Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: I Corinthians 1-4
I Corinthians 1:2
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
As with any book of the Bible, it is wise to keep in mind the primary audience for whom that book was intended. This was a letter sent from the Apostle Paul to the church of God located in Corinth. Corinth was a major city of the Roman Empire in Greece. It has been said that Corinth was the place where east met west. It was a major shipping hub, and most trade goods moved through its ports. Its population is estimated to be around 400,000 souls in 52-53 AD, which was the time that Paul was there during his second missionary journey.
This letter was written to this church around three years after his departure. Evidently a group of leaders in that church wrote to Paul asking about some serious doctrinal issues and seeking advice in dealing with some church problems. God used this opportunity to inspire Paul to write this epistle in order that it would be placed in the canon of Scripture to help all churches. While it was not written to us today, its teachings have been a guide to churches of all sizes and places, throughout all the years of the “church age.” From it we can learn much.
In his opening words Paul identifies the members of this church as having certain divine characteristics. Consider.
They are a church. The church of God at Corinth. A particular church, in a specific location, composed of those who have called upon the name of the Lord. A church like every New Testament, Bible believing church.
They were sanctified in Christ Jesus. Meaning they were set aside for a specific purpose. This is an old-fashioned word not used often today. But it should be. It speaks of a peculiar people that experienced the miraculous event of the new birth and knew it. They were new creatures in Christ, having escaped the sinful practices of the world. So much so that Paul says of them after listing the horrible sins of the flesh: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:11 Washed, sanctified, and justified.
They were also called to be saints. This was not unique to Corinth, this point is clear. …Called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:. Churches may exist in different places but have the same calling. In every place where there is a church, there are saints. To make sure that this teaching is highlighted the Apostle states basically the same thing twice in one verse. …all that in every place… and …both theirs and ours….
All through one Man. The Man Christ Jesus. While reading this letter to this church, think of your church and remember, in Romans, and later in Galatians, Paul stresses the truth of justification by grace through the Lord Jesus as the only way to be righteous before God and saved from the wages of sin. Now, in this letter to this church, the Apostle is reminding those who have been justified to be careful to live in such a manner as to glorify the God who justified them.
I Corinthians is a very practical church manual that clears up many unbiblical and erroneous teachings that tried to sneak into the church in Paul’s day, and in our day.
Dr. William T. Howe
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