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.