Jun 25, 2023
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The church at Corinth was founded during Paul's second missionary journey. The account in Acts 18 records that Paul spent 18 months in Corinth on that trip and helped to establish a community of believers there. It was three years later, while on his third missionary journey, that Paul received word that all was not well in the Corinthian church. 1 Corinthians is the letter Paul wrote in response to this news, addressing a wide range of issues.
This first paragraph in the letter, as is usually the case, contains no command or exhortation. In these verses, Paul lauds the wonder and glory of what God had done in bringing these Corinthians to Himself.
The paragraph focuses on the glory belonging to God because of what He had done in saving these Corinthians. God had called them to be saints and sanctified them in Christ (1 Cor 1:2) and enriched them with spiritual gifts (1 Cor 1:4-7).
Further, God deserves honor because of what God would do in the future concerning these saints. He would "sustain [them] to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 1:8).
This is not just a description of the Christians in Corinth, but of every believer. We have infinite warrant for hope and joy because the God who called us to Himself in Christ will sustain us to the end.