God Is Faithful - 1:4-9

Before he does, he wants to remind them of the continual grace of God, the reality of their salvation, the gifts of God, the assurance of future glory, and the presence of fellowship in this life.

Every believer experiences the faithfulness of God.

As we experience His faithfulness, we grow.

Today we will reveal three ways every believer experiences the faithfulness of God.

As God’s faithfulness is revealed we will be equipped to glorify Him.

#1. God is…

1. Faithful To Prepare vv. 4-6

God prepares all of us for service. He prepares us to be used by Him.

Paul reminds the Corinthians of the preparation they have had.

Why?

Because some of the things he will say are going to make them question. He is going to make them doubt.

Paul wants them to know that they have been prepared for service because it means God is at work in them!

God prepares us by giving us three gifts.

Gift #1.

a. Prepared by the gift of grace v. 4

READ v. 4

Paul, who in a few chapters will state “I do not praise you.” Here expresses his thankfulness for this church.

How can he be thankful for them? After all, they are really messed up!

Paul is thankful for the activity of God in their lives.

Every time Paul thinks of them, He thanks God for them.

What makes Paul so thankful?

The grace of God that has been given to them.

Paul uses passive verbs here. This reflects the idea that God’s grace is not something we earn. It is something we receive.

We receive the grace of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

That grace is what saves us and it is what enables us to live righteously.

God is faithful.

His faithfulness is seen in the preparation of His children for service.

He prepares us to serve by making His grace the very air that we breathe!

God has prepared you and I for service through Jesus Christ.

This begins when we trust Jesus Christ as Savior. It continues as we depend on His grace for the ability to live each day.

What did God tell Paul when he prayed three times for his thorn in the flesh to be removed?

Go with me to 2 Corinthians 12:9 (S).

2 Corinthians 12:9

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Paul has already mentioned grace in this letter. In fact, he mentions it in the previous verse!

Why mention it again so soon?

Because.

Everything in the Christian life is about God’s grace!

The grace of God given to us in Christ Jesus is what prefects our weakness!

We have infirmities, we have thorns in the flesh.

The ability to serve the Lord in spite of weakness, in spire of infirmity; that ability is a product of grace!

This is why Paul is thankful. He is thankful for the grace of God.

They are going to need it.

Grace gives us strength in weakness.

In what areas are we weak and in need of the grace of God?

How about personal growth? Anyone else struggle with self-discipline?

We need the grace of God!

How about in friendships? We find ourselves not being intentional. Thinking friendships will deepen and grow without work!

We need the grace of God to build redemptive relationships as well as relationships that bring strength and encouragement.

How about in our parenting? Do we ever feel weak in our parenting? Do we sometimes feel like failures? Do we feel like we have no clue what we are doing?

We need the grace of God!

Marriage. How is your marriage? Is it what you want it to be? Is it what it should be? Are we doing anything to deepen and strengthen our marriage?

Grace is needed as we grow together in Christ.

We need the matchless grace of God just as the Corinthians did.

God gifted them with His grace in Christ Jesus.

What form did the gift of God’s grace take?

It took the form of ability.

That’s what we examine next.

Gift #2. The Corinthian believers were…

b. Prepared by the gift of ability v. 5

READ v. 5

We need to be very clear about something.

The enrichment Paul speaks of here is not physical. They did not get material wealth or prosperity.

How do we know that? Because Paul tells us what the enrichment is right away.

Utterance and knowledge.

They have been made rich in utterance and knowledge.

Utterance is the Greek word Logos. Knowledge is just what it sounds like.

In this context there is a spiritual connotation.

They have been gifted with the ability to speak of Christ and know about Christ.

That is what the grace of God has done.

Whenever I consider the ability to speak of God, I think of Moses being commissioned by God to free the Israelites.

In Exodus 3 Moses sees the burning bush and is called by God.

Then, in the end of chapter 3 and on into chapter 4 Moses offers a series of excuses as to why God should send someone else.

We pick up the narrative in Exodus 4:11-12. Go with me there. Moses has just said he can’t be God’s spokesman because he cannot talk very well.

Read with me God’s response.

Exodus 4:11-12

Exodus 4:11–12 NKJV

So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

Paul tells the Corinthians that God has given them the ability to speak His message. Just like He did with Moses.

God is greater than our excuses.

He can give even those with little ability, the grace to proclaim Him.

The Corinthian believers were given the ability to speak.

They were also given the ability to know.

