1 Corinthians 1:3

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

NASU

 

Paul concludes his greetings to the Corinthian church with two incredible words and an explanation of the source of the expressions.

 

 1.  “Grace” |  (charis / khar’-ece) :  the God willed divine favor bestowed upon a life.  Also, the divine influence upon the heart of the recipient.  Simply:  God’s favor.

 

2.  “peace” |  (eirene / i-ray’-nay) :   the restful, tranquil condition of a soul and mind that is assured of salvation through Christ.

 

3.  “…from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” | Paul is careful to include the source of the grace and peace.  Realizing that true rest and favor can only come from God.

 

As Paul writes this letter to the Corinthians, he chooses his words very wisely and deliberately.  The Corinthian church was in a state of turmoil and dissension.  Many factions had formed within the church.  Immorality had become prevalent within Corinth to the point that the word Korinthiazomai (“to act like a Corinthian”) became synonymous with “practicing fornication”.  So, Paul understood the Corinthians’ need for “grace” and “peace”.  His words would have been received with significance. 

 

Throughout our day we use an incredible quantity of words, verbal and written.  Of the thousands of terms and phrases that come from our mouths, how many have true significance?  We have become a people that “speak much” and “say little.”  Through his divinely inspired words, Paul utters a statement so noteworthy in the life of a believer that the resonance of the phrase endures to this very moment… “…Grace to you and peace..”.  How desperately we need to hear this blessing lamented over our individual lives!  Oh, how the trials and strains of life could be soothed by the healing ointment of God’s divine favor and rest bestowed upon us!   Who among us would not eagerly accept the divine grace and peace of God poured out over the difficulties of lives engulfed with deadlines, uncertainties, turmoil, anxieties, and heaviness?   Let us receive today the divine favor, blessing and rest that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are so prepared to furnish!

 

Application/Challenge:  Will each of us “weigh” our words to others as we speak today?  Will we so carefully monitor our vocabulary that our words will carry significance to those that hear?  Challenge yourself today to verbally bless someone with God’s grace and peace.  Utter words of significance to others today and listen for weight in the words of others.

1 Corinthians 1:2

1 Corinthians 1:2

2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

 As Paul continues his greetings to the Corinthians, he identifies three positions of membership that should be realized by every believer:

 1.   “To the church of God which is at Corinth..^a” |   Paul’s first of three addressees of this letter.  The church (ekklesia) is the congregation or community of believers assembling in Corinth.  Much as if someone would address a letter to “First Baptist Church, Dallas, TX”. 

 2.  “…to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling…^b”  |  The second portion of his greeting indentifies the individuals within the congregation.  The word used for sanctified (hagiazo) and the word saints (hagios) are from the same root word as “holy”.  Paul is identifying individual believers that have been separated from profane things and dedicated to God… or rather “the holy ones of God”. 

 The “calling” of the saints is the same verbiage as used in V1.  We have been called or invited to enter into a sanctified relationship through Jesus Christ, by God himself.  (See notes on 1:1)

 3.  “with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours^c:” |  This is an accumulation of believers or rather the world wide body that has been called unto salvation by God through Christ.

 

Three memberships:

            The individual relationship with Christ. – v1^b

            The local church membership of believers. – v1^a

            The worldwide accumulation of Christians. – v1^c

 Sometimes as believers we tend to forget our “membership” in the body of Christ.  We as believers (individuals) make up the local New Testament church.  At the same time, we as believers have been placed into a worldwide church body that is an accumulated assembly of anyone that has placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  But, before these comes the individual personal relationship with Jesus that each of us professes at the time of our salvation.

 How often we tend to forget the significance of the body unto which we have been called.  We have been set apart from the ungodliness of the world and dedicated to the eternal glorification and honor of Jesus Christ!  To enjoy the rights of association with God through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ!  It seems so easy for us to forget the “calling” that has been placed on our lives and have our focus drawn to the religiousness of the organization, rather than to the glorification of the Savior.  To build a strong church, local and collective, we must each be strong, dedicated individual believers and disciples.  What a privilege and honor that we each enjoy as a Christian!  We are saved and can approach God in a sanctified state through His only Son, Jesus!  We have been saved by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  Saved by the Lion of Judah, the Prince of Peace, the Lamb of God!  How special we must be in the eyes of our heavenly Father!

 

Application/Challenge:  How much do we cherish the “membership” that we enjoy?  Does my association make the church body stronger or weaker?  Today, let us be thankful for the supernatural calling that we enjoy as believers.  Let us focus our attention on the One that has called us.

 

New Series – 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:1

1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

Paul begins his first letter to the Corinthians by identifying himself and establishing his credentials.  Paul establishes himself in a way to be modeled by every believer, writing of three distinguishing marks describing how he should be viewed by the world:

 

1.  “Paul, called as an apostle…” |   Paul has been invited, or appointed (called | kleetos) as an ambassador of the Gospel / an officially sanctioned delegate (apostle | apostolos).

 

1. “…of Jesus Christ…”  |  This is a description of Paul’s calling.  Paul has been invited or appointed to be an officially sanctioned ambassador/messenger of Jesus Christ.

 

1. “…by the will of God,” |  The will (theleematos) means the choice, desire or pleasure or God.  Literally, “by God’s choosing”.

 

Paul also mentions that he is with Sosthenes, a former ruler of the synagogue at Corinth that had become a believer under Paul’s teachings.  This mention of Sosthenes, lends more weight to Paul’s words because of the lasting relationship with a former religious leader from the town to which he’s writing.

 

As believers we are divinely called.  Part of our Christian credentials include this calling. No one becomes a believer in Christ as Lord and Savior unless called by God.

 

John 6:44

44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

           

Every saved person has been called by God’s pleasure or desire to represent Jesus Christ on this earth during their physical lifetime.  Oh, how often we shake off our responsibilities as ambassadors for Christ by the lifestyles we lead or the omission of our testimonies!  The One that we have been appointed to represent is deserving of our best efforts and our exhausting energies.  Christian identification and legitimacy does not come from who our mouths say we are, but rather from the demonstration of a life representing Jesus Christ. We have church rolls bursting with those that profess to be Christians, but show no legitimacy of credentials in their actions.  Imagine if each one that professes Christ as Savior truly made Him Lord as well.  What a revival that would erupt!  What an insurgence of new believers that would fill our pews and how our altars would be stained with the tears of repentance! 

 

Application/Challenge:  As a believer, are your credentials established and if so are you legitimizing that position with a lifestyle indicative of the One that you represent?  Today, let us examine our Christian credentials and hold the document of our salvation and calling up to the light of Truth.  Will we be the ambassador for Jesus Christ that through His will God has called us to be?