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Greetings and Thanksgiving

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Good News Translation (GNT)

1  From Paul, who was called by the will of God
   to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our
   brother Sosthenes -
2  To the church of God which is in Corinth, to all
   who are called to be God's holy people,
   who belong to him in union with Christ Jesus,
   together with all people everywhere who
   worship our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord
   and ours:
3  May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
   give you grace and peace.

Blessings in Christ
4  I always give thanks to my God for you
   because of the grace he has given you
   through Christ Jesus.
5  For in union with Christ you have become rich
   in all things, including all speech and all
   knowledge.
6  The message about Christ has become so
   firmly established in you
7  that you have not failed to receive a single
   blessing, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ
   to be revealed.
8  He will also keep you firm to the end, so that
   you will be faultless on the Day of our Lord
   Jesus Christ.
9  God is to be trusted, the God who called you
   to have fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ,
   our Lord.

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Commentary taken from
'The Applied New Testament Commentary'
(Kingsway)

Greetings and Thanksgiving

Paul introduces himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.

Sosthenes, one of Paul's fellow workers, didn't actually write any part of this letter, but he had undoubtedly discussed the contents of the letter with Paul and had probably offered Paul advice concerning what to write.

When Paul had first arrived in Corinth, Sosthenes was the ruler of the Jewish synagogue there. Afterwards he had become a Christian.

Paul writes to the church of God in Corinth. The "church" is people - who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. This is why in the New Testament Christians are called "saints."

Many people say, "Lord, Lord," with their lips, but in their hearts, there is no change, no holiness. When we call on the name of Jesus in true faith, he comes into our lives.

Then through the power of the Holy Spirit, our lives become holy, or sanctified. We become "saints."

Paul always thanked God for all of his fellow Christians. Here he gives thanks for the Corinthian Christians because of the grace which God has given to them.

Paul mentions two ways in which the Corinthians were especially "enriched" - in their speaking and in their knowledge. Most people either speak well but have no knowledge, or they have knowledge but can't express it.

The person who is rich in both gifts is able to give much blessing to others.

Corinthian Christians had been so "enriched" because Paul's testimony about Jesus had been confirmed in them. It is when we testify about Jesus that others are enriched.

Corinthian believers didn't lack any spiritual gift. Paul is referring mainly to the special gifts of the Holy Spirit, but the greatest "spiritual gift" is Jesus Christ Himself, and our eternal salvation.

Even though the Corinthians didn't lack any spiritual gift, they still were beset by many sins and weaknesses. They were still far from mature, far from perfect.

Therefore, says Paul, let them wait eagerly for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed - for his second coming into the world, at which time their bodies will be redeemed, and their sins and weaknesses will be erased forever.

Through His death on the cross, Jesus has taken away our guilt, our "blame," so that we will be blameless on the day when Jesus returns to earth to judge all men.

We are totally dependent on his strength, which he gives us through the Holy Spirit. We cannot live a life pleasing to God by our own strength.

God is faithful. He called us, justified us; and will glorify us Some people, quoting verses 8-9, believe that Christians cannot fall away, that they cannot lose their salvation for any reason.

But other verses in the New Testament suggest that Christians can indeed turn away from their faith (see Luke 8:13; Romans 11:22; 1 Timothy 4:1).

God calls us to have fellowship with his Son Jesus. This is God's ultimate purpose for us: that we might be conformed to the likeness of his Son.

So, in view of such a great destiny, let us ask ourselves: Have we had fellowship with Jesus today? Without fellowship with Him, we shall become like a branch that is cut off from the tree and dies (see John 15:5-6).

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