Our ability to know and understand the things of God comes through the Holy Spirit.

John 16:12-13 says this (S).

John 16:12-13

John 16:12–13 NKJV

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

The Spirit of truth guides us into all truth. According to Jn. 17:17 it is the Word of God that is truth.

The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to understand God’s Word of truth.

The Corinthian believers were given the ability to speak and the ability to understand.

These both come through the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives understanding and utterance.

These abilities enable us to serve the Lord and live for His glory.

We need the power of the Holy Spirit for every area of life.

Apart from Him we cannot grow personally, we cannot have Christ-honoring relationships, we cannot train our children, and we cannot properly love our spouse!

The Holy Spirit enables all these things.

God is at work preparing you and me for service. He does this through the gift of His grace and through giving abilities.

Finally. Gift #3. The Corinthian church was…

c. Prepared by the gift of testing v. 6

READ v. 6

Let’s define two key words here.

Testimony – μαρτύριον (martyrion) testimony; witness. The verbal evidence of a witness by which something is affirmed to be true. Noun (subject), nominative, singular, neuter.

Testimony – μαρτύριον (martyrion)

Confirmed – βεβαιόω (bebaioo) establish; confirm. to be verified (state) v. — to be or become proven to be true. Finite verb, aorist, passive, indicative, third person, singular.

Confirmed – βεβαιόω (bebaioo)

Paul is saying that their verbal testimony of Christ has been proven true.

If your like me, the first question you have is how.

How has their testimony been proven true?

The implication seems to be a process of testing.

Something cannot be confirmed, proven true, without testing.

These believers have been tested, and have proven that they truly believe in Jesus Christ.

There has been evidence of their salvation.

This is very significant because Paul is going to address some behavior that is not Christlike.

Despite their behavior at times, they had a testimony of Christ.

This ties back into what we have already seen.

They have been given the grace of God in Christ Jesus. This grace has made them rich in the ability to speak of and know about Christ. The result of this grace and ability is confirmation of their salvation. They have a confirmed testimony of Christ!

Go with me to 1 Peter 1:6-9.

1 Peter 1:6-9

1 Peter 1:6–9 NKJV

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

This is what has taken place in the lives of the Corinthian believers.

They have faced trials. They have been tested. They have demonstrated their commitment to Christ!

Yet now they are struggling.

What this teaches us is that no one is exempt. No matter how spiritually mature we might be, we are going to face times where we fall. We are going to be caught in that sin, we are going to be like the Corinthians.

In those moments it is important to know who we are, we saw that last week.

It is also important to remember the work of God in us!

The grace of God has made us faithful in the past, it will get us through present trial, and it will carry us to future victory.

Victory in testing is possible.

The strength gained while enduring past trials will enable future victory!

We can live in victory. We can endure trials. We can ace the tests of life. It IS possible.

However, it is only possible by the grace of God.

God is faithful to prepare.

God is at work in them. He is preparing them for service.

The reality that God is at work in them, that He still has a plan and purpose for their lives, will bring encouragement in the days ahead.

God gives grace, He gives ability, and He gives testing. All of these are given to conform us to Christ and to make us better equipped to bring Him glory with our service.

He is faithful to prepare us.

There is a second way that every believer experiences the faithfulness of God.

#2. God is…

2. Faithful To Present vv. 7-8

God doesn't just prepare us. He has promised to present us perfect in Christ!

He is at work in all of us right now. He is conforming us to Christ, transforming us by the renewing of our minds.

We must rest in Him.

We must seek Him.

We must grow in grace.

The things mentioned in these verses we are about to examine are all works of God.

We do not do these things ourselves.

The Corinthian church needs to remember how God is going to present them.

God works to present the believer in two unique conditions.

Condition #1…

a. Presenting us complete v. 7

READ v. 7

The grace of God in v. 4 and the enrichment of v. 5 mean that the Corinthian believers don’t lack any spiritual gift!

That’s what this word “come short” means. The don’t lack any Spiritual gift. God didn’t rip them off, He didn’t short change them. He has given them every spiritual gift!

We come short in no gift.

The end of this verse tells us the attitude we are to have as we exercise our spiritual gifts.

We are eagerly awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Thursday, when I arrived home for lunch I hear a voice in the back of the house shout “Daddy!”

Then there comes the rapid slap slap slap of tiny running feet.

Andrew charges down the hallway and runs into my arms.

That’s what it means to eagerly await the revelation of Jesus Christ!

