1 Corinthians 1:4-7. Gospel Effect Abuse. Today’s BDBD.

The Apostle Paul had visited the city of Corinth around two years earlier, sharing his testimony about Christ. The congregation listened and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s grace in the form of spiritual gifts confirmed that the good news was received. They were enriched in every way -especially with the gifts of speaking and knowledge. Paul, speaking in general terms, thanked God for this grace to the Corinthian congregation in Christ Jesus.

However, in highlighting these two gifts with thanksgiving, Apostle Paul proposed to dwell on the abuse of their speech and knowledge later in the letter, especially since the Corinthians prided themselves on their speech and knowledge (1:20, 3:18, 4:19, 13:1-14:40).

God confirms, or rather gives effect to the gospel in his congregation by our accepting it and setting our seal to the gospel’s truth, through the inward power of his Spirit, and the outward gifts and miracles accompanying it. The gifts, however, can be abused.

The gifts of God, given by the grace of God, that confirm the gospel of Christ when we believe, are many and great, far beyond the lists the apostles give in other letters, just as knowledge is not in any of those lists. Some have but one gift their entire earthly life. Others have more gifts and/or the gifts they have change as they age. Whatever gift is given, whenever it is given through the Holy Spirit, is to be used in humility and fear to edify the church and those who will someday believe. When pride sets in, all is lost, and much harm is done in the end, just as happened to King Saul, who lost the crown and died a humiliating death.

1 Corinthians 1:3. The Father and Jesus Christ. Today’s BDBD.

Greeks’ traditional religion did not see its gods as their fathers. When a Greek became a Christian, they accepted that the One and Only Supreme God was their Father.

The pronoun “from” which is applied to “God our Father” is also implied to be with “the Lord Jesus Christ”, so that it would also read, “from the Lord Jesus Christ”. Grace and peace come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The grace and peace I receive through the Holy Spirit is a gift of the Father and Son.

Paul, in verses 1 and 2, uses the title “Jesus Christ” from the Greek “Iesous Christos” (and vice versa). Here, Paul uses the phrase “Lord Jesus Christ” from “Kyrios Iesous Christos”.

Greek culture traditionally did not believe any of their pantheon of gods were lords, let alone a Supreme Lord. They believed their gods were subject to fate just as humans were. Greeks did not worship a god as Christians and Jews do. Rather, they believed their gods had powers and abilities that humans do not have, but none of them were the creator of the cosmos (universe). The Greeks attempted to win the favor of one of their gods to convince that god to grant them a gift and/or favor with their unique power, not much different from the comic book group of heroes today. Which god they sought favor from depended on the special power the god had.

Christianity teaches the truth through the Holy Spirit. A Supreme God exists for eternity and beyond, God the Father. He has an eternal Son who is Lord of all, creator of all, including all humans. Jesus is the name God the Father, through the Spirit, gave to him when he came to the earth in the form of a human to redeem His people from sin and death. Through grace, not merit, Lord Jesus Christ, and God the Father give peace of soul.

1 Corinthians 1:2. To the Church of God. Today’s BDBD.

Apostle Paul is writing to “the church of God.” The Greek word for church can be better translated as “congregation” due to the many modern-day uses of the English word “church”. The meaning behind the Greek word for “church” implies that God called people to come to His community of believers from among the people of that ancient Greek city with commanding authority.

God’s congregation is defined in three ways. First, we are sanctified in Christ Jesus. The original Greek verb for “sanctified” means “set aside and made holy for a special purpose.” Sanctification is the process of being made holy, resulting in a changed lifestyle for the believer in Jesus Christ. More than that, God has a set purpose for each of his people.

Second, God calls his congregation to be holy. The original Greek word for “holy” can also be translated as “pure”, as Jesus is pure. God’s people were impure. When God called us, he made us pure through the blood of Christ Jesus. Corinth was known for the immorality of religious prostitution throughout the Greek and Roman world. God called some, made them pure by grace through faith in Jesus, and enabled them to leave that lifestyle.

Third, God’s community calls on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. God calls us to have an active relationship with Him, every day, every hour, every moment.

The amazing fact of these truths concerning the congregation at Corinth is that Apostle Paul, in this letter, finds many faults with the young church. Still, he states all these things to be true. However, this is not so amazing because the truth in them is not based on us. Rather, they are based on God’s work in and through us. God sanctifies me. God makes me holy. God makes the relationship with me so I can have communion with him. Not “what I did”, its “what God has done for me”.

1 Corinthians 1:1. Called to Be… Today’s BDBD.

Apostle Paul’s defined himself with, “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God”. Apostle means sent on a mission with full authority of representation; an ambassador. Jesus chose twelve to be his apostles during his earthly ministry. (Mark 3:13-19) When Judas betrayed Jesus another was chosen to take his place. (Acts 1:12-26) Then Jesus called Paul, the fourteenth apostle. (Acts 9:1-30) Silas and a few others were also apostles. Apostles are the only ones that display all the gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to support the mission that God has given them. Apostles were personally sent by Jesus, learning directly from Jesus.

How we see ourselves is important. Do we see ourselves in the eyes of others, in our own eyes, or the eyes of Jesus? If we see ourselves in the eyes of Jesus, he will help us understand ourselves more when we study the Bible and pray.

After Jesus came to Paul and called him as an apostle, and after he changed his name (originally Saul), he saw himself in the eyes of Jesus. He later confessed, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:7-11)

Wondering who you are? Trying to seek your true self? Not measuring up to how others define you? See how God sees you? Pray. Ask God to reveal him to you so you can see yourself in him. Read the Bible. See what he has already said about you.

1 Corinthians Chapter 1 Overview. Today’s BDBD.

Paul wrote this letter in 55 or 56 AD while he was at Ephesus during his 3rd missionary journey. Paul is dealing with problems concerning the young congregation as a whole and also with personal problems.

The first issue makes it clear that Jesus is the head of the church. I belong to him. I follow him. He was crucified for me. I was baptized into his name. I should not turn another into a kind of living idol.

I did not know God. I could not have known God unless he reveals himself to me. (21) Even if I were to study and learn from the wisest and most published person, I would not know God. The world through its wisdom cannot know God.

I am saved through the cross of Christ. The cross of Jesus is foolishness to mankind. The cross of Jesus is a weakness to mankind. Mankind is wrong in both. The cross of Christ is God’s strength and God’s wisdom.

Christ crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Some have said I know a lot and am well studied. The more I study the more I see that I know little nor have much wisdom unless God reveals it to me. That what I don’t know or understand I study a lot to learn a little more in hopes to understand that which I don’t understand. Once I learn something it brings more questions and things that I do not understand. So more study, prayer, and thought is needed. Yes, I accept all I know has been revealed to me by God through his Spirit.

I am not strong physically even though I jog and go to the gym. I am not strong mentally nor emotionally though it may appear to be so from the outside. When trouble and problems come I try to face them with faith. Yet I worry and am concerned.

So, for wisdom and strength, I go to God. I am weak. He is strong. I am not wise. He is all wisdom.