is calling out everyone who knows about this sin and have allowed it to continue in their midst. Group think does not look to point fingers at accusers, they give no thought as to how the information got out. They will redirect their displeasure at the fornicators. To quote Macbeth, “Out damn spot.”

At what point does Paul address the real problem in Corinth that is the root of the problem?

2 Corinthians 2:6-8 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

Of all the things Paul wrote in his first epistle to Corinth, perhaps the most important was how love works. (1 Corinthians 13) Paul was looking for confirmation that the love that was placed in their hearts by faith was changing lives, attitudes and behaviors.

Philippians 1:5, 2:13 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

How do you define comfort? Is it physical? Is it emotional? Is it situational? Is it relational?

Allow me to propose positional comfort. In these verses we are reminded of the great love which not only has been bestowed upon us by grace but has taken up residence in our hearts. It is not easy to think about comfort in the midst of trials and tribulations. Only in positional comfort can you maintain any degree of stability. Those other comforts can and sometimes are placed in jeopardy.

The mind falls under great distress in some of the things we encounter in this life. Jesus as much as warned us they would. Those things cannot change the positional condition we have in Christ and that should be comforting to your heart if not your mind.

I do not know what you have been through in this life. Christ does and He knows best how to comfort you in any situation. Personally I have found that while my world was fallen apart around me, He causes me to stand and not fall. Knowing Him in this way is a comfort that cannot be expressed in words. It can only be experienced.

The world does not understand that. They may accuse you of all kinds of negative things because they do not understand. Some will ask the right question. “How can you stand up under all this?” For those people you have an opportunity to witness. Give praise to God who comforts you in ways no one else can.