1 Corinthians 1.1-25
As we read the opening of Paul's letter to the Corinthians we see a very clear definition of what believers are, how the Gospel works in believers, and a thumbnail sketch of how believers can fall into sin. Paul's call to repentance is a call we can issue today with the very same power and applicability it had when Paul wrote in the 1st century.
First, what is a Christian? Though it's common in our modern American culture to look at particular deeds, the things believers do, in order to identify them, that is not at the forefront of Paul's greeting. Notice in verse 2 that God's church is identified as people who have been made holy in Christ, who have been called, presumably by God, to be saints. These are people who call on the Lord Jesus. And they call on the Lord because the Lord has called them. What is our identity as Christians? Are we Christians because of what we say or do? Are we Christians because of our association with one another? Not at all. We are Christians because Christ has called us and assembled us. He has placed his name, his identity, his seal of authority on us. We are people subject to Christ's calling. We are unique recipients of God's grace.
How do we see the Gospel working in the Corinthians? In verse 4 we see that they have received grace. In verse 5 we see that their understanding and speech has been filled with God in Christ. In verse 7 we see that the Corinthians have spiritual gifts. We see that they are eager for the revelation of Jesus in the end. In verse 8 we see that Jesus has proclaimed the Corinthians guiltless. In verse 9 we see that God will faithfully bring everything to its right conclusion. Of all people, Christians should stand out as unique examples in wisdom, intelligence, articulate communication, faithfulness, and foresight. We have received from the Lord all he would reveal about his perfect life, death, and resurrection on our behalf. We have a promise of hope and a future. And we have received all this from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has gone before us to prepare a way for us. Christian believers, living in light of the Gospel, should be different from the world around them. And our difference is because we serve to reflect the light of God in Christ, revealing the Gospel in this sin-darkened world.
Like the Corinthians, we too fall into sin. Maybe it would be better to say that like the Corinthians we see sin, we like sin, and we head straight for it, despite our better judgment. What's this sin the Corinthians are involved in? They have divisiveness of some sort. Hatred, quarreling. The battle lines are up. Everyone knows where everyone stands. Some people are followers of the Gospel as proclaimed by Paul. Some follow the Gospel as proclaimed by Apollos. Some follow the Gospel as proclaimed by Cephas. Some follow Christ. Do we see this kind of divisiveness in modern Christianity? Certainly. Are you a Psalter only covenant theology Presbyterian? Are you a Psalter only covenant theology Baptist? Are you a group that wouldn't sing the imprecatory Psalms but would sing the CCLI top 100 list, whether you are a Presbyterian or a Baptist? Are you an elder-rule person? A congregational-rule person? Do you belong to "The Original Glorious Church" (yes, there's one in my fair city) and thereby imply that everyone who differs from you in any way is heterodox or heretical? No matter who we are, no matter what God in Christ has said about us, we are ready to make mountains out of molehills and, unfortunately, molehills out of mountains.
Is there any hope for us? Despite our identity, despite all that Christ has done in us, despite the extensive teaching of the Scripture which should make everything plain to us, we still plunge wholeheartedly into sin. And if we try to live like the people Christ has said we are we still plunge into sin but we are more and more aware of it, more bothered by it. We see that sin brings death and that our predisposition is that of a sinner.
Thanks be to God, in verse 18 Paul reminds us of the cure for sin, "the word of the cross" (ESV). Christ crucified to pay sin's penalty and reconcile the world to God is the foolishness God has proclaimed to be wisdom. The message of the cross is our only hope in this world and in eternity. It is counter to our wisdom, counter to our plans, counter to the hopes and dreams our wisest philosophers can come up with. But in the cross we see "the power of God and the wisdom of God" (v. 24, ESV). We are partakers of the Gospel. This is what gives us our identity.
So we come full circle. We have been given an identity in Christ. We can acknowledge that the identity is good. We flee that identity, preferring sin. We suffer harm from sin. And we are given, once again, the message of Christ, who has given us that identity. Our Lord gives repentance and forgiveness, time and time again. Blessed be the name of our Lord.
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