Tuesday, July 16th, 2024

Scripture: 1 Cor. 1:1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

1 Cor. 1:2 to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Teaching: Paul, as he often does, begins his letter by calling to attention the authority as an apostle that was given to him by God. The title of apostle was a unique gifting in the days of the early church that held authority in ways that are not the same today; one major aspect of this gifting was the authority of the apostle’s words in the matters of the Church. Such gifting, accompanied by power (as seen in the book of Acts), was necessary to establish correct doctrine, both theologically and practically for the early church. As was the case with the church in Corinth, such authority was necessary for the right establishment of the Church as the body of Christ, rather than simply a gathering of people sharing the same fleshly preferences and calling their social club a “church.”

In verse two, Paul reminds them of the belief that brings them together: their faith in Jesus Christ, who saved them. Paul is not so subtly showing the Corinthians that first, they are only a “church” because of who Christ is and what He has done for them. Secondly, they are not unique in their faith, and thus, are not allowed to establish their own unique ways of worship. They are part of the larger body of Christ and are all accountable to the one they call their Lord, Jesus Christ.

Takeaway: Sometimes we as Christians choose comfort and familiarity over what is Christ-like. Things are familiar to us from our former lives continue to be familiar and comfortable even after being born again. But we are called to see them as dead, not as familiar! Paul said of being raised to new life in Christ, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4, NIV) When we bring our own ideas and preferences to the body of Christ that are not of Christ, we inevitably push aside what is warranted by Christ. As we will see in this letter to the Corinthians, they were being prideful and arrogant in their desire to build a church based upon their own ways rather than Christ’s. Paul, from the outset of this letter, calls them to see that they are part of something much larger than themselves and accountable to one greater than any: Jesus Christ. We do well to remember the same when we are tempted to choose comfort, fleshly preferences, compromise, or affirmation of sin instead of clinging to Christ and His ways. Sometimes we forget that when we choose what is easy or condoned by the world, we do so only in our own strength; but choosing to do the hard thing that is blessed by Jesus will be accompanied by His strength, power, and provision.