The group of churches this letter was written to was a messy one, with many new believers arriving from a pagan background. In these verses, Paul calls them to a distinctive lifestyle. His themes of greed expressed though idolatary and sexual immorality are relevant for us today. We need patience with each other, as we gather round Jesus. To meet Paul's exacting standards, we must allow each other time and space to have our attitides and experiences transformed by Jesus, as we live in his light, filled with his Spirit.