The first passage is 1 Corinthians 1:4-8. The passage tells us that the saints in Corinth possessed the miraculous gifts of the Spirit.
Next, we have a statement that declares the purpose of those spiritual gifts. They had confirmed them and would continue to confirm them “to the end.” This would be the day of the Lord. This is powerful proof that the saints in Corinth would be living until the day of the Lord. Paul is not talking about the end of life here on earth; for if he had, I would not be writing this and you would not be reading it. We wouldn’t be here.
In 1 Corinthians 7:26, Paul writes of the “present distress” that was so severe that he advises the unmarried not to get married. Paul is not binding celibacy on all humanity for all time. That there was distress upon the Christians at that time required celibacy, if a person could do so without “burning.” This is a good, better, best choice given from Paul’s judgment. If you marry, you have not sinned, he explains. This time statement of a “present distress,” along with all the rest found in Scripture point to a specific time which he describes in verse 29 as being short or shortened (literally, “has been shortened, cf. Matthew 24:22). No debate should be necessary if one opens both eyes and heart. He writes that the “appointed time” (kairos) had been “shortened” or “compressed” and that the “fashion of this world is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). The end of the age was soon approaching.
1n Corinthians 15:24 Paul reads, “then comes the end.” This “end” (telos) is the same as in chapter 1:8. The statement that they would live until the end is confirmed by 15:51, which reads, “Brethren, (the Corinthians) we shall not all sleep.” Paul points to some of the very elements of the past system that is associated with that present age would be completed or fulfilled. Its goal will have been accomplished. For example, the law that was “the strength of sin” (1 Corinthians 15:56) would be removed. So, the end refers to the end of the Old Covenant, implying the bringing in of a new covenant that includes Gentiles. If Paul was predicting the end of time, as is commonly asserted, he is a liar because the end of time had not come upon them and all of them would die before that end would come. Further, if you accept the proposal of others that the apostles were just mistaken about the imminence of His coming, this destroys the very fabric of our faith. We couldn’t possibly accept any prophetic word of hope.
According to Jesus, the resurrection would come at the end of his “this age” (Luke 20:34f) and Jesus was speaking of a present age before the cross. This cannot refer to the end of the Christian Age for at least two obvious reasons. The Christain Age does not start before the cross (Luke 20:34, “this age”) and the Messianic reign of Christ has no end. This so-called “Christian Age” that replaces the Old Covenant will never end. What we have in this letter is that some event was about to occur during the lifetime of the Corinthians. The condition of their time was full of distress so hard that it would be better to remain unmarried. And, the time had been shortened.
In case you are thinking about how the destruction of Jerusalem had any impact on the world, you fail to realize that the pattern of the gospel and judgment begins with the Jews, first. The ripple effect reaches out to the Gentiles so that the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem and the years that followed it brought distress upon the nations (Luke 21:25-ff). In 79, the whole Roman fleet resting under Vesuvius was destroyed, along with the crew. It is also important to realize that the resurrection, redemption, and the marriage of the lamb were impactful upon the whole world (Luke 21:28-31, Revelation 21:1-4). It was the end and the beginning and, therefore, a very significant mark upon the entire world.