We’re like the toddler standing on the couch watching out the window for daddy to come home.

We’re the parent, worn out from chasing children waiting for the other spouse to arrive.

We’re the boy sitting on the edge of the couch waiting for the prom date to walk down the stairs.

We’re eagerly waiting for our bridegroom to appear!

We are on the edge of our seat waiting for Christ!

We’re looking out the window of life every second to see if He is here!

That’s the picture that is being painted.

Christ could return at any moment, and we want to be ready.

What does this eager anticipation do for us?

It does 3 things.

It gives us consistency.

Go with me to 1 John 2:28.

1 John 2:28

1 John 2:28 NKJV

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

We live for Christ because we want Him to return and find us faithfully serving Him!

Knowing that He could return at any moment causes us to live for Him every moment. REPEAT?

A consistent Christian life is motivated by the expectation of Christ’s return.

It gives us urgency.

Go to Romans 13:11-14.

Romans 13:11-14

Romans 13:11–14 NKJV

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The time of Christ’s return draws nearer every day.

Now is the time to live for Christ! Now is the time to tell our neighbors and friends! Now is the time to be bold!

It gives us hope.

Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 NKJV

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

The Lord will descend. The trumpet will sound. We will meet the Lord in the air and be with Him forever.

This life is not the end.

This life is not all there is.

We will spend eternity with Christ!

Fight the world, the flesh, and the devil. Fight because our future is secure. Our eternity will be spent with Jesus.

The Corinthian church needs this reminder.

Christ is going to return.

We must all be eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Again He is called our Lord Jesus Christ.

Master, Savior, Messiah.

That is who we look for.

We come short in no gift, we are complete in Christ and we await His revelation.

As we await Christ we live for Him.

We live with consistency, urgency, and hope.

Christ is going to return. When He does we will be presented in condition #2.

b. Presenting us blameless v. 8

READ v. 8

This “who” is our Lord Jesus Christ.

The one we are eagerly waiting for?

He is going to accomplish two things on our behalf.

But before we talk about that. I want to talk about this word “also.”

Most translations have this word. The idea is “in addition to.”

In addition to what?

In addition to everything we have already seen!

In addition to his grace, in addition to his gifts, in addition to his confirmation of us. In addition to the fact that He is going to return and take us to be with Him!

As if all of that isn’t enough. In addition, he will accomplish two things on our behalf.

He will confirm us.

This is the same word used earlier of our testimony being confirmed.

Now it is us who will be confirmed.

This is a future, active, indicative.

Being an indicative means that it absolutely will happen and of course being future means it is coming.

It is active, because Christ confirms us. We are not the object of this action, Christ is.

He confirms us. We do not confirm ourselves.

He will confirm us to the end.

The idea here is of a particular point in time when something ends.

Christ is going to establish us until the end.

The end of what?

Verse 7 spoke of the revelation of Jesus Christ. We are established until the end of this age!

What does it mean for Christ to confirm us to the end?

He will perfect us.

Because Christ is the one who establishes us, we will absolutely be presented blameless when Christ returns.

Blameless – ἀνέγκλητος (anenklētos) blameless; above reproach. unaccusable, not subject to, deserving, or worthy of a charge of wrongdoing. Substantival adjective, accusative, plural, masculine.

Blameless – ἀνέγκλητος (anenklētos)

We will stand before the throne above reproach, unaccusable.

We cannot be charged with wrongdoing. Why? Because the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin!

We are confirmed to the end and presented blameless in Christ because our security is in Christ!

He confirms us to the end.

In the chapters and verses ahead we will learn that the Corinthians were living messed up lives!

Yet Paul states that God will confirm them to the end.

We will be blameless in the day of Christ.

Why?

Because blamelessness does not depend on you and me!

Practically, in our daily lives, it does. But positionally, we are blameless in Christ!

Paul is going to deal with their behavior. Before he does he wants them to get this. Positionally, they are blameless.

All who have trusted Jesus Christ will be presented blameless in the day of Christ!

Does that mean we live in sin? No!

When we really get this, really understand this, it empowers us to live for Christ now.

A blameless position inspires blameless behavior.

Paul is telling the Corinthians who they are so that he can tell them how to behave.

Christ confirms us, Christ presents us blameless.

Therefore, we live for Him.

Every believer experiences the faithfulness of God as He prepares us and as He presents us.

#3. The final way every believer experiences the faithfulness of God. God is…

3. Faithful To Provide v. 9

God is faithful.

We can depend on Him.

