1 Corinthians - Introduction

Introduction:

Many people today look at being a christian as more of a status symbol and a way to justify behavior, as they claim salvation but identify closely with the culture, having little to do with a true biblical definition of what it means to follow Jesus Christ. Many believe that Christianity is a way of escaping hell, or a means of becoming wealthy or healthy thereby utilizing the means of grace for self-indulgence, or even identifying with those they idolize who claim to be Christians. To say the Jesus Christ is our Lord and Master, and we are his slaves, servants, or disciples is foreign to many because it involves yielding to an authority, and a decision maker or life planner who is beyond themselves.

The fact is, not much has changed in two-thousand years. The church at Corinth was very much like this in that they claimed to know Christ, were rich and very gifted, but the culture in which they lived defined many of their actions.

The apostle Paul, as a loving, concerned father, addresses these issues in a seemingly harsh but necessary way to bring them into focus on being a devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

Text:

Main Point: Because God has called us as His saints, we must persevere and yield to His sanctifying work in us.

Background:

The church at Corinth was founded by the apostle Paul on his second missionary journey as we read in .

Some facts regarding the city of Corinth:

One of the largest cities in the Roman world, with over 200,000 residence and was the capitol of the Roman providence of Achaia.

Corinth was also of the most corrupt, being thoroughly pagan and immoral, with its pagan temples, and temple prostitutes. It was so renown for its immorality that anyone who was grossly immoral was said to be “Corinthianized”.

A strategic commercial center, that sought to provide international pleasures

In that setting the Christians polarized, some insisting that association with inners was permissible and necessary, others arguing that a measure of isolation was essential to preserve holiness

These opposing tendencies grew out of control in Corinth and endangered the future of the congregation

Some important things happened along with founding this church:

Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, follow Jews and tent makers who were recently expelled from Rome by order of Claudius

He was joined by Silas and Timothy who arrived from Macedonia

As he reasoned with the Jews in the synagogues on the sabbath, their rejection of the gospel caused Paul to focus on the gentiles.

Paul’s stayed in Corinth and ministered to the church there for 18 months.

Sosthenes, as mentioned in verse 1 of , was probably the same one mentioned in , who was the ruler of the synagogue and beaten by the Jews who were angry at Paul.

I. Greetings (vss. 1-3)

Normal epistolary opening

Opening Greeting from the writer and his credentials (vs. 1)

The recipients and their description (vs. 2)

Some sort of wish for their well being (vs. 3)

A. Paul’s Credentials

1. called by God’s will

Note that Paul claims that the one who commissioned him for this task was none other then God himself.

2. to be an apostle of Jesus Christ

The word apostle (apostolos)- means, one sent forth with a mission, an envoy who spoke with the authority of the sender. However, these were special, one time only agents of God. The question often is asked, are there apostles today? We believe that there are not…not in the sense of how the scripture uses the word.

​The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version The ApostlesThe apostles were agents of God’s revelation of the truths that would become the Christian rule of faith and life. As such, and through Christ’s appointment of them as His authorized representatives (; ), the apostles exercised a unique authority in the church.

The apostles had to have seen the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:1 ESV

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?

​ ESVAm I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?

In NT times an apostle had to have definite qualifications:

The apostles were given special authority and revelation from God.

2 Corinthians 13:10 ESV

10 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

​ ESVFor this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

B. The recipients and their Description

1. They were a church

church - ekklēsia: ek - prepsostion that means out or out of, and, kaleo - which means to call, so the meaning is, those who have been called out of

2. Sanctified in Christ Jesus

Sanctified (hagiazo) - perfect, passive, participle

a) Initial Sanctification

2 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

1 Peter 1:2 ESV

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

b) Progressive Sanctification

1 Thessalonians 4:3–4 ESV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

1 Thessalonians 4:7 ESV

7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

3. Called to be saints (hagios)

called here is an adjective, it answers the question What kind of saints?...called saints.

4. Part of the universal Church

there is no elite group in the church

C. Wish for Well Being

1. Grace and Peace

this grace is sustaining grace, given to aid in the sanctification process

2. From God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

note the tone and wording denoting equality

II. Thanksgiving (vss. 4-9)

A. For God’s Grace given to them

1. In Christ Jesus

2. Enriched in Speech and all Knowledge

3. Testify about Christ

4. Not lacking in Spiritual Gifts

5. Waiting for Christ’s return

B. For God’s Sustaining Hand Upon Them

1. Being sustained as guiltless to the end

2. God’s faithfulness not only calls, but keeps to the end.

3. Keeps us in the fellowship of His son, Jesus Christ our Lord.