"Opening Salutation"

Template

Pattern used as a guide

Common parts

Christian Letter

Typical Letter

Writer, recipients, greeting

Structure/content

Christianized Salutation

Theological

Significant/meaningful

Who Paul is in Christ, who they are in Christ, and what they have in Christ.

Who is the writer?

Verse 1

Paul

Official representative from God, for Christ (chosen in Acts 9).

This letter was serious, but it was also a gift.

Sosthenes

Likely the same person mentioned in Acts 18:17.

Jewish believer from their city acknowledging them as Gentile believers in one spiritual family.

Who are the recipients?

Verse 2

Saints

Holy ones, sacred, dedicated to God.

“Sanctified” - made holy

All believers are this - positionally

We are becoming who we are.

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”

Romans 6:19 “I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”

Romans 6:22 “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”

1 Peter 1:14–16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

We should reflect who we are.

Corinth

One of the largest and wealthiest cities in Paul’s day due to its location as a hub for travel and trade on major land and sea routes, and so it became the Roman capital of Achaia.

Thoroughly saturated with polytheism and idolatry, with dozens of temples and shrines devoted to multiple Roman lords and Greek gods, the largest of which was a temple to Aphrodite at the top of the Acrocorinth (1,800 foot summit just outside the city). This idolatry was intertwined in the culture, economy, and social fabric for everyone who lived there.

Sexual immorality was rampant and worldly philosophies were prevalent, though there was a small Jewish community. This is where Paul started, but this is not where most converts came from.

So the church at Corinth would have been a small majority in a worldly metropolis. They were saved out of it, but still living in the middle of it.

So this church has issues and questions.

BEING SAINTS MEANT THAT THEY COULDN’T BE TYPICAL CORINTHIANS.

What do they have in common?

Verse 3

OUR...

GRACE and PEACE

Grace - undeserved kindness and gifts

Peace - harmony and rest

Having...

Seeking...

We’re the same!

Same conflict - with culture - the specifics may be different, but the heart is the same.

Same calling - to be and to have

Benediction: 2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Scripture Reading: Acts 18:1–17