He provides our needs.

He provides what we all need.

This verse tells us of two vital provisions of God.

#1…

a. Providing purpose v. 9a

READ v. 9

When Paul states that God is faithful the idea is that we can depend on Him.

God is never going to let us down.

He is the one who has called us.

This is what gives us purpose.

In v. 2 Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were called to be saints.

Here they are reminded that a faithful God has called them.

As they are faced with the errors in their thinking and behavior, they need to remember that they have been called by God.

We too need to remember this.

Our purpose is not found in the circumstances of this life.

Our purpose is found in Christ.

We are called to be followers of Jesus.

We are called to be Christians.

You may be a mom or a dad. But you are a Christian mom or dad.

You may be someone’s best friend, but you are a Christian first.

Your identity as a follower of Jesus Christ comes before everything else.

You are a Christian who is a plumber, an accountant, a teacher, a farmer, etc.

Your purpose is to represent Jesus Christ where He has placed you.

It is not a little thing to be called by God.

Purpose comes from our call to follow Jesus.

God is faithful. As we follow Jesus, that faithfulness is revealed.

He has faithfully called us.

That call is expanded in the end of the verse.

God provides us with purpose through our calling.

Vital provision #2. God is…

b. Providing fellowship v. 9b

READ v. 9

God is faithful. We are not.

Again it is emphasized that He called us. What did He call us into? Fellowship.

Fellowship – κοινωνία (koinōnia) participation. The act of sharing in the activities or privileges of an intimate association or group. Noun (prepositional object), accusative, singular, feminine.

Fellowship – κοινωνία (koinōnia)

We share an intimate association with Christ.

That is what we have been called into.

God, in His faithfulness, has called us to fellowship with Jesus Christ!

Paul is reminding the Corinthian church of this calling.

When we sin, fellowship is broken.

Psalm 66:18 states that

Psalm 66:18

Psalm 66:18 NKJV

If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

Fellowship is broken by sin.

When that happens fellowship needs to be restored. How?

Through the confession of sin. 1 John 1:9 tells us that when we confess God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse.

The members of the Corinthian church have sinned. They have broken fellowship.

They need to do what is necessary for fellowship to be restored.

For fellowship to happen obedience is necessary.

God provides fellowship for us.

That fellowship is in His Son.

Yet again God the Son is referred to as Jesus Christ our Lord.

The man Jesus, born to take away the sin of the world, born to die. Born to save us from our sin.

He is the Christ. The Messiah. The anointed one. The sacrifice who would pay the penalty for sin.

Through His death, burial, and resurrection He has purchased us.

Since we are His possessions, He is our Lord. Our master.

That is who we fellowship with.

The Lord Jesus Christ.

Do our lives reflect the reality that He is Lord?

Conclusion

As we close this morning we need to examine our lives.

In just a short time I am going to ask you to make a commitment for the week.

As we prepare our hearts to do that, let’s consider again what we began with.

Every believer has been gifted to know and speak of Christ.

Christ will present us blameless when He returns.

We have been called to fellowship with Christ and His body.

In light of these truths; What do I need to change?

Personal: The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in your life. He gives the ability to know Christ and speak of Him. A commitment here could look like choosing a set time to spend with Christ. Cutting out one habit God has been calling you to give up.

Friendships: Perhaps you have friends who don’t even know you are a follower of Jesus. I’m not saying to cram religion down their throat. Maybe we need to share the most important relationship we have.

Marriage: One day we are going to stand before the throne of God. Husbands. He is going to ask if you loved your wife as Christ loved the church. Wives. He is going to ask if you respected your husband even when he didn’t deserve it. What changes do we need to make? Have that conversation. Go on that date. Adjust the schedule so you can be together.

Parenting: Your children are eternal beings given to you by the grace of God. Parenting can be heartbreaking, it is difficult, but when our children trust in Christ, it is worth it. Tell them when you are wrong. Ask for forgiveness. Show them what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

Following Jesus means we fall down sometimes, but we get back up.

We sin, but we seek forgiveness.

We run after Christ no matter what.

COMMITMENT: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God is faithful.

He has faithfully prepared us through His grace, through abilities, and through testing.

He will faithfully present us complete and blameless.

He has faithfully provided us with purpose and fellowship.

Will we be faithful?

4 exhortations

Use your abilities for the glory of Christ.

Live above reproach for the glory of Christ.

Fellowship for the glory of Christ.

Eagerly anticipate the glorious return of Christ